Eomuk (어묵) is a collective term for Korean surimi-based fish products and the dishes made from them. It is primarily made from minced white fish and is eaten in a variety of forms, including fried, simmered, and stir-fried preparations, but it is especially well known in the form sold at street stalls, where thin sheets of processed fish paste are skewered and immersed in hot broth. In Japanese, it is often described as “Korean oden,” but in Korea it is established as a distinct category of processed food and snack culture. Busan in particular is famous as a major center of eomuk production and consumption, and through its connection with the development of the marine products processing industry as a port city, it has become one of the foods symbolizing the region.
Haechang 12-Degree Glutinous Rice Fresh Makgeolli (Korean: 해창 12도 찹쌀 생막걸리) is a type of makgeolli, the traditional cloudy rice wine of Korea, and a high-alcohol fresh variety made from glutinous rice. It is one of the products of the “Haechang” brand, which is known in South Korea as a relatively premium-oriented traditional liquor label, and is characterized by a higher alcohol content than ordinary commercial makgeolli, as well as a rich and smooth texture. As an example of a makgeolli consumed in Busan, it also represents the diversification of makgeolli in contemporary Korea and the expansion of a premium traditional liquor culture that goes beyond its image as an everyday people’s drink.
Cass Beer (Korean: 카스) is one of the widely distributed beer brands in the Republic of Korea and is known as a pale lager that represents the country’s popular dining-out and group dining culture. It is often seen even in dining spaces centered on seafood cuisine, such as Jagalchi Market in Busan, and is enjoyed as an alcoholic beverage that pairs easily with a wide variety of dishes due to its light and refreshing taste.
Kaisen set is a form of market cuisine found at Jagalchi Market in Busan, South Korea, in which seafood received that day is served as an assortment of sashimi, raw items, and simply prepared dishes. Rather than the name of a single standardized dish, the term denotes a market consumption practice in which live fish and shellfish are selected on the spot and immediately cleaned and eaten at nearby restaurants, and it is known as a meal that symbolizes Busan’s port-city culture, seafood distribution, and the seafood preferences of southern Korea. In this composition, the assortment centers on sannakji, abalone, oysters, and scallops, accompanied by side dishes, condiments, and Korean beer, succinctly illustrating the freshness-oriented food culture of Jagalchi Market.
Dwaeji-gukbap (Korean: 돼지국밥) is a Korean pork dish and a type of gukbap, consisting of pork served in a broth made by simmering pork bones or pork, with rice provided on the side or added directly to the soup. It is especially known as a representative local specialty of Busan, a metropolitan city in southeastern South Korea, and is widely enjoyed throughout the Gyeongsang region. In Busan, it is established as an everyday comfort food, a hangover remedy, and an early-morning meal, and is also characterized by a style in which diners season it to taste at the table with salted fermented tiny shrimp, kimchi, garlic, and green chili peppers. Songjeong 3(sam)dae Gukbap (송정3대국밥) in Busan is one of the establishments where such regional food culture can be experienced.
Thai tea (Thai tea), or cha yen (ชาเย็น), is a strongly sweetened tea-based beverage widely consumed in Thailand, typically made by brewing black tea strongly, adding sugar and dairy products, and often served over ice. It is characterized by its vivid orange appearance, intense sweetness, the astringency of black tea, and the richness of milk, and is served in a wide range of venues from street stalls to cafes and food courts. The author drank this beverage at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, Thailand.
Seafood fried rice is a type of fried rice made by stir-frying cooked rice in oil and seasoning it together with seafood such as shrimp, squid, and shellfish. It is eaten across a wide range of regions, including Southeast Asia, and exists in many variations depending on the rice variety used and the combination of aromatics and seasonings. It is also served at the Ibrahim Restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand, and is often encountered by travelers as an approachable rice dish within the local dining-out culture.
Chicken seekh kebab (Chicken seekh kebab / seekh kabab) is a kebab dish of South Asian origin made by mixing ground or finely chopped chicken with spices and herbs, molding it around a metal skewer (seekh), and grilling it. It is often cooked over charcoal or in a tandoor (a cylindrical oven) and is characterized by a fragrant char, juiciness, and the aroma of spices. It has also become widespread in Southeast Asia due to migration, trade, and tourism, and the chicken seekh kebab served at Ibrahim Restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand, can be regarded as an example of its adoption and development.
Bua loi (Thai: บัวลอย; English renderings include Bua Loi and Bua Loy) is a collective term in Thailand for desserts in which small dumpling-like rice cakes are served in a sweet liquid, consisting of balls made by kneading and shaping glutinous rice flour (or rice flour), boiling them, and eating them with warm sweet coconut milk syrup or a chilled milk-based sweet soup mixed with ice. It is widely sold at street stalls and dessert shops in Thailand and is enjoyed as a light snack. It is also served at Cheng Sim Ei Giant Swing in Bangkok, where a version combining dumplings and ice in a cold sweet soup can be found.
Stir-fried water spinach (kuushinsai itame) is a leafy green dish widely found in Southeast Asia and southern China, made by quickly stir-frying water spinach (ensai, Ipomoea aquatica) over high heat; in Thailand it is commonly served at restaurants and street stalls as phat phak bung fai daeng (ผัดผักบุ้งไฟแดง). It is also offered at Go-Ang Khao Man Gai Pratunam (โกอ่างข้าวมันไก่ประตูน้ำ) in Bangkok as one of the side dishes accompanying rice-based meals.
