Vegan samgyupsal (삼겹살) and bulgogi (불고기)~

      I've been in Seoul now for...a month! An entire month since Vietnam has passed! I've been busy doing Vietnam blogposts so the Korean happenings have been a bit silenced. But since I've gotten here, so much has happened, and changed...

     A while ago, through wine swivels, crooked walks, and verbal exchanges with Kia and Sean, the idea for Vegan samgyupsal (삼겹살) was inspired. When I returned from Vietnam, Kia and Sean hosted a Vegan Samgyupsal night at their home!

vegan spread! (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     Samgyupsal is a classic and traditional Korean barbque meal. Most people (omnivores) gather together and barbeque their pork belly and eat it with some grilled garlic, 고추장, rice all wrapped in lettuce. Vegan meats that you can barbeque on a flat grill like legit meat?!   

                     Where would you get that?!!

     Kia and Sean found some through Loving Hut stores and they also ordered vegan bulgogi (불고기) and vegan Samgyupsal from Vegeland. They marinated the 삼겹살 in soy sauce and liquid smoke. Even though it looked similar to meat, it was a bit bland in flavor~~season it UP!

the vegan meats! (photo taken by VeganBeats)

      It was both creepy and impressive how much this vegan meat looked like actual meat. I haven't had legit 삼겹살 for over a decade, so I'd be lying if I didn't say this was a bit fun! And it brought me back....way back~~

grillin (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     Kia really outdid herself with such a HUGE vegan and traditional Korean spread! She got loads of 반찬 like 도토리묵, beans, 김치, 전etc! (and LOTS of makgeolli-막걸리)  Kia also made Mipa's saucy sweet-spicy tofu, and nom nom nom!

saucy sweet-spicy tofu (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     Mipa was also super sweet and brought over some of her goodies to share with us! She brought over some Dandies vegan marshmallows and some graham crackers she baked herself and we had s'mores!! (Mipa has a bake shop!!! Delicious cruelty-free treats available and made with love!!)

vegan s'mores! (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     The entire evening was great and it was so wonderful to kick it with Mipa, Kia, Sean and some new friends! Check out Mipa's post about our Vegan meat night!!