If you’re reading this while considering a move to Korea to teach and live in Asia I can assure you you’re on to something amazing. A year in Korea was just what I needed and I can not recommend the experience enough. Of course you will learn to love your students and their silly ways, you will have wild adventures with new friends throughout The Land of Kimchi and perhaps in other Southeast Asian destinations and you will gain loads of self confidence and cultural understanding. But let me give you one more reason to come to Korea. It’s called Casablanca Sandwicherie and I’m not even sure why I am letting you in on this glorious secret. I guess I am feeling generous, enjoy it while it lasts.
The tiny sandwich haven is located in the small yet buzzing neighborhood of Haebangcheon (aka HBC and close to Noksapyeong Station) in Seoul. I was introduced to my beloved Moroccan Chicken Sandwich last Spring during a local brewery beer fest in HBC. Casablanca is run by the Naciri brothers who are found laughing and working together behind the sandwicherie counter each night starting at 5pm. The menu and shop are small, yet the cozy space is always full of HBC residents stopping in to say hi to the owners and or to pick up take-out orders. There are a few tables for those dining in and usually my friends and I decide to sit and eat because really, we can’t make it out the door before taking a bite of the Moroccan magic. And don’t just take my word for it, Groove Korea wrote that Casablanca makes The Best Sandwich in Seoul.
This past Saturday was a splendidly clear day in Seoul and my friends and I finally made it to the top of Seoul Tower. After enjoying a memorable sunset we descended the hill that surrounds the tower. At the bottom someone quietly muttered, “Well, we’re close to Casablanca…” That’s all it took for us to set off on foot to find HBC and our favorite Seoul eats. The lively scene and filling food in Casablanca made for a perfect beginning to a Saturday night in Seoul. Then, as it always seems to happen, Sunday crept up on us and it was edging toward the end of an eventful weekend. Finding ourselves in Seoul yet again, we discussed where to grab food after a long afternoon of museum touring. Someone joked that they wouldn’t mind another Casablanca meal. And then we were back, and no, we weren’t the least bit embarrassed. Because when a sandwich is that good people understand. Your friends understand. The owners understand and they just give you a knowing smile when you walk in less than 24 hours later and place the same order. They give you that smile that I assume they give many people each and every night.
So, if you’re looking for a reason to come to Korea, I promise this is it. Korean food is the best, you will love it all, even kimchi, but when you want a sandwich you now know where to go. And please, only tell your most favorite people about our little secret. It’s a small place and they close each night when they run out of their famously fresh bread. You don’t want to see my ‘Casablanca is closed!?’ face, I can promise you that too.
Filed under: food, seoul Tagged: best, casablanca, chicken, food, foodie, friends, haebangcheon, hbc, kimchi, korea, moroccan, sandwich, seoul
