Like rice? Like spicy? You’ll love tteok-bokki.
The spicy stir-fried rice cakes are popular in Korean street stalls and snack bars.
At Seoul Kitchen, Ddeok Beok Ki features rice cakes, onions, green onions, and fish cake smothered in a gochujang-based sauce and sesame seeds.
The rice cakes serve as a slightly chewy base with everything else providing savory depth. Fish cake is a weird name, but don’t fret — it’s a processed seafood that’s slightly sweeter and chewier than imitation crab. The gochujang has a moderate heat that pleasantly lingers with some sweetness for balance and soy-umami.
If the heat is a bit much for you, take advantage of the banchan, which is the assortment of small side dishes. Any of the not-red items will provide a cooling contrast.
Seoul Kitchen is located at 4951 E. Grant Rd. # 115. For more information, call (520) 881-7777 or visit seoulkitchentucson.com.
Stay in the Tucson Foodie Loop
Weekly digest of new openings, events, and guides. No spam.
Article written by:
Jackie Tran
More about JackieJackie Tran is a Tucson-based food writer, photographer, culinary educator, and owner-chef of the now-closed food truck Tran’s Fats. Although he is best known locally for his work for Tucson Foodie, his work has also appeared in publications such as Bon Appétit, National Geographic, and the New York Times.
An adventurous foodie, he enjoys culinary experiences ranging from seasonal omakase to sloppily devouring green chili patty melts in his car afterhours. His favorite foods include aguachile, garlic noodles, and leftover fried chicken illuminated by the fridge light. His favorite drinks include morning micheladas, fireside imperial stouts, candle-lit negroni, and grassy mezcales.
Outside of food, he also loves playing musical instruments, karaoke, Tetris, Super Smash Bros. Melee, and petting Addie’s dog Spaghetti.
If you’d like to stalk him, visit his Instagram @jackie_tran_ or jackietran.com.
