After being in Korea for about two or three months, back in April, I was craving some Latin food. Yes, I was missing the homemade meals I didnโt appreciate that much when I was back in Chile. I missed the spices, the flavor, and the overall feeling of a known food. That is exactly what I found at LIMA.
The Quest For Latin Food
Donโt take me wrong, I am in love with Korean food. If I could marry Mandu Soup. I would do it without a second thought -and maybe I would cheat on it with a Jajangmyeon. Truth be told, Korean food offers a very big range of flavors. From sweet and spicy, to savory and even sourโฆ but I was craving that homey feeling.
I wanted to take a bite and be transported back home just as in the Disney Ratatouille movie. So I got myself a new mission: find Latin food. I knew for a fact that finding Chilean food would be very difficult. If not, impossible, given that the main ingredients for the meals are vegetables and meat -which are not cheap to acquire here in Korea.
My mouth melted at the mere thought of tasting some of my favorite dishes. So, I got to work on my newest quest. First, I Googled the places I was most likely to find Latin food. Of course, that led me to the Hongdae and Itaewon areas, both places very popular with foreigners.
The second step was, obviously, to give it a try. So I convinced one of my friends from Chile to come with me to Hongdae. There we had a fun girlsโ day visiting the Line Friends store and then spent the evening at a dog cafรฉ, and then walked to the restaurant.
To be completely honest, my expectations were high. I donโt think I have ever wanted to eat Latin food as much as that day. But I wasnโt expecting my taste buds to explode with happiness.
LIMA and Glorious Latin Food
The prices were a little expensive compared to some other food you can find in other latin restaurants in Seoul. However, my need for familiar tastes was bigger than the hole it would leave in my pocket. And, given that I was not going to eat there every day, I was willing to give even a little piece of my soul.
I tried the ceviche and my friend tried the lomo saltado. The happiness in both our faces was very comic. Who wouldโve thought we would be on the verge of tears just by eating food we were used to eating back homeโฆ Not us, certainly. I think we didnโt even speak, we just sat there while munching on the heavenly food.
If you want to try Latin food in Hongdae, I seriously recommend this place. It has the ambiance of a Latin restaurant but is in the middle of Seoul. It is also owned by a Peruvian couple, so the recipes are authentic. You can Click Here to visit their website, so you can look at the menu and convince yourself to give it a try!
LIMA Address: 332-1, Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul 4F Korean address:์์ธํน๋ณ์ ๋งํฌ๊ตฌ ์์ฐ์ฐ๋ก29๊ธธ 69 4F Operating Hours: Fri-Sun: 01:00 PM - 10:00 PM Tue-Thu: 05:00 PM - 10:00 PM Closed: Mondays
What to try more Latin food in Hongdae? Click Here to read about Gusto Taco, a Mexican restaurant.
