Sandwiches in Korea

Living in a different country for a while you will get to try many of the different and varied foods that the place has to offer. Korea is no different and there are many things that can get you hooked after trying for the first time. But sometimes you want something familiar and sometimes you find you can't get exactly what you want here.

I love a good sandwich. I was back home in the UK for a week recently and gorged myself on as many as I cold get my hands on, so good were they. In Korea you may struggle to get a good sandwich outside Seoul. Korea now has a lot of bakeries such as Paris Baguette or Tous les Jours that you can find on many streets. These stock some good products and include pre-made sandwiches but I find these a bit lacking in taste. From my experience the 24hour convenience shops offer better value and variety. There are also Subways here but again, they don't seem to taste like they do back home, or perhaps that's just me.

Like everywhere else, sandwiches in Korea come in two categories - pre-made, or those made to order. But there is another category (in my opinion) - saturated in sauce, or no sauce at all, and the latter has to be specifically asked for, you won't find a plain sandwich readily available.

You don't have to have lived here long to realise that Koreans love sauce with their food, usually spicy or sweet. I don't much care for it myself, but each to their own. My local sandwich toast shop is not bad. It's hardly fast food though - it takes 15 minutes for them to make me some tuna sandwiches even though the filling is pre-made and there is no one else in the shop. That's a quirk that you get used to and kind of enjoy.

Here are some of examples of the sandwiches on offer at my local shop, none of which I am brave enough to try with sauce.