Suzana and I recently went on a media trip with KTO Singapore to explore Gyeongju and Seoul and when we were in Seoul, we just HAD to check out some of the best Muslim-friendly Korean restaurants in town! Credit: Giphy #HHWT Tip: Get $30 off your flight to Korea when you book through Cheaptickets.sg! Do note that this discount only applies to flights departing from Singapore. If you book both your flight and accommodation through Cheaptickets.sg, you'll even receive a $100 cash rebate! Visit Cheaptickets.sg for more details.

1. EID - 이드 Halal Korean Food

[caption id="attachment_14286" align="alignnone" width="1000"] eid-restaurant-bulgogi Bulgogi[/caption] We've been drooling over photos of the food at Eid for the longest time and we finally got to try it for ourselves (Suzana and I, at least)! With a minimal menu of only 3 items, you can be sure that Eid does a really good job of ensuring that the food they serve always tastes good! Choose from their signature bulgogi (marinated beef), jjimdak (braised chicken served with teokbbokki), samgyetang (ginseng chicken) or get everything on the menu :P eid-restaurant-jjimdak Of course, like every other Korean eatery, their dishes also come with free refillable side-dishes or banchan. You just can't visit Seoul without trying out the food at Eid ;) If you don't have time to dine-in, do check with them for takeout options as they also provide dosiraks! #HHWT Tip: If you're looking for accommodation near the halal eateries, Itaewon is the place to be! Did we mention that Eid also has a guesthouse near their restaurant? Opening Hours: Tues to Sun – 11.30am to 9.00pm. Closed on Mondays Price: Mains cost around ₩8,000 - ₩12,000. Address: 67, Usadan-ro 10-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul How to get there: As you reach the main gate of the mosque go on the road which faces opposite the mosque (not the small lane beside the mosque). There’s a grocery shop on your right side as you enter the street. Walk straight ahead for 100m and the restaurant is on your left. Check out our guide to Itaewon for more info!

2. Makan Halal Korean Restaurant

[caption id="attachment_14295" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Dakdoritang[/caption] Makan Halal Korean Restaurant is another Korean-Muslim owned restaurant located near the Seoul central mosque in Itaewon. Similar to EID, this homely restaurant serves your local Korean fare such as bulgogi (grilled marinated beef), dakdoritang (spicy braised chicken), mulnaengmyeon (cold noodles - a must in summer!) and more! [caption id="attachment_14290" align="alignnone" width="1000"] Stir-fried squid[/caption] During our visit, we tried the dakdoritang and stir-fried octopus (ojingeo bokkeum), which were both really good. Like most Korean dishes, both of the dishes we tried were pretty spicy, and oh-so-good. The portions were generous with refillable side dishes as well. They too provide dosiraks (lunch boxes) for takeouts! [caption id="attachment_2896" align="alignnone" width="641"] Bulgogi Dosirak - marinated grilled beef lunch box[/caption] Opening Hours: Mon, Wed-Sun - 10.30am to 10pm. Closed on Tuesdays. Price: Mains cost around ₩8,000 - ₩12,000. Address: 52, Usadan-ro 10 gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea 140-911 How to get there: The restaurant is located just in front of the Seoul Central Masjid and a short walk away from EID restaurant. P.S. Download the HHWT Travel Planner to find the top attractions, best halal food and prayer spaces in Seoul!

3. BoA Guesthouse - Halal Korean Dosirak

rappoki-2 BoA travel house originally started preparing halal dosiraks for Muslim travellers but due to high demand, they've actually renovated their guesthouse to include a kitchen and a really spacious dine-in area! The owner and her mom are the main cooks and all ingredients including the halal meat are purchased from a halal supermarket in Itaewon. You can try halal Korean rice cake and ramyun (rabbeokki) and fried chicken! (P.S. This seems to be the only place we could find halal Korean fried chicken.) If you're a fan of K-dramas, you should know that Korean fried chicken tastes absolutely wonderful :P Check out their full menu here. P.S. Exclusive for HHWT readers - you can now get 10% off your total bill when you spend at least 15,000won at BoA guesthouse! [caption id="attachment_14289" align="alignnone" width="900"] Fried chicken[/caption] Plus points? BoA guesthouse is located in Hongdae, one of the must visit trendy spots in Seoul. So not to worry, this will definitely fit into your itinerary! How to order: Simply drop them a message on Facebook indicating the item and quantity, pick up time and your accommodation in Seoul if you're opting for the takeaways. Price: ₩7,000 per dosirak if you're a guest at the guesthouse. ₩8,000 for other guests. Other dishes vary from₩7,000 to ₩20,000 Address: 15, Sinchon-ro 1-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, South Korea 120836 How to get there:


1. Exit4 at Hongik Univ. Station.(Airport Railroad, line2)		2. Go straight towards "K2" store


3. Cross at the crosswalk in front of LG Electronics Inc.		4. Keep walking around 30M for GS25 convenience store.


5. Turn left at Bizeun(빚은, rice-cake shop, The Premium Riceteria)		6. Then, you'll see BoA travel house on your left

Credits to BoA travel house

4. Yang Good BBQ - Yeoksam

If you've stared longingly at the locals enjoy their BBQ meal and wished you could try halal BBQ in Korea too, we know how you feel. And on this trip to Seoul, we could FINALLY try authentic halal Korean BBQ! yang-good-bbq Trust us, it was as good as we dreamed it could be. You can choose from either unmarinated lamb to enjoy the tender lamb meat in its full glory, or opt for the marinated lamb to savour juicy lamb rack coated with Korean sweet sauce! We hear that the lamb skewers are a hit with the locals. They've recently also added chicken to the menu, so yay for more choices! This is pretty much the perfect place to drop by for dinner after shopping at Gangnam or cafe-hopping at Garosugil! http://www.instagram.com/p/BKsg1nrgDK9 *Alcohol is served here as the restaurant serves many locals too, but the ingredients, lamb and chicken are halal certified! Opening Hours: 4pm – 1am, closed on Sundays Price: ₩11,000 - ₩30,000 Address: Seoul, Gangnam-gu, Nonhyeon-ro, 95 gil, 15. 서울특별시 강남구 논현로95길 15 Directions: Yeoksam (Line 2). Do visit yanggood01 for clearer directions to Yang Good BBQ :) Credit: yanggood01

BONUS: Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market노량진수산시장 (Not halal-certified)

theskinnybib

If you're a seafood lover, you MUST visit Noryangjin Fish Market for the freshest seafood – Korean style! King crabs, lobsters, abalone, scallop, prawns, the weirdest species of shellfishes and more. If you can name it, they have it! *The restaurants at this fish market are not halal-certified so please visit at your own discretion!

Jake Ejercito

theskinnybib

When you reach the market, head straight to the first floor to select your dishes and don’t forget to bargain! The stallholders are usually willing to lower their prices if you purchase more items from them. Once you've made your choice, it’s time to make your way up to the second floor for them to be prepared in a restaurant. You’ll have a choice of steamed, grilled or raw. Do note that there will be a preparation fee per item if you would like your seafood to be grilled or steamed.

Jake Ejercito

Our recommendations: Maeuntang매운탕 (Spicy fish soup) – Order this at the restaurant! Jeonbok 전복 (Abalone) – The best way to enjoy your abalone is to have it steamed! Fishes, e.g. Yellowtail, Flounder – Sashimi (Hoe, pronounced hway회) Garibi 가리비(Scallop) – Grilled Ge게(Crab) - Steamed Opening Hours: General Fish Market – 01:30 – 22:00 Price: This depends on the number of items you order. The most expensive dish would probably be a king crab, which can cost around S$105 (₩85,000), excluding the cost of preparation but we promise you, it's worth every won (so sweet and juicy). Address: 688, Nodeul-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul 서울특별시 동작구 노들로 688 (노량진동) Directions: Noryangjin (Line 1) - Exit 1. Cross the overhead bridge and you'll find an open carpark area. Head down the stairs and brace yourselves for a bird's eye view of the fish market. (If all else fails, follow the smell of seafood :D) P.S. Book all your travel needs from flights, hotel, travel insurance to car rental and even day tours and attraction tickets on CheapTickets.sg!

Useful Phrases

We know it's really hard to find halal food outside of Itaewon so we've prepared some phrases that you may find handy when ordering your food!

Does this dish contain meat / ham? – yi yorineun gogi/haem duroisseoyo 이요리는 고기/햄 들어있어요?
Please do not put meat / ham – gogi/haem neotjimaseyo 고기/햄 넣지마세요
Please remove meat / ham – gogi/haem paejuseyo 고기/햄 빼주세요
I don’t eat meat – naneun gogireul an meogeoyo 나는 고기를 안먹어요
I can’t eat meat – naneun gogireul mot meogeoyo. 나는 고기를 못 먹어요
I can only eat vegetables and seafood – naneun yachaewa haemulman meogeul suyiseoyo 나는 야채와 해물만 먹을 수있어요.
I’m a vegetarian – naneun yachaejaimnida 나는 채식자입니다

Don't forget to download the HHWT Travel Planner app where you can find all these eateries and more to plan for your trip to Seoul! The app is available on both Google Play for Android and the Apple App store for iOS.

Complete Your Seoul Trip With These Top 4 Muslim-Friendly Korean Eateries