Kimchi Fries and Torta Eagle (Denisse Rauda/Stripes Korea)
Seeking shelter from the sweltering heat in Seoul recently, we ducked into a Lotte Department Store near Myeongdong.
Checking the directory for where we could get a cold drink and small meal, I stopped and made a beeline when I saw Coreanos had a location in the basement.
Coreanos is a Mexican food restaurant with three locations in Seoul. According to The Korea Times, the company originally started out of a food cart in Austin, Texas.
The LA-Tex-mex fusion eatery features a vast menu with a variety of tacos, tortas, nachos and more. The Lotte Store location in the B1 floor has a small-but-hearty menu worth a stop if you don’t have time to hit the main shop in Itaewon District.
This was my first time visiting this basement location, which is like a cafeteria set up. The seating situation can get precarious and competitive, so be patient and strike the second you see someone wrapping up their meal so you can snag a seat in the shared dining areas of the basement floor.
From the menu I chose kimchi pork fries, a grilled chicken torta and a coke. My friend ordered a taco set with pork tacos, fries and a drink.
Pork Kimchi Fries (Denisse Rauda/Stripes Korea)
Taco set (Denisse Rauda/Stripes Korea)
Chicken Torta (Denisse Rauda/Stripes Korea)
After placing my order, I received a buzzer to alert me about the order being ready. The department store offers a table delivery option, but I couldn’t figure out how it worked, so I had to pick up my own food tray.
The food took about a 15-minutes to be ready and when I finally got my tray, I was shocked at the large portions. The kimchi fries alone would’ve been enough for two people.
I was ready to enjoy some tasty Mexican fusion.
The kimchi fries were perfection. A delicious mix of kimchi, cheese and well-seasoned pork. The fries were topped with chopped onion and cilantro for a refreshing medley to round out the flavor punch. I thoroughly enjoyed the fries and wish I had more time to return for more.
The torta came with a generous slathering of guacamole and a large portion of tender chicken. It was good, but was missing something. I stole some of my friend’s pickled jalapeno slices to add to the torta which finally gave it the kick it needed.
All in all, this stop was more than a mere snack stop and though I paid for it with heartburn that night, I had the TUMS at the ready.
Storefront (Denisse Rauda/Stripes Korea)
Address: Lotte Department Store, 81 Namdaemun-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul, B1F
Hours: Mon.-Thurs. 10:30 a.m.-8 p.m.; Fri.-Sun. 10:30 a.m.- 8:30 p.m.
Website: https://www.instagram.com/coreanoskitchen/?hl=en
Notes: The Lotte Dept. Store location is in the basement food court. Other locations are sit-down restaurants, so try those if you don’t want to hustle for a seat.
