Unlocking Chicago’s Culinary Secrets: A Getaround Adventure to Joong Boo Market and Beyond

Exploring the vibrant city of Chicago holds endless possibilities, especially when you have the freedom to roam. Join us on a delightful journey to discover the authentic Korean flavors of Joong Boo Market, made seamlessly accessible thanks to Getaround – the innovative peer-to-peer car sharing service!

This post is proudly brought to you in partnership with Getaround.

It’s hard to believe, but over eight months have flown by since Connor and I made the exciting move to Chicago. What’s even more surprising is that nearly six months have passed since my last life update here. Time truly does fly when you’re immersed in the energy of a new city! Living in the heart of downtown Chicago has been an incredible experience, offering convenience and endless activities right at our doorstep. Yet, I’ve found myself craving more opportunities to venture beyond our immediate neighborhood and truly dive into the diverse tapestry of this amazing city.

At the start of this year, I set a personal goal for 2016: to actively explore more of Chicago’s hidden gems and vibrant districts. This city has an undeniable charm, and discovering new areas is genuinely one of my favorite pastimes. Between working diligently on a cookbook, which has completely taken over my life in the most wonderful way, and balancing daily routines, finding the time for extensive exploration has become increasingly challenging. However, I’ve realized that these excursions are absolutely essential – not just for my sanity, providing a much-needed break from the intensity of recipe testing and writing, but also as a crucial catalyst for my creativity. I find nearly all of my inspiration by visiting and experiencing new places, especially those rich in culinary culture.

With this in mind, two weeks ago, my dear friend Kristin, who also recently moved to Chicago and shares my passion for food adventures, and I decided it was time for a much-needed girls’ day out. Our destination? Joong Boo Market. This renowned authentic Korean market in Chicago has been on our must-visit list for months. Our good friend Nora, a fellow food enthusiast, had raved about it ages ago, painting vivid pictures of its incredible offerings. The only catch? Its location isn’t the most convenient for either of us, making a spontaneous visit tricky without reliable transportation. This is where our exciting partnership with Getaround truly shines.

One of the minor adjustments we made when moving to downtown Chicago was letting go of one of our cars. Financially and practically, owning two vehicles in such a walkable and transit-friendly city simply didn’t make sense. For the most part, this hasn’t posed an issue; we’re within walking distance of almost everything we need, from grocery stores to restaurants and entertainment venues. However, there are definitely those moments when I deeply miss the sheer flexibility and spontaneity that having immediate access to a car provides. These are the days I yearn to venture beyond a familiar 10-block radius or when I anticipate needing to transport bulky items – be it a significant haul of groceries, various props and ingredients for cookbook photography, or even large photography backgrounds, let’s be honest. With Connor’s demanding work schedule, which involves using our single car six days a week, my access to it is, at best, minimal. This often leaves me feeling a bit constrained in my desire to explore.

Then, about a month ago, Getaround reached out to me about a potential partnership. Getaround is a revolutionary car sharing service that empowers individuals to rent out their own cars when not in use, and conversely, allows others to rent cars on demand. The timing couldn’t have been more serendipitous! Just days after our initial conversation, an announcement appeared in the elevators of our apartment building, confirming that Getaround was officially expanding its services to our immediate area. Having heard buzz about this innovative service, I had been eager to try it ever since it arrived in Chicago. This partnership truly felt like a perfect, organic fit for my lifestyle and my desire for more flexible urban exploration.

While Chicago’s excellent public transportation system remains my primary and preferred method for getting around the city for daily commutes, I am absolutely thrilled to now have the Getaround option readily available at my fingertips. This service will be particularly invaluable on days when I need to transport larger items, embark on longer day trips, or when friends and family visit from out of town and we want to explore Chicago’s wider attractions together. Getaround offers an unparalleled level of convenience and freedom. Not only does it allow you to effortlessly rent cars all over the city, finding vehicles located conveniently near you, but it also prioritizes safety and peace of mind. Every single rental is comprehensively covered by insurance, and robust roadside assistance is always just a call away, ensuring a smooth and worry-free experience. The entire process is designed to be hassle-free, from booking to unlocking the vehicle.

Kristin and I decided to rent a car for half the day, and this decision immediately opened up a world of possibilities, allowing us to be truly spontaneous and flexible with our plans. The technology behind Getaround is remarkably intuitive; you actually rent and unlock your chosen vehicle directly from the user-friendly Getaround phone app. It’s shockingly easy and incredibly straightforward – a few taps on your smartphone, and you’re ready to hit the road. This seamless experience transformed what would have been a complicated journey to Joong Boo Market into a simple, enjoyable drive, adding an extra layer of excitement to our adventure.

As for Joong Boo Market itself, our visit was an absolute delight – a truly fantastic way to take a much-needed mental break from the intensity of cookbook recipe testing. Stepping inside felt like being transported to a bustling market in Korea. While it might not be as vast as some of the larger H-Mart locations I’ve visited, Joong Boo offers an incredibly rich and authentic experience. We thoroughly enjoyed immersing ourselves in the vibrant atmosphere, exploring every aisle filled with unique ingredients, and, of course, taking full advantage of the market’s incredible food offerings. Our culinary adventure began at the outside dumpling station, where the tantalizing aromas immediately drew us in. We then ventured inside to sample more delights from the order-at-the-counter food stall.

Oh my goodness, those dumplings! We opted for both the pork and kimchi wang dumplings, and they were truly massive – each one easily the size of my head. I am absolutely not exaggerating! The exterior was perfectly steamed, yielding a tender, slightly chewy wrapper, while the fillings were incredibly flavorful and generously portioned, bursting with savory pork and the delightful tang of kimchi. It was a memorable start to our market exploration, offering a comforting and utterly delicious taste of authentic Korean street food.

Inside the lively market, we snagged a cozy table at the food stall and continued our gastronomic adventure. We savored a steaming bowl of spicy ramen, its rich broth warming us from the inside out, perfectly complemented by chewy noodles and an array of fresh toppings. Alongside it, we indulged in a soybean paste tofu soup, which arrived at our table literally boiling, simmering with deep, umami flavors and tender tofu. Both dishes were served with fluffy white rice, an assortment of crisp vegetables, and, of course, plenty of vibrant kimchi to round out the authentic Korean meal. As a food blogger, taking photos of every delicious dish is second nature, and I’m fairly positive every last person in that market was subtly (or not so subtly) staring at us as we meticulously captured our meal – a common, often amusing, part of the job!

Beyond the delicious prepared foods, one of the absolute best parts of our entire trip was the opportunity to stock up on my favorite pantry staples. Asian supermarkets like Joong Boo Market consistently offer these essential ingredients at prices a million times better than any generic grocery store. It’s an absolute treasure trove for anyone who loves cooking global cuisines. My shopping cart quickly filled with an abundance of fresh Thai basil, vibrant Chinese eggplant, aromatic lemongrass, high-quality sushi rice (a non-negotiable for my kitchen!), the biggest bottle of toasted sesame oil I could find, rich tamari, versatile tofu, delicate spring roll rice papers, creamy coconut milk, and, of course, my beloved Korean gummy candies in the refreshing Yuzu flavor. Oh, and Pocky sticks – always, always Pocky sticks! Finding these specific items, often at a fraction of the cost, makes venturing to an ethnic market incredibly rewarding and truly fuels my culinary explorations at home.

Our exploration didn’t stop at the food aisles. We also delved into the kitchen supply area, a fascinating section filled with an array of cooking tools and utensils. It was here that we discovered the largest stainless steel mixing bowls and spider strainers I have ever seen in my life. Seriously, the picture doesn’t quite do justice to their sheer size and industrial utility – they were intense! It’s always intriguing to see the specialized equipment used in different culinary traditions, offering insights into their cooking methods and making me dream of a kitchen large enough to accommodate such magnificent implements.

After a wonderful few hours spent at Joong Boo Market, our arms laden with groceries and our bellies full, we conveniently packed all our purchases into the trunk of our Getaround rental. This ease of transport was a game-changer, especially after our substantial haul! With our treasures secured, we decided to extend our day trip and drove north to Evanston, one of my absolute favorite areas of Chicago. Evanston offers a charming contrast to the bustling city center, with its picturesque neighborhoods and the stunning campus of Northwestern University.

We spent some time leisurely driving through the tree-lined streets, admiring the beautiful architecture, and then enjoyed a refreshing walk around the sprawling Northwestern campus, soaking in the collegiate atmosphere. To conclude our perfect day, we stopped for coffee at Kafein, a wonderfully quaint college coffee shop nestled in downtown Evanston. It was the ideal spot to relax, chat about our market discoveries, and simply unwind. This relaxing and perfectly paced end to our day’s outing was exactly what I needed to re-charge my creative batteries and feel inspired anew. The flexibility provided by Getaround truly made this multi-destination adventure not just possible, but effortlessly enjoyable.

If my adventure has sparked your interest in exploring your own city with newfound freedom, I wholeheartedly recommend trying Getaround. Feel free to use this referral link to receive a generous $20 credit towards your first rental. It is an awesome, incredibly convenient, and straightforward way to access transportation and uncover new areas, hidden gems, and unique experiences within your city or beyond. I genuinely can’t recommend checking it out enough!

Furthermore, if you live in an urban environment and own a car that isn’t in constant use, renting your vehicle through Getaround presents another fantastic opportunity. It allows you to transform an idle asset into a source of income, with the potential to earn between $500 to $1,500 every single month. It’s essentially the car-sharing equivalent of Airbnb, offering a brilliant solution to diminish the often-high costs of car ownership within a city, while simultaneously contributing to a more sustainable and accessible urban transportation network.

This post is a collaborative partnership with Getaround, but as always, all opinions and experiences shared are entirely my own. I extend my sincere gratitude for supporting the brands and services that I genuinely use, love, and believe in. Happy exploring!