Santorini

If you've ever been out to eat in Itaewon, you probably know that the street behind the Hamilton Hotel has just about ever cuisine you could desire. If you find yourself itching for some Greek, then Santorini it is.

Above The Old Stand and across from My Chelsea, Santorini, on the second floor, is clean, with a simple interior. If you're lucky you can nab a table by the window, but the view is noting to write home about. The smell coming from the kitchen on the other hand, will only make you salivate, eagerly awaiting your food.

The menu has a good selection of choices for the main course, and a few appetizers. If you're going to start things off with an appetizer, the hummus is superb. Served with a mini-loaf of fresh bread that you'll be bound to order more of, the hummus plate is a delicious way to begin.

Hummus

Hot, fresh bread

For your main course go with the pork. The Pork Souvlaki, skewers of pork served with pita, tzaziki, potato wedges and a coleslaw-like salad, is a great choice. The meat is juicy and full of flavor. Add a little salt to your tzaziki and dip away.

Pork Souvlaki

Another great pork dish is the Pork Gyros with Pita. Served with a heap if potato wedges, pita, coleslaw-like salad, onion and tzaziki, the Gyros will surly fill you up. Oh, and the juicy, delectable, fat on the shaved pork is mouth-wateringly delicious.

Pork Gyros with Pita

The portion sizes are great, and you're certainly not going to leave hungry. Santorini can fill up during lunch and dinner hours, so plan ahead or check it out at off-peak hours. If Greek is your thing, Santorini is definitely the place to go!

Address: 119-10 Itaewon-dong Yongsan-gu Seoul South Korea
Phone: 02-790-3474

Rocky Mountain Tavern

Craving chicken wings? Of course you are. Well there's only one place to go for all you wing desires--Itaewon. For the best wings in Seoul you're going to want to check out Tuesday's wing night at Rocky Mountain Tavern. This Canadian themed bar serves up a wide variety of wing favors and loud, albeit sometimes annoyingly loud music.

At 400₩ a wing, never settle on wing night. You'll be require to buy a beer or a drink to accompany the wings, but why wouldn't you anyhow? With about ten different choices of flavors, there's bound to be one you'll love. A personal favorite is the Creamy Cool. A subtly spicy hot wing sauce and ranch dressing, these wings will make you want to come back every damn Tuesday.

Creamy Cool Wings

For another great taste, go for the BBQ Wings or the Hot BBQ if spice is your thing. Try the Honey Mustard Wings if you're looking something a little sweeter, or the Salt and Pepper Wings for something a little less messy.

BBQ Wings

Honey Mustard Wings

Salt & Pepper Wings

If you're looking for a little drinking give the Halifax Explosion shot a try as well, or a bottle of Moosehead.

Other spots along Itaewon Street have wing nights as well, including the well know Dillenger's on Wednesday nights, but nothing seems to quite compare to those of Rocky Mountain Tavern. Eat your heart out--every Tuesday night!

Address: 210 Itaewon-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul - phone: 02 792 5392 (Call between 6pm-10pm)

Ho Lee Chow

Americanized Chinese food. If you've been to amy Chinese restaurant in the United States you're probably familiar with the concept. Sweet and sour everything, lemon chicken, and of course the ever so popular orange chicken are staples of Americanized Chinese. Of course these dishes do exist in authentic Chinese cuisine, but they're not as common as they are in the American Chinese food scene.

Well if you're looking for a taste of Americanized Chinese food in Seoul there's only one play to go--Ho Lee Chow. Located behind the Hamilton Hotel in Itaewon, Ho Lee Chow serves up all the Americanized Chinese favorites. The restaurant itself looks very upscale and has a fancy sit down feel to it. Depending on when you go it might be difficult to land a table without a wait or it may be so dead that the waitstaff has nothing better to do that wait on you hand and foot.

When you are seated you're welcomed with a pitcher of hot tea, a nice and often missed touch. The worst part about your visit to Ho Lee Cow will be deciding what to eat, as everything on the menu looks absolutely amazing.

Tea

Start off with a bowl of Hot & Sour Soup. I've always favored Egg Flower Soup over Hot & Sour, but this Hot & Sour soup will change you. There is so much flavor in the soup that you'll wish you could have it wi every meal.

Hot & Sour Soup

Next order an appetizer. Get that full Ho Lee Chow experience. Their Vegetable Spring Rolls aren't bad, but they don't seem as authentic and restaurant made as I would have liked. They reminded me of the spring rolls you could buy in the frozen food section in the States.

Vegetable Spring Rolls

I know it's not too adventurous and it's not very open of me to order what I ordered, but sometimes you just have to have some Sweet and Sour Pork. The sweet is emphasized, as the sauce is very reminiscent of the American style. The dishes are designed to feed more an one, but with a good appetite you'll easily be able to kill an order solo.

Sweet and Sour Pork

Sweet and Sour Pork

Is Ho Lee Chow the best Chinese in Seoul? Hard to say, but it is easily the best Americanized Chinese food you'll find! Ho Lee Chow damn good.

Yongsan-gu, Itaewon-dong, 119-25 (용산구 이태원동 119-25, 서울특별시), #02 793 0802