Hello everyone! 안녕하세요! We’re proud to present our special series on Halal makan places we visited during our recent trip to Seoul!
We were extremely honoured to be invited by the Korea Tourism Organization (Malaysia) to visit South Korea again (we went to Busan and Jeju the last time) and also be a part of the launch of Halal Restaurant Week Korea 2019! More information about that at the end of the post so let’s start on the makan no – 나 배고파!! 
(BTW – head down to our Instagram profile page and watch all the IG Stories from the trip!) 
Murree Muslim Food 마리무슬림푸드 was not the first makan place we visited in Seoul. In fact, we visited on Day 4 when we visited Itaewon and the Seoul Central Mosque. But I’m posting it first because it was a really impressive spread! 😀
You will actually come across A LOT of Muslim-owned and Halal dining options when you’re in Itaewon. It’s only natural since it’s the area near the mosque. You’ll see everything from Middle-eastern to Korean and even Uzbek cuisine too!
But at Murree Muslim Food, you’d never expect to be served some really delicious Halal Korean dishes. And the best part – all sedap!!
As with every good Korean meal, you’ll be served some Banchan (반찬) aka side dishes which will get your appetite going for the feast to come 😀 At Murree Muslim Food 마리무슬림푸드, they’ve got the standards set up for you.
Kimchi (김치) is a MUST HAVE of course and Gim-Gui (김구이) aka Roasted Korean Seaweed is always welcome too. The Eomuk Bokkeum (어묵 볶음) aka fish cake as also really good but I think my favourite (as with many of you too I’m sure) was the Myeolchi-ttangkong Bokkeum (멸치땅콩볶음)!
On this trip, I learned that the Korean Pancakes with Kimchi is known as Kimchijeon (김치전) and not Pajeon (파전) which is the variety with scallions instead 😛 (What can I say – it’s a learning process)
After kena the Banchan already shiok-shiok the Kimchijeon arrived piping hot that I could not resist starting on that with some rice LOL That was already a great start to the meal! And then… the mains arrived!
So everyone in the group ordered different dishes so we could get a good variety of photos and sample a bit of everything. But I have to be honest here – I wish I had ordered THIS! 😛
Dakgalbi (닭갈비) is a really popular Korean dish with chicken and vegetables all stir-fried with Gojuchang sauce and (more often than not) there’s gonna be cheese involved. The version at Murree Muslim Food even has Tteok-bokki (Korean Rice Cakes) too!
You may be used to seeing those big versions where people share but this serving was good for 1-2 pax.
I don’t know about you but to me, I see one great big beautiful mess ?
The Gojuchang flavour was bold, tasty and just the right amount of spicy. Preparing the dish in the kitchen before they bring it out means the vegetables like the cabbage are cooked through, the cheese is nice and melty (and stretchy!). All you need to do is mix it up and enjoy with rice!
If you’re looking for something that’s not so much on the spicy side, perhaps the Bulgogi (불고기) might just be the one for you. And just because it’s not spicy does not means it’s not tasty ok!
Some of the other dishes you might wanna consider on the menu (that we did not order) include the Galbitang (Beef Short Ribs Stew), Kimchi Fried Rice, Bibimbap, Japchae (Glass Noodles), Ramyun and Bulgogi Dukbagi (Beef Stew).
I had ordered the Kimchi Jjigae (김치 찌개) for myself and it really hit the spot 😀
I opted for the Beef version (you could also choose Tuna if you’d like) and it comes bubbling-hot from the kitchen. Great Kimchi flavour from the spicy broth and with the beef, vegetables including Enoki mushrooms and some soft tofu plus rice on the side, you’re all set!
The weather was cool when we visited but this was still a delightful dish to enjoy with the weather. I can only imagine the shiok-ness LEVEL 999999 if you’re slurping on this hot stew during cold weather 😛
By the way, they also have Sundubu Jjigae (순두부 찌개) which has more of that great soft tofu! (See it bubbling!)
Two different types of chicken dishes to round off the feast – both at different ends of the spectrum but both still packing a kick in terms of flavour! 😀
We are no strangers to Samgyetang (삼계탕). The popular herb-based stewed chicken with Ginseng is actually a big hit with a lot of people. The broth is brimming with flavour and goodness with every slurp. The Dakdoritang (닭도리탕) is a bit different. It’s also a chicken stew but it’s the spicy version where the chicken and vegetables are braised together in a chili-based gravy.
I guess you can see why I was impressed with the food at Murree Muslim Food 마리무슬림푸드. They also have some Indian food on the menu but trust me – have the local Korean fare when you visit them. It’s totally SEDAP! ?
PS I have photos of the menu! Drop us an email/message if you’d like the details!
A Quick Word About Halal Food In South Korea
So in case you’re wondering, it’s (thankfully) getting easier to find Halal food in South Korea these days. Across the country, Halal food and Muslim-friendly options are becoming more readily available. This is in part thanks to the efforts from organizations and events like Korea Tourism Organization and Halal Restaurant Week Korea!
You may see some of these labels when you visit restaurants that are suitable for Muslims to visit. They have 4 main categories that determine the ‘Halal-ness’ of an eatery. This is to be expected lah I guess especially where the Halal food scene is still developing and depending on which part of South Korea you’re visiting.
The 4 categories are;
- Halal-certified (safest as the eatery is certified Halal by the Korea Muslim Federation)
- Self-certified (basically means eatery is Muslim-owned)
- Muslim-Friendly (serves Halal food but may serve alcoholic beverages) *most common*
- Pork Free (eatery does not have Pork but may serve non-Halal meat and/or alcoholic beverages)
It may seem complicated with 4 categories but as always, we can simplify it. Do your due diligence and do not be afraid to #AskTheQuestion especially since you’re travelling. Halal is an individual responsibility so get the info and make an informed decision. Look for these labels at the door. If there is any doubt at all, best to give it a miss 
Our advice is to check out the Halal Restaurant Week Korea website where you can not only find a listing of Halal/Muslim-friendly eating options in South Korea but also enjoy some perks and discounts too! This year’s Halal Restaurant Week Korea 2019 is being held from 1st September til 31st October (longer than a week lah :P).
Check out this handy micro-site – www.hrwkorea.or.kr/coupons/coupons.php – for more details on how to get your coupons okay! Thank you Korea Tourism Organization for taking the initiative to spread more information about Halal / Muslim-travel in South Korea! ??
Murree Muslim Food 마리무슬림푸드
20 Usadan-ro 10-gil,
Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Tel: +82-02-3785-1436
Facebook: www.facebook.com/koreamuslimfood
Instagram: www.instagram.com/murreemuslimfood
Operating Hours:
11.00am til 10.00pm DAILY
This meal was part of a trip organized by the Korea Tourism Organization (Malaysia). We visited all kinds of cool places and plenty of Halal makan places including this one! All information (including prices, availability of item on menu and Halal status of establishment) are accurate at the time of posting. All photos used in this site are property of The Halal Food Blog unless stated otherwise.
