Hoi An
The one place that I really enjoyed from Vietnam is definitely Hoi An. This place should take no more than 1h drive away from Da Nang. Most people take a day trip to Hoi An, but I would suggest to stay at least two days …
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Vietnam
When I think of Vietnam I mostly think of their fresh/clean ingredients that they use in the dishes. Like coriander or rice paper which is being used for making spring rolls. They are also known for some of their meaty dishes, like the Pho soup. Overall finding halal places was quite challenging, but vegetarian/vegan ones are easier to find. The latter probably due to the Buddhism being partially incorporated in the daily life of some Vietnamese. We visited Da Nang, Hoi An and Hanoi.
South-Korea
South-Korea an Asian country known for k-drama, k-pop and k-beauty. But they are also known for their bbq, kimchi and their spicy tteokbokki. I must admit that South-korean spiciness is on a different level. Also it was hard for a vegetarian to find your way …
Seoul
I did not stay too long in Seoul, but there is at least one area where you definitely should visit if your looking for diverse places to eat and see small local shops: Ikseon-dong Hanok village. Hanok is a traditional Korean house and it was built in the 14th century. 20 minutes walk away from the Ikseon-dong Hanok village, you can see the Bukchon Hanok village, which is a famous neighbourhood worth the visit.
~ El Carnitas
You would not expect a good Mexican place in an asian country, but this place in the Ikseon-dong area was honestly one of the best Mexican I have ever visited. The ingredients were really fresh and tasteful. I had shrimp taco’s and vegetarian quesadillas. Mind you that the place is not that big and it can get packed in the evenings. You can always come by and let your name written down till they will let you know when you can take a seat.
Price: $ – $$
Suitable: Limited shrimp and vegetarian dishes
Address/ more info: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Et2nvmR6143QSm1D6?g_st=ipc
~ Flipper’s Ikseon
There are many dessert places around Ikseon-Dong neighborhood, we tried several of them and we enjoyed some soufflé pancakes. Except for pancakes, you can get some lemonade and other mixed juices here as well.
Price: $ – $$
Suitable: Dessert
Address/ more info: https://maps.app.goo.gl/bTjVHdx13jp4Gb1t6?g_st=ipc
~Gurkha Restaurant
Gurkha is an Indian/Nepali/Chinese restaurant located in the Myeongdong neighborhood, another area that you should visit when in Seoul. At this restaurant they serve vegetarian/vegan and also halal meals. Not much can go wrong when visiting this type of cuisine which serves flavorful dishes. However, always tell the waiter if you can’t handle spiciness, so they could consider that while preparing the meals.
Price: $ – $$
Suitable: Halal, vegetarian and vegan
Address/ more info: https://maps.app.goo.gl/vknz6J8dhifpcRKy6?g_st=ipc
~Street food – Myeongdong
While walking around in the Myeongdong area, you would be seeing lots of street vendors. Most of them has halal certificate, consider trying some local/authentic dishes as well.
Price: $ – $$
Suitable: Halal, vegetarian and vegan
~HBAF
Although this is not a restaurant, but it is worth mentioning if you want to bring home some “souvenirs”, you might want to consider buying HBAF. They are selling almonds/nuts with the most wholesome flavour, such as honey butter, tteok-bokki, cookie& cream, and many more. I did ask in the shop if the nuts were halal, the seller claimed to be halal. But always ask for yourself! You can find the shops at the Myeongdong shopping area.
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai is a city in the northern Thailand and it has a rich history, like the temple Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, which offers incredible views from its mountaintop. But is also has regular Night Bazaar and Sunday Night Street, where you can enjoy …
Phuket
I stayed around the Patong beach area and luckily I was able to find some halal places -which also had enough seafood options- and some vegetarian dishes were also on the menu.
~SIAM Phuket – Seafood Restaurant
During our stay, we visited this place two times. That can only mean that we were really satisfied with the food. You are able to pick your own seafood and let the helpful staff know how you want this to be prepared. There were some dishes that were vegetarian, but that’s not what this place is known for. They are known for grilled seafood, traditional Thai food such as Tom Yum, Pad Thai and Curry.
Price: $-$$
Suitable: Halal sign outside and mostly seafood
Address/ more info: https://maps.app.goo.gl/aphrrgLttwKaWycY6?g_st=ipc
~Sultan’s Grill Authentic Turkish & Indian Cuisine
As the name already implies, this is a combination of a Turkish and Indian cuisine. Now I don’t eat meat but I saw some good “meat food show” at some tables going on. Fear not, for the vegetarian amongst us, the Turkish cuisine has some Pide (flatbread with spinach or cheese on top) and the Indian kitchen has plenty of non-meat specialties. I tried the Mix Chaat (deep fried potatoes, chickpeas dipped in mint & yoghurt sauce) which was slightly on the spicy side but flavourful.
Take into account that it can be crowded sometimes and you might need to wait or make a reservation upfront.
Price: $-$$
Suitable: Halal and vegetarian
Address/ more info: https://maps.app.goo.gl/eiSSfCKg1HhRQpwU9?g_st=ipc
~Torry’s ice cream
Torry’s is located in the Old Phuket Town and it is a desserts place. Next to their ice cream with different taste, such as coconut milk & blue pea flower, goat milk, moon cake, they are also known for its sticky rice coconut milk. However, I decided to try their croissant with kaya and it tasted good. If you like the vintage/ luxurious feel then you might consider to take a seat inside.
Price: $-$$
Suitable: for dessert, as far as I know nothing odd in terms of ingredients
Address/ more info: https://maps.app.goo.gl/iZTWedPWhKkWHvAX7?g_st=ipc
