Deliciously Cheap: Pak India Restaurant

Itaewon is legendary in South Korea as a foreigner's hangout and special Tourism Zone. For people coming into Seoul from the rural towns where pizza is rare, Itaewon's international food like Indian and Thai are a gourmet's nirvana.  Though I've lived in the multi-ethnic neighborhood of Itaewon-dong for more than two years, I haven't explored much beyond the shops on the main drag or in the immediately adjacent alleys. Filled with the determination of New Year's resolutions, I explored a bit and discovered a delectable gem, Pak India Restaurant.

Located 100m from the Itaewon Mosque, this  restaurant serves authentic, halal Pakistani Indian food at reasonable prices.  Inside the restaurant, the white walls are unadorned and crisp, snowy tablecloths cover the tables, creating a simple but clean and cozy atmosphere. My lunch-buddy and I ordered the Vegetable Samosas, one of my all time favorite foods. For only W4,000 we received  not one, not two, but FOUR pieces of  fist-sized flaky  potato-stuffed, golden deliciousness. They were spicy but a bit sweet and served with a yogurt dressing to cool the palate. We ate them so fast I couldn't even take a picture!

After that we ordered Chicken Palak (W8,000), Vegetable Korma (W7,000), and Garlic Naan (W2,500).  The naan was thick but light and soft without being too doughy and slathered with enough garlic to ward off any vampires possibly in the vicinity. The spinach in the palak was creamy but not goopy, and served with generous amounts of soft chicken meat (mostly leg and thigh). The korma had a rich tomato gravy covering balls made of nutty chickpeas. I could barely believe I wasn't eating meat!

All dishes were fragrant and flavorful  but the best taste is the price. Unlike other Indian food restaurants closer the Itaewon Station or other areas of Seoul which charge W15,000 for a simple curry plate, most items on Pak Indian Restaurant's menu are priced below W10,000.  For that price, I might eat there more regularly if I lived a bit closer.

This restaurant also has excellent customer service. When we ordered out food, the owner-chef even asked how spicy we would like our food. After having been served needlessly copious amounts of red pepper at Korean establishments, a chef who asks my preference for spice is very considerate in my opinion!

This restaurant only has 15 seats so small groups are recommended.  I hope to come back here with a few more friends so we can sample some of the other dishes.

To get there, climb the hill past the Foreign Food Mart and turn left up the hill. At the Mosque, turn left and walk 100 meters.  Also, the Maeul Bus #1 also runs along that street.

Do yourself a favor and try Pak India Restaurant. Your legs will thank you for the pre-meal exercise and your stomach will purr in satisfaction.

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