Yupdduk - Can you handle it?

I'm kinda obsessed with spicy food. If my tongue hurts a bit, good. If my nose starts running, great. If my ears feel like they're popping and my tongue feels like it has third degree burns, that's the best feeling!

Korean spicy rice cakes are a staple in the Korean street food society. When I used to live in Korea and when I went back a few years ago to visit family, these things were everywhere and it was something I could never, ever say no to.

Since being in Canada, I wasn't able to find one that filled my spice void... Sometimes it just wasn't spicy enough or the rice cake just wasn't as chewy, or it just wasn't that perfect blend of sweet and spicy that I crave.

YupDduk originated in Korea I believe and began expanding westward and opened in New York City. Due to its popularity, Toronto now has its very own situated on Yonge and Finch, about a block west of Yonge on Finch.

Their feature is the YUPGI TTEOKBOKGI and it has 3 levels of spicy, 1 being the lowest and 3 being the highest. And BELIEVE me when I say, level 1 is enough. The first couple of bites is okay but it's one of those things that gradually build up until the spice and the burn seems almost unbearable. But to be honest, that's what I LOVE! Obviously that's not a feeling everyone really wants when they eat so I guess it might just be me...

I always get a non-spicy side dish to go with it and I get their mini rice balls (on the left there). It's just little balls of rice covered in nori flakes and it does help with the spicy-ness. But sometimes I just dip these little rice balls in the spicy sauce too because I like torturing myself like that.

The price is pretty decent too. You can get a combo of the spicy rice cake, the rice balls and egg soup for around $20+ and it's more than enough to feed three people.

So my very biased verdict on this place is that I LOVE IT! For those who love spicy, it's an amazing place to go!