10/20/2023
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5. Food Trip through Hidden Alleys of Korea : Apsan Café Street, Daegu - From the original Makchang Alley to local food
Alley Map - 1: Seomun Market, 2: Cheongna Hill, 3: Gyesan Cathedral, 4: Apsan Café Street, 5: a.nook Apsan, 6: Apsan Sunset Observatory, 7: Anjirang Gopchang AlleyA street that brings one on a culinary trip from Korea’s history to the present day and offers the true local favorites in Seomun Market, the Korean café culture, and the original Makchang Alley.
The itinerary for Daegu is divided into two: the area near Seomun Market, which features street food and modern historical sites, and the Apsan Café Street, which presents the café culture of Daegu with a beautiful sunset. It takes about 30 min by public transport to reach the Apsan Café Street from Seomun Market, and the other tourist sites included in this itinerary can be reached by foot.
A true Daegu gourmet experience!
#localfood #streetfood #nightmarket
Food is the most intimate way to know the country’s culture. If you are a serious gourmet, head to Daegu to taste the flavors! Food in Daegu is a far cry from fusion fare adapted to travelers’ tastes: they are true "local" foods that are loved by the people of the region.
Markets are a great way to examine the ingredients and spices the locals enjoy. The street food add an incomparable source of fun and joy. Not only can one enjoy the true local organic flavors but also buy them at excellent prices. Seomun Market is a massive market handling dried seafood, seafood, vegetables, fruits, and more. It has almost 5,000 shops divided into 8 districts. At night, the Seomun Night Market offers various street food for visitors.
Noodles and Hand-pulled Dough Soup with Seafood
This is a combination of two popular favorites— noodle soup and hand-pulled dough soup. The two dishes are similar in stock, but the former features long noodles chopped from a dough, while the latter features the same dough pulled by hand into pieces.
A signature dish in Seomun Market combines the two, so one can go for this meal to experience both dishes at the same time.
Flat Mandu
Most mandu (dumplings) in Korea feature chopped vegetable and meat fillings that are wrapped thinly. However, Daegu’s flat mandu is a thin half-moon-shaped pancake filled with a pinch of glass noodles. Flat mandu is pan-fried in plenty of oil, which gives a crispy texture akin to deep-frying. It is eaten with tteokbokki (stir-fried rice cakes) sauce or soy sauce. Flat mandu was chosen as one of the 10 Tastes of Daegu*.
* 10 Tastes of Daegu: 10 folk dishes that represent Daegu, namely Daegu rice and soup, grilled tripe, sliced raw bottom round steak, flat mandu, Dongin-dong braised galbi, spicy catfish stew, puffer fish bulgogi, Daegu noodle soup, spicy raw fish salad, and stir-fried udon
Twisted donut coated with sugar
This Korean-style donut is made with flour and sweet rice powder. The dough is twisted into a helix, deep-fried, and coated with sugar. Its sweet and chewy texture is nothing short of remarkable.
Chicken Heart Skewers with teriyaki sauce
For the more adventurous spirits, chicken heart skewers can be a great option. This dish serves grilled chicken hearts on skewers with various sauces.
Address 50, Dalseong-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu
Opening Hours
09:00-18:00
(Closed every 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month)
Night Market 19:00-22:30 (Closed Tuesdays)
Meet Korea’s modernity
#bungalow #missionaryhouse #90stairs
Cheongna Hill served as a residential area for Christian missionaries in the early 20th Century. Its name, Cheongna, comes from the green (cheong) vines (na) planted by the missionaries. Missionary houses like Switzer’s House and Blair’s House still remains on the hill. The missionaries themselves are laid to rest around their houses with their families.
Switzer’s House
These missionary houses built in the 1910s provide examples of early Western-style architecture in Daegu. For instance, Switzer’s House integrates giwa (Korean tile roof) atop a bungalow-style red brick house in the American style as an example of harmony between Korea and the West. It is currently used as a museum dedicated to the missionaries in Daegu. The first floor houses Bibles, artifacts, and photographs, while the second floor houses Biblical items purchased in Israel.
90 Stairs
On March 1, 1919, a peaceful march for Korea’s independence was held, then under Japanese occupation. The march began in Seoul and spread throughout the peninsula like wildfire. Daegu served as the regional center of the March 1 Independence Movement in the Gyeongsangbuk-do region. Activists participating in the march had passed through these stairs, leaving an indelible mark. Take part in the AR video experience in the middle of the stairs to feel their resolute stand against tyranny.
Address 2029, Dalgubeol-daero, Jung-gu, Daegu
The first Western-style building in Daegu
#90stairs #thefirst #westernstyle
Descending from the 90 Stairs lies the Gyesan Cathedral, the seat of the Archdiocese of Daegu. Built in the 1900s as the third Catholic church in Korea after Seoul and Pyeongyang, Gyesan Cathedral is the first Western-style building in Daegu.
Originally, it began as a hanok (traditional Korean house) building and only assumed its present form after multiple expansions. Gyesan Cathedral was designed by Father Poisnel, a French priest who designed the Myeongdong Catholic Cathedral in Seoul and Jeonju’s Jeondong Catholic Cathedral, in a Romanesque style with Gothic elements.
Address 10, Seoseong-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu
Opening Hours Entry prohibited during mass
Mass Monday-Friday, 06:30 Tuesday-Friday 11:00 and 19:30 Saturday 06:30, 16:00, 19:30 Sunday 06:30, 08:00, 09:30, 11:00, 17:00
Tel +82-53-254-2300
Awash in coffee fragrance
#caféculture #sights #seasonal
After experiencing Daegu’s street food scene and modern history, go to the Apsan Café Street to experience the Korean café culture. Cafés are an inseparable part of gourmand trips in Korea. After all, cafés are places where people not only drink coffee but also spend time with their loved ones and enjoy conversations.
Both café franchises and small cafés remain popular in Korea, and places, where cafés are grouped, are sometimes known as "Café Street," such as the Apsan Café Street in Daegu. In particular, Apsan Café Street’s charms are not only limited to coffee but also to white cherry blossoms during spring, verdant green during summer, golden ginkgo trees during fall, and Christmas lights during winter.
Address 192, Daemyeongnam-ro, Nam-gu, Daegu
Opening Hours Varies by store
Scenery and the scent of coffee
#cherryblossom #healthydining #bagel
The café a.nook Apsan can be reached about 10 min on foot from the entrance to Apsan Café Street towards Apsan Mountain. The café is famous for its view, especially during spring, so terrace seats with a great view of the cherry blossoms are always sought after. a.nook Apsan describes itself as a place that strives to build a healthy dining culture beyond simply providing good space. It uses cupping or regular coffee tastings to maintain the quality of its coffee, which is served with freshly prepared baked goods made entirely in-house.
a.nook’s café latte
Bagels rose to prominence among the younger generations in Korea with the introduction of famous bagel shops in TV shows in 2022. In particular, the cream cheese bagel sandwich with scallions became a smash hit thanks to its unique combination. Likewise, a.nook Apsan offers various bagel sandwich menus.
Bagel and coffee in a.nook Apsan
For something sweet, "Ang Butter Bagel" brings together sweet red bean paste with butter, while the "Spring Bagel" reflects the latest trends in 2023 with cream cheese and scallion filling.
a.nook Apsan
Address 459, Apsansunhwan-ro, Nam-gu, Daegu
Opening Hours 10:00-22:00 (brunch menu until 17:00)
Signature Menu and Prices (March 2023)
Coffee KRW 5,000
Spring Bagel KRW 6,500
Ang Butter Bagel KRW 6,000
A sunset spot built atop a former wash place
#view #sunset #mediafacade
Once the sun begins to set, it is time to head to the Apsan Sunset Observatory to catch the sunset at Daegu’s most popular sunset spot. Located about 15 min by foot from a.nook Apsan, Apsan Sunset Observatory offers an expansive view of the city center and the sunset. It is situated in Apsan Ppallaeteo Park, a place where people used to do their laundry in the past. The observatory’s shape is themed after laundry being wrung out to embody the place’s history and symbolism.
Sunset from the Apsan Sunset Observatory
Follow the winding wooden decked roads to find the expansive view of Apsan Mountain at the back and the view of the city center at the front. Then, go down from the observatory to find the media facade at Apsan Ppallaeteo Park. This 5 min and 40 s-long video is repeated from 19:00 to 22:30 every day.
Address 1501-2, Daemyeong-dong, Nam-gu, Daegu
Opening Hours 09:00-22:00
In search of Daegu’s famous grilled tripe
#gopchang #10tastes #snack
The last stop of this Daegu trip is Anjirang Gopchang Alley, located about 18 min on foot from the Apsan Sunset Observatory. Most people would answer "grilled tripe" if asked about the food that represents Daegu. Indeed, the dish originated in Daegu in the 70s and became popular across Korea. Its presence in Daegu’s local cuisine has resulted in grilled tripe being included as one of the 10 Tastes of Daegu.
Signature menus in Anjirang Gopchang Alley, Grilled Tripe and Grilled Beef / Pork Small Intestines
One can enjoy both grilled tripe and small intestines in Anjirang Gopchang Alley. Grilled tripe and small intestines, sourced from both beef and pork, are something of an acquired taste, but their large popularity is evident in the sheer size and popularity of the Anjirang Gopchang Alley. Grilled tripe is served with a dipping sauce made with soybean paste, a fermented condiment made from soybeans, with garlic and scallions. Dip the grilled tripe pieces into the sauce and enjoy the harmony between the fragrance of the sauce and the savory grilled tripe.
A harmony of grilled tripe and sauce
Grilled tripe is often eaten as a complement to alcohol late at night. Take a page out of the local playbook and order a bottle of soju to go with the chewy and savory grilled tripe. They are the perfect end to your trip to Daegu.
Address Daemyeong-ro 36-gil, Nam-gu, Daegu
Opening Hours Depends on the store
Signature Menu and Prices (March 2023) Grilled Tripe approx. KRW 9,000 (Varies by store)
More info
* This column was last updated in October 2023, and therefore information may differ from what is presented here. We advise you to check details before visiting.
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