December's things to do

Sitting right in front of Sangsu Station, Mère Picon has already captured the hearts of many foodies. Having worked at a renowned French restaurant in Korea, the owner/chef Aly (Jiyeon Jeong) prepares easy bites that wonderfully go with wine and beer.  Mère Picon’s fish & chips was simply... perfect. The meat was particularly thick and juicy, the fried batter light, soft and crispy, while the potato sticks and wedges served on the side really complimented the whole dish. I give this a big thumbs up.  The Gorgonzola Mère Pizza with apple slices on top was a great light dish too. It uses citron honey instead of regular honey, so you get that little sweet and sour kick with it. We also ordered Squid Ink Paella in Mom’s Stone Pot and Mulle à la Bellgium as well, and they both were delicious. The best part of it was that the prices are reasonable compared to other bistro pubs in the area.  Mère means mom in French, and Mère Picon “Picon’s mom.” Just like its name, the ambiance here is is warm and comforting. The chef welcomes guests with a bright smile. Though it was a random Tuesday night, the bistro pub seemed pretty busy with more than 10 people chatting and sipping wine. As I was leaving, I looked around the pub and without hesitation I knew Mère Picon will be my pick for my end-of-the-year gathering.

Dimly-lit basements, serious furniture, and music vibrating in soft, repetitive hums—these are the visions we conjure up when imagining underground European techno clubs from the not-so-distant past. Lucky for us, this vision has come to life in the streets of Hapjeong. Set aside off from the major bustling streets of Hongdae, Vurt is only a minute walk from exit 6 of Hapjeong Station, and an easy 10-minute stroll from exit 1 of Sangsu Station. Burt carries a somewhat secluded and quiet vibe for a club and is managed by Suna, Unjin, DJI, and Soolee, old-timer DJs who have dedicated their lives to the club scene for over 10 years. Operated by a sound engineer from England’s reknowned audio company Allen & Heath, Vurt will appeal to true believers of underground sound.

Talk about chicken and rice to any New Yorker and they can whip up stories of the famous Halal Guys cart on 53rd and 6th. I, myself, can tell you how after four years of living in Seoul, the first place I visited as soon as I dropped off my bags was 53rd and 6th. The cart is not just food, but a legend amongst the millions of people who visit there – including Woosik John Kim, who once studied in upstate New York. “When people go abroad, they talk about how they want this and that in Korea. Chicken and rice was one of those infamous dishes.” After having scoured every corner of the city for even close knock-offs, I didn’t let myself get my hopes up when headed to Jil’hal Bros in Chungdam-dong. At the small yellow-colored restaurant, my combination platter equated to slices of grilled cuts of spiced chicken and lamb over turmeric yellow rice and a bed of lettuce and tomatoes topped with its signature white sauce and red sauce. The white sauce is normally concocted with variations of Greek yogurt, miracle whip and mayo while the red sauce has variations of chili peppers, garlic, vinegar, cumin and olive oil – with Woosik’s particular recipe being secret. Unlike its New York muse, the dish isn’t Halal certified, doesn’t drip with oil and the spices (cumin and chili pepper) are nowhere as strong. Yet, dinnertime fills with expats and Koreans (lots of Korean-Americans) alike wolfing down one plate, and taking one to go. One preppy looking twentys-something (possibly former...