Indian Food in Seoul, South Korea – Go to Namaste in Jonggak Station in the World Food Court, it’s awesome!

Tonight Julianne and I wanted to eat something other than our usual fare so we headed to Jonggak Station. Inside the station we then walked into the World Food Court to go to Namaste, our favorite Indian food restaurant.

We ordered the “Couple’s Set B” and I then killed some time playing with my Canon ES-71II 50mm lens . . . I love the bokum (background blur) that it can produce. I put the F stop at 2.0 and really love the portrait shot I got of Julianne.

Julianne then took a shot of me . . . I enjoy taking the pics much more than being the subject, lol.

The set comes with 2 lasi . . . we both ordered strawberry–they were very very good.

The only item in set B that I, well, it’s not that I think it’s bad or anything, I just don’t get how it is an Indian salad . . . the raw seafood (mini octopus, muscles) in it don’t really strike me as Indian cuisine. The salad is the only item in the set that strikes me as a deviant hybrid that somehow snuck onto the menu. All that being said, it’s not bad to munch on as you wait for the other entrees.

And then the samosas came . . . I love these things.

I took this shot to show the contents: “a savory filling of spiced potatoes, onion, peas, coriander, lentils, or sometimes fresh paneer (from wikipedia).

After that came a dish with two giant shrimp, and two pieces of tandoori chicken–awesome.

And then came the naan bread and lamb saag–seriously, this stuff is so amazingly good that words cannot describe the luscious, tender, juicy, savory, just spiced right, taste of heaven . . . okay, so I tried, lol.

lamb saag

Julianne and I ordered garlic naan to have with our lamb saag . . . you rip up the naan into small pieces and then put some saag on it . . . oh soooo good.

There are something like 6 options you can choose from for dessert. Tonight we chose yogurt with fruit. It was really good though I would have liked the fruit to be fresh (I suspect it was from a can). That being said, for the price it was pretty good.

For 45,000won the Couple Set B is definitely worth the price. Add to this the service was truly top notch. Our water glasses were constantly being filled, our plates cleared, the table wiped down with a clean cloth and cleaner at one point when it got dirty, and our needs were attended to by polite and professional staff.

I highly recommend you visit Namaste in Jonggak Station’s World Food Court (just above Bandi & Luni’s bookstore) if you want some Indian food when you’re in Seoul.

My last thought on the evening is that my Canon 50mm is now my favorite food lens. I think I’ll be using it more for that in the future.

5 comments

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December 30, 2009 at 1:53 pm

Andrew

Wow… I had COMPLETELY the opposite experience there a few months back. I waited easily an hour between seating and food being brought to my table, and when it arrived I thought it was the worst kind of ersatz Korean-hybridized bastardization of Indian food possible– the kind with pieces of tangerine in my salad (octopus in yours) and tomatoes in my yogurt. Additionally, the chicken they gave me was tough, sinewy, and contained not a scrap of white meat (fair enough to give out some dark meat, but ALL dark meat?)….and at least one dish in my meal was accompanied by the exotic and traditional Indian garnish they call “Ketchup.”

I have steered people away from this place since my visit, and despite what must be a drastic change in service and/or food prep since then (judging by your positive experience) I will NEVER go there again.

“Ganga” in the Seoul Finance Center (next to the start of Cheonggyecheon and probably no more than a 7-minute walk from Namaste) is vastly superior Indian food, as well as any number of places in Itaewon.

December 30, 2009 at 1:58 pm

kimchiicecream

Wow . . . Julianne and I have gone to Namaste about 5 times now. Each time the service has been quite good. The food has also been excellent except for a few small things here and there . . .

We even went one time with a friend who has been to India several times. I’m not saying he said it was like being in India–nothing like that. But I would consider him to be an authority on Indian cuisine. He thought the quality was pretty good, especially for ‘in Korea.’

I’ve tried eating at the Foreign Restaurant near What the book? in Itaewon, but that’s the only other Indian food place I’ve tried.

Julianne and I will go check out Ganga some time.

Thanks for reading.
J

December 30, 2009 at 8:22 pm

maria