A Sense of Vellichor

An amalgamation of unforeseen circumstances led us to where we were now. It felt as though we’d blinked and opened our eyes to the restaurant’s doors. “Seoul Garden,” the sign read. In the busy and overcrowded streets of Al Karama, the large corner restaurant stood out due to its calm surroundings and easily identifiable header. We stepped into the restaurant and were instantly transported to one of those home-like shops that I’d always seen in K-dramas. It was a portal to another country. “Annyeonghaseyo!” The owners’ greeting confirmed that this was an authentic family-owned business. My friends and I were led to one of the private rooms and given menus containing Korean and English descriptions—then, we were told to ring the bell once we were ready to order. Forks were scarce as the go-to utensils were chopsticks and a spoon, however, the food looked phenomenal and tasted even better. There was a variety of dishes, with vegetarian options included. Each was better than the last and side dishes were free of charge. My favourite was the Kimchi-jjigae; a kimchi stew with a side of rice, carrying a kick of spice and hearty savoury flavours. I often revisit that wonderland.