Vegetarian in Gyeongju

Apparently, there is only one vegetarian outlet in downtown Gyeongju. That should tell you how difficult it is to get vegetarian food in Korea.

Happy Cow list a few other restaurants but they are all in the outskirt and not easily accessible for a tourist. However, I did met a New Zealander who relied on Google Maps and cycled to the Baru restaurant which serves Buddhist Temple food. I didn't try to find my way there.

You can't really miss Kong Story if you came to Gyeongju by bus. It is directly opposite the Express Bus terminal. I saw it just as I was crossing the road from the bus terminal.

Kong Story is just directly opposite the Express Bus Terminal. It's a small place.

I was glad to find a vegetarian outlet. But I was disappointed when I walked in and saw the menu. I was hoping for Korean food, but Kong Story sells falafel only. Just falafel. But the disappointment quickly dissipated when I bite into the falafel. It was simply the best falafel I have had so far!

The menu. If you want a meal, there are basically only 4 choices: Pita Falafel, Tortilla Falafel, Veg Burger and Panini Toast.

The menu with the price listed

I had ordered a falafel pita bread wrap with humus. It came with 4 falafels and some shredded vegies in pita bread. I choose to add humus which costs another 1000W. Honestly, I wasn't sure if the humus made any difference. I couldn't taste it. But that might be because the taste of the falafel overwhelmed it.

I had a pita wrap and banana shake. The wrap came with 4 falafels, but the falafels were really good and I order 2 extra falafels! I came back the next day and order more falafels for snacks.

First the falafel smells really good. I am not sure what they used to make it so fragrant. But the smell really brings out your appetite. It is crispy outside, though a little dry inside. And the taste was really really good. I haven't tried too many falafels. But this time, it was so good that it really made an impression on me.

This small outlet is opened by a couple -- an Israeli and his Korean wife, just early this year. They are very friendly and speak good English. It is a very small place that really caters to take-out orders. But there are a few seats inside if you want to have your meal there, though the space is really tight.

I came back the next day in the afternoon and bought some falafels for snacks -- just falafels. At 500W each (about US$0.50, S$0.60 each), I thought they were quite cheap. (Falafels are not cheap in Singapore -- if you can find them in the first place). I ate 2 first and kept the remainder for later. The aroma filled the room and I was constantly reminded of the falafels that was still there!

When I was leaving Gyeongju for Seoul, I dropped in at 9:30am, hoping to pack a falafel wrap for my lunch. Unfortunately, they were just opening and the falafels were not ready. It was also the day they had to change the frying oil, and they could fry them on the spot for me. But the lady boss said she could make me a vegetarian burger, so I settled for it. The burger wasn't bad and the vegie patty in it was quite tasty. But it was nothing really special. I really much prefer the falafels.

Their opening hours was listed as 9am - 7pm. So if you want to have dinner there, you do need to go there early.

And if you came back from your day trips late, I guess the best thing is to cook your own dinner. I was glad that the guest house where I stayed -- Sa Rang Chae -- had a spacious and well equipped kitchen for guests to use. I bought some grocery from a nearby supermart and cooked dinner. (And of course, it is cheaper to cook your own food).

I cooked my own dinner. Just instant noodles with bean sprouts, mushrooms, tofu and some green sprouts (I have no idea what they were, but they looked wholesome and healthy so I bought it.)

Now, when I was trekking Namsan on Sunday, it happened that the Sangseon-am Hermitage was serving vegetarian soup noodles! I was pleasantly surprised as I had prepared to eat snack bars for lunch. I am not sure if the Hermitage serves that every day or just Sundays or if it was a special occasion (it wasn't new moon nor full moon day that day). But if you are trekking Namsan, do look out for it!

There was a long queue for the noodles. They cook the noodles by batches. So the queue actually moved quite fast as each batch was served. 

It was just a simple bowl of noodles in a hot broth, served with some chives, kimchi and seaweed. But it was very tasty and satisfying. (Definitely more satisfying than a snack bar for lunch). 

The noodles were free. But I felt that a donation was appropriate. So I dropped 5000W into the donation box in front of the shrine hall.

This was the noodles served by the Sangseon-am Hermitage near the peak of Namsan. It is simple but tasty and hearty. Just some soft noodles in a light soy broth with chives, kimchi and seaweed. (Yes, chives -- apparently Korean Buddhists do not avoid chives while the Chinese Buddhists do)