Tteokbokki Hotspots Selected by Paik Jong-won
Here are five of the top tteokbokki hotspots selected by Paik Jong-won (some spell it Baek Jong-won), one of South Korea’s top chefs, known for his exceptional culinary skills and expertise. Paik Jong-won is also a food entrepreneur. He improves any shortcomings by understanding supplementary aspects of cooking. It’s these entrepreneurial qualities that shine through in his TV shows like “Paik Jong-won’s Top 3 Chef Kings,” “Alley Restaurant,” “Delicious Square,” “Paik Jong-won’s Food Truck,” and “High School Lunch King.”
This article highlights five of the numerous tteokbokki hotspots handpicked by Chef Paik and another TV program renowned for recommending the best chefs and restaurants in Korea.
Tteokbokki: The Most Beloved Korean Street Food
Tteokbokki, a beloved Korean street food, showcases chewy rice cakes enveloped in a spicy and savory sauce crafted from gochujang (red chili paste), garlic, and various seasonings. This iconic dish, renowned for its addictive flavor and satisfying texture, holds a cherished place as a comfort food staple in Korea and has garnered widespread popularity across the globe.
While all tteokbokki dishes feature a blend of spicy and sweet flavors, each restaurant incorporates its unique ingredients. While the traditional method involves using red pepper paste, or gochujang, for the sauce, some establishments prefer to use red pepper powder alone. Additionally, variations in the size, thickness, and chewiness of the rice cakes contribute to the diversity of tteokbokki offerings. Rice cakes can be crafted from either flour or rice. The accompanying odeng (fish cakes) varies from one dish to another, with some including green onions and onions.
However, they all typically serve odeng soup, and customers often enjoy various fried foods like fried vegetables, fried squid, and fried seaweed rolls alongside their tteokbokki. Dipping these fries into tteokbokki sauce creates an unparalleled taste experience.
Now, let’s delve into the top 5 tteokbokki hotspots handpicked by the media, accompanied by Paik Jong-won.
Hotspot #1: “Yoon Ok-yeon Grandma’s Tteokbokki” (윤옥연할매 떡볶이집)
- Special Features: Selected as one of “Paik Jong-won’s Top 3 Chef Kings”, delivers nationwide
- Customers’ Reviews:
“Grandma Yoon’s Tteokbokki is a spicy style of tteokbokki filled with a peppery flavor rather than sweetness. It features large chunks of cabbage and is filled with broth, making it perfect for scooping and enjoying with the rice cakes.”
“Can you see the large amount of cabbage in there? When you try Yoon Ok-yeon Grandma’s Tteokbokki, make sure to add cabbage as an extra topping instead of cheese or other toppings like fishcakes. Adding cabbage not only promotes health but also might help with your diet. It’s truly killing two birds with one stone.”
Hotspot #2: Sintobuli Tteokbokki (신토불이 떡볶이)
- Special Features: Recommended as one of “Paik Jong-won’s Top 3 Chef Kings”, Corn dogs
- Customers’ Reviews:
“The sauce is delicious, with just the right amount of spiciness and sweetness. I plan to eat there again if I go nearby.”
“The take-out area and sitting area are separated, so it’s convenient, and the sweet and spicy taste is so good. Three people went and ate six servings. Glass noodle dumplings and odeng are so delicious when eaten with tteokbokki soup. I want to go again.”
Hotspot #3: Joonang Tteokbokki (중앙떡볶이)
- Special Features: Recommended by Paik Jong-won, Korea’s top chef, Flat Dumplings
- Customers’ Reviews:
“The famous Joongang Tteokbokki! I finally packed it and tasted it. I packed 4 servings of tteokbokki and 1 serving of flat dumplings. The tteokbokki seasoning has a strong curry flavor and looks very red, but the spiciness is not strong, and it is very addictive. I think the sauce would also be delicious when used as a stir-fried rice sauce! Best.”
Hotspot #4: Delicious Restaurant (맛있는집)
- Special Features: Featured in TV Show ‘Master of Life’ as one of the top 10 taste masters
- Customers’ Reviews:
“A tteokbokki restaurant selected as one of the top 10 taste masters by Master of Life. Basically, Tteokbokki is quite spicy, but because of its sweet taste, so you can taste truly spicy Tteokbokki. Even though it wasn’t boiled for very long, the tteokbokki seasoning was surprisingly well absorbed into the rice cake. It’s quite spicy, but it’s so addictive that you can’t stop eating it. As the name of the store suggests, it truly is a delicious restaurant. Plus, it’s crazy cost-effective at only 3,500 won per serving. 7-8,000 won is enough for two people to eat until they are full. The quantity is quite large. Highly recommended.”
Hotspot #5: Sangcookine Tteokbokki (삼국이네 떡볶이)
- Special Features: Selected as one of “Paik Jong-won’s Top 3 Chef Kings”, can purchase packaged products online
- Customers’ Reviews:
“The rice cakes at Sangcookine’s Tteokbokki are thicker than usual, so there are only about 4-5 pieces, but the portion size is still substantial. I prefer wheat cakes, but these are made of rice. Despite that, I was surprised by their softness, almost as soft as wheat cakes. I never knew rice cakes could be this delicious. And the sauce of the tteokbokki! Perhaps due to the generous amount of syrup, the texture is chewy and the flavor is wonderfully sweet and savory.”
Conclusion
In summary, delving into the lively and varied tteokbokki landscape in Korea is an opportunity not to overlook. While these top 5 tteokbokki spots selected by Paik Jong-won and the media are exceptional, they’re just a taste of the many others that showcase Korea’s rich culinary legacy. So, prepare your appetite and set off on a tteokbokki journey that will leave you yearning for more.
