Sinsikdang (Damyang)

Sinsikdang means "new restaurant". Yet, they're supposed to be cooking their mouthwatering ddeokgalbi (떡갈비) for three generations ; the kind that rocks your palate (the meat, not the gems on which they're presented).

Some pretend that the interior could be cosier. Or that the noodle soup tastes even better than the ddeokgalbi.

I don't care. I had both. Twice.

And the next day I swiched beef for pork across the street : yummy ribs / Galbi too, even more "no thrill" service... except for the yelling adjochi / psycho maitre d'.

And the next day it was time to expose my own ribs at the local spa.

Fat chance.

Sinsikdang / 신식당 (restaurant)
68 Damju-ri, Damyang-eup, Jeollanam-do, DAMYANG, ROK (Jeollanam-do)
Tel +82.61.382.9901

SM 2007

Their website : sinsikdang.co.kr.

see other restaurants in Seoul and Korea.

Return to Naganeupseong

Naganeupseong, Jeollanam-do
Photo : "Naganeupseong farmer" (Copyright Stephane MOT 20070820)

Fortunately, nothing has much changed. The old halmony is over 74 now but her place remains as simple, comfortable and beautiful as it was a couple of years ago. In her (central-, not back-) yard like in most of the houses of the village, thatch is kept under ugly plastic for the yearly roof change. She's drying plants under the blazing sun and we'll have more delicious shiraegi bokkum bap this autumn. We invited her to play yutnori but she didn't know the game. Even in this beautiful spot in the middle of rice fields, you're too busy to learn this kind of trivialities.


All right, there's that big parking lot beyond the fortress, the other side of the village. And more highways have been completed in the area, destroying pristine landscapes. Plus they were shooting an MBC Drama that day - the kind with bearded tenors in lavish costumes. And another one was announced in the area (around the meta-sequoias... yet another Winter Sonata ephemeral hit for sure). Damyang-gun is definitely turning into a major touristic hub.


SM 200708

Damyang

Jeollanam-do - Damyang-gun (담양군, 潭陽郡) - maeul

An almost deserted maeul just a couple of miles off Damyang.
We're welcomed by a scorching sun, a cripled dog and this old lady.

Only traditional houses - hay and bamboo sticking out of parched walls.

A her friends place, a traditional oven outside at floor level, and sesame grain drying up.

It definitely beats nearby Sunchang, a gochujang (red pepper paste) theme park. Damyang-gun markets itself as a bamboo county (you are surrounded by forests of them, you swim in it in spas, you even eat your rice in it). Quite a few cultural spots (better off season), including Soswaewon garden.

200706

Photo "Open up sesame" (20040827 - copyright Stephane MOT)