Yeji Sikdang 예지식당

Down a narrow Myeong-dong alley, an older couple runs a small rice-and-stew shop whose banssang baekban changes daily: one soup or stew, rice and five side dishes. Nearby office workers come in at lunch and get the tray as soon as they sit. Side dishes might include fish cakes stir-fried to order and served warm, or a soft rolled omelet that tempers the stew's heat. Stews ordered separately run from budae jjigae, a red army-base stew with ham, to homemade doenjang stew and kimchi jjigae with ripe kimchi. Seasoning leans salty, and side dishes are refilled. Ramyeon makes a quick noodle bowl instead, and the room is cramped.