Daughter of Korea's Favorite Korean Things: Highway Rest Stops 휴게소

Without a doubt one of my favorite things in Korea is the highway rest stop (휴게소).  It's part and parcel of taking a vacay in Korea.  You can't find these rest stops just anywhere though, they can only be found along the major highways.  The reason I like them so much is that there's such a variety of food and so much to see, it's like cruising a Taiwanese night market - well not quite but kind of.^^



The Korean word for rest stop is 휴게소.





This is typical rest stop food, it's also typical street food.  It's chicken galbi on a stick.  To be honest I've never eaten one while in Korea cause I have a bad stomach and don't wanna risk getting diarrhea on a road trip@@  The reason I think I have such a bad stomach is cause I only ate night market food while in Taiwan for 2 years straight.





Waffles and next to them on the left fish sticks?





Corn dogs.





Corn on a cob.  I never touch this either - too healthy kkkkk






Dukbolgi - the most typical Korean street food.  I only like to eat it in the winter.

 



Squid.  Very smelly but delicious with beer.






This is the Korean sign for walnut cakes.

 



The inside of a walnut cake has a walnut and red bean paste.  Taiwan has a similiar cake but there is custard inside as well.  I personally like the custard ones better.







These are rest stop potatoes.  Maybe just as famous as walnut cakes because you can only find them at highway rest stops.  Here's a recipe for them from my favorite Korean food site Aeri's Kitchen Rest Stop Potato





Hodduck is an oily flap jack (not pancake but fried bread dough) with brown sugar and seasame seeds in the middle.  Super tasty - once again I only like to eat it in the winter cause it's hot and oily.





Sweet Potato Fries.





Korean Toast - Super yummy!





Meat on a stick.  These go for around $2US.





The only thing that I've noticed Korean rest stops lack is proper and delicious coffee.





These places are always super packed on the summer weekends.  Here you can order typical Korean food - fried rice, cold noodles, rice rolls, fried pork cutlets, soups, ect.





You can pretty much buy anything you'll need for a trip to the beach or mountains or wherever you're going.







Not all rest stops are created equal of course but some are pretty awesome.  The one we went to - 망향 - had loads of information for tourists, maps, nursing rooms, children's potties, bank machines, restaurants, ect.