Relatively recently, we were treated to dinner by our old friend Ben Glickman, the CEO of Footprints Recruiting.  He’s been a strong ally, an informative resource, and a good friend, and this night he did not fail to live up to all of those again. 

He took us to a little restaurant buried in a back alley and clearly off the tourist radar.  The place was run by a Buddhist monk, and the cuisine – all vegetarian – was plentiful and delicious.   77 bowls in total, all of them empty when we heaved ourselves off the floor.  Bowls of Macalee (fermented rice), bowls of kim chi, bowls of soup, bowls of dried seaweed, bowls of things I didn’t know, and 2 bowls of things I hope to never try again.  (I just don’t remember what they are)  The dinner included traditional Korean dancing and drums, which I’m sure you’ll see footage of at some point.  We ate with 2 of his friends, both of whom proved solid company – ‘good people.’  It remains one of the most memorable experiences I’ve had in Korea.

But the restaurant has nothing on the bar he took us to afterwards…

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