Galchi Jorim Alley at Nandaemun Market

The first time I went to Seoul about 12 years ago, a colleague took me to some hot and stuffy alleyway for the sole purpose of getting some kind of fish stew for lunch. I had no idea where I was, but I remembered the ladies grilling it outside in the alleyway under dangling lightbulbs. Today, by sheer chance, I walked down here and realized that this was the same place. I couldn't remember the exact restaurant, but most of these guys were selling the same stuff.

Anyway, this thing is made from an eel-like fish called hairtail, which is actually rather frustrating to eat given those tiny little bones that one has to keep plucking. But the slices of daikon at the bottom were tasty, and the peppery chili sauce on the side kept it fun too (no, the bowl in the middle was not half-eaten...it actually arrived that way being only half-full). Admittedly I enjoyed this more for the novelty factor though. If I'm ever down here at Nandaemun Market again, I'll probably try to head to that Kalguksu Alley instead.