Pojangmacha
Pojangmacha (포장마차 also abbreviated as pocha 포차) is a street stall or small tent in South Korea selling popular street foods such as hotteok, gimbap, tteokbokki, sundae, dakkochi (Korean skewered chicken), fish cake, mandu, and anju (foods accompanying drinks). In the evening, many of these establishments serve alcoholic beverages such as soju. Pojangmacha literally means "covered wagon" in Korean.
Pojangmacha | |
Pojangmacha food stall | |
Korean name | |
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Hangul | 포장마차 |
Hanja | 布帳馬車 |
Revised Romanization | pojangmacha |
McCune–Reischauer | p'ochangmach'a |
Pojangmacha is a popular place to have a snack or drink late into the night. The food sold in these places can usually be eaten quickly while standing or taken away. Some offer cheap chairs or benches for customers to sit, especially the ones serving late night customers who come to drink soju.
As of 2012, there were approximately 3,100 pocha in Seoul. This number has declined since city officials sought to shut them down, as they are considered by them to be eyesores, illegal and unsanitary.
Jongno is the most famous area for Pojangmacha but you can still find some decent food in Gwangjang Market. Some pojangmacha in Jongno and other areas now offer set menus, with a combination of individual snacks put together in one plate.