Winter has officially arrived in Seoul with temperatures plummeting into the teens, which means I’ll become a recluse for a few months while at the same time have the arduous task of updating my blog with about 100 restaurant reviews and recipes that’s been waiting patiently for some attention. Among them, though, I am most fond of this eatery discovered during one of my bike outings with Becker. The place is called Happy Shelter, a fitting name when I visited on one of the hottest days of summer.

Run by a very kind emo on weekdays with an extra helper on weekends, this small container-like eatery near Yangsuri was intended for cyclists only until, by word of mouth, non-cyclists and nearby residents started coming for her simple yet comforting dishes. Ranging from spicy jeyuk bokkeum to janchi guksu, I was most impressed with her seasonal and refreshing mook-sabal (acorn jelly in dongchimi broth). Silky smooth, soft, and refreshingly delicious with finely chopped kimchi, dried seaweed, and bean powder. This dish convinced me, once again, that food in the countryside is just on another level compared to the stuff you find in the city. This led to subsequent visits to try out the rest of her menu and they all turned out to be terrific, especially the unique minari jeon that I learned how to make from the owner herself. That recipe will soon follow, so check back for regular updates!