Customers protest in front of empty freezers that used to contain Korean beef at Nonghyup Hanaro Mart in Yangjae, southern Seoul, yesterday. To ease consumer prices, the government and Nonghyup joined forces to offer Korean beef at half the market price for one month starting Saturday at 28 Hanaro Marts in the Seoul metropolitan area. The popularity of Korean beef has led to shortages in supply. [YONHAP

Summer time is coming in Korea which means it is the time of year popular for naengmyeon.  I really don’t care for cold noodles, but just about every Korean I know loves naengmyeon.  So how many ROK Heads out there like to eat naengmyeon?

Go to ZenKimchi Korean Food Journal to read more about naengmyeon.

On a usual weekday in Midtown Manhattan, John Lee and his wife were busy dishing out hearty Korean fare for the lunch crowd at Bapcha, their food cart that they park between the skyscrapers of this office-heavy neighborhood. With such satisfying offerings as rice topped with galbi or bulgogi -- two different Korean meat choices -- Bapcha, which translates literally to "food car" in Korean, has become a Midtown fixture since it opened in 2004. "I can get galbi for one person for under US$10 from Bapcha. I don't have to make it an event to go eat galbi in Koreatown," said one customer, Gladys Kim, a teacher in Manhattan, praising the bold, savory flavor of the grilled beef short ribs.

You can read more at Yonhap.

Operating from various locations along Itaewon’s main drag, Taco de Mayo is Seoul’s newest and most fun food truck. It’s also fast becoming my go-to place for satisfying, post-pub street food.

Run by friends Michael and Gee, the truck actually started life serving burgers in Gangnam in December. However, after becoming frustrated with the lack of parking, the pair quickly decided to relocate to Itaewon. There, they felt the large international crowd would be more in tune with their original aim: to serve authentic, late-night tacqueria-style Mexican food.  [Street Foodie via @ZenKimchi]

Taco lovers can read more at the link.

Models show traditional Korean food for the Lunar New Year at a store in Seoul on Sunday.  [Chosun Ilbo]

Donut Cheeseburger

Donut Cheeseburger halved

Amapola Deli outside

Amapola Deli inside

Amapola Deli owner

The donut cheeseburger, originally named the Luther Burger, was a hit in the U.S..  The owner of the deli told me that he had decided to sell the donut cheeseburger after reading about it on the web.  The donut cheeseburger has a Krispy Kreme glazed donut cut in half with bacon, cheese and hamburger meat sandwiched in between.    

The deli was packed full of customers waiting over 30 minutes to get one of these 1000 calorie burgers and according to a couple of customers I talked to, well worth the price and wait time.  If you have never tried one of these burgers in the U.S., I suggest you make your way to the Amapola Deli and try one, you won’t be disappointed.

Via reader tip who tells me these cookies taste pretty bad.  You can access the Dokdo Cookie website here.

You can read more over at ZenKimchi.