pre-Michelin Seoul restaurant rampage

[Abdul_A350]

Background:

Michelin published its first guide to Seoul on November 7.

As a restaurateur in Japan I well remember the circus when the first Tokyo guide was published back almost a decade ago.

Never having been to Korea despite living so long in Japan, I decided a couple of months back that it was time to make some bookings for a number of places on my radar before the next circus begins.

This will be a brief discussion of those five restaurants. There will be a few photos, but I do not intend to spoil any surprises. I may include some links with more comprehensive photos than I am prepared to offer.

 

[Abdul_A350]

Flights:

Here there was a little disappointment. ketsuzei had originally set me up with a return in F on Asiana's seasonal A380 service using 100,000 Avianca LifeMiles.

Asiana then decided not to offer F service, and downgraded me to J. Avianca were not prepared to refund the 20,000 difference between F and J.

So as a compromise I cancelled (for free due to the involuntary change) and rebooked the return leg in J.

For the way over I used AAdvantage points to fly CBR-SYD-NRT-ICN with SYD-NRT in JAL F.

 

[Abdul_A350]

Hotels:

For my overnight stopover in Sydney I went with the Stamford Plaza using the free night for my Platinum Reserve.

Two nights at the Grand Intercontinental Seoul Parnas using a BOGO certificate.

A few nights at the Grand Ambassador Seoul using an Accor Advantage Plus special rate.

One night at The Shilla Seoul on an Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts rate.

Finished up at the Conrad on a sale rate.

Most of the benefits were attributable to my Amex membership in one way or another (including via a status match to obtain HHonors Diamond status).

 

[Abdul_A350]

Restaurants:

(1) Soigné
(2) Jungsik
(3) Mingles
(4) La Yeon
(5) Ryunique

I selected these restaurants primarily based on recommendations from friends and colleagues. I also eat a lot of quite standard/traditional Korean in Tokyo, so there is a bias towards more creative or innovative places.

For what it is worth, (1), (2), and (3) ended up with one Michelin star, La Yeon got three, and Ryunique missed out.

https://guide.michelin.sg/en/Seoul-2017-michelin-guide

 

[boomy]

Subscribing. Always interested in good restaurants.
Btw I'll be in Tokyo next week, any recommendations?

 

[Abdul_A350]

Subscribing. Always interested in good restaurants.
Btw I'll be in Tokyo next week, any recommendations?

If you haven't been to Den and Narisawa, they would be my first two suggestions. A seat at the counter is definitely the best for Den.

Unfortunately the timing sounds bad for Den, though:

http://www.jimbochoden.com/english/

"we will be closed from the 27th November to the early December"

The best bread I have ever eaten can be found here:

http://restaurant-ryuzu.com/concept.php

Day to day it just depends on your preferences, though. So many many good places.

 

[LadyC]

Looking forward to reading more of this culinary extravaganza!

As an aside, I have been to both Sushi Yo****ake and Ryugin. Both great restaurants but very different to each other.

 

[boomy]

Looking forward to reading more of this culinary extravaganza!

As an aside, I have been to both Sushi Yo****ake and Ryugin. Both great restaurants but very different to each other.

Did you like Yo****ake? I have reservation next week.

 

[Abdul_A350]

Logistics:

I picked up a SIM card and a "T-Money" card for use on the subway (and also in taxis) at a convenience store in Incheon Airport.

For getting around town, I used taxis to get between hotels with luggage, and took the subway to each restaurant and back.

I didn't do any investigation before I left, but it turns out that Mingles, Jungsik, and Ryunique are very close together in Gangnam, with Soigné not all that far away either.

 

[LadyC]

Did you like Yo****ake? I have reservation next week.

It was fantastic. I was there about 18 months ago. I actually included it in my trip report and you asked about it then. So hopefully you get there and enjoy it too.

 

[LadyC]

Sorry to be hijacking your thread. More details of culinary adventures in Seoul please

 

[Abdul_A350]

What's Seoul like in November?

It can be quite variable, but I was very lucky. And along with Tokyo, it is perhaps the best Asian capital city for walking I have come across.

 

[Abdul_A350]

And a few more leaves, perhaps with some sideways photos:

 

[Abdul_A350]

(1) Soigné

This place is just behind the National Library. I walked there from Seocho Station, it is perhaps 10-15 minutes with a bit of a hill along the way.



I was a little confused by the first Soigné-signed place I came across, which turned out to be valet parking. Keep going a little further, around the slight bend, and then it becomes obvious.

The restaurant is in a basement, and has both a counter and tables. I was very comfortable at the former.

http://soignerestaurantgroup.com/wp/menu/soigne_ep13_dinner_en.pdf

The choices when I was there were as currently show here, either the (13th) "Episode Menu" or the "Best Soigné Tasting Menu".

I asked for the latter, thinking I might not be back again so that would be my best option, and the response was a somewhat surprised 'Oh, you want the tasting menu?!"

And from what I could see of others dining at the counter, I was perhaps the only person to order it. Still not really sure why.

The "15.0" at the bottom of the menu means 150,000 Korean Won (KRW), or a little over AUD170 at the moment.

There were several Amuse Bouche, including the tastiest grape of my life:

''

The Octopus was stunningly delicious; as far as I understand, it was braised and then deep-fried, the texture was just perfect:



For the main course I had a choice between lamb (probably my favorite after goat) and beef (for a roughly $40 premium), went with the lamb, and was very glad I did:



I had quite a nice (brief) chat with the chef at the end, and it turned out we had some common friends in Tokyo.

There was no "wine pairing" option, and I did not look at the wine list.

I left there feeling very happy with my first full day in Seoul.

As my life winds down I naturally spend each meal alone dwelling on what has gone before, and I need to focus on one or two things to stop myself from being overwhelmed.

This night I spent thinking about my first wife, who died in 1981 just before we were accepted by Japan as refugees. I have lived a life of roughly two halves, owe her everything for the first half, and very much wish she could have been around for the second.

 

[boomy]

Lovely TR Abdul_A350, both your comments and the photos. Thanks for taking the time to share your experience.

 

[Abdul_A350]

A quick glimpse at North Korea:

I have started a fifth or sixth career (I lose count) as a translator recently, and was working while in Seoul. Once it became clear I would have a free morning, I asked the concierge to book me a tour to the DMZ.

A bit of a beginner's error, as it turned out. The JSA or a combined DMZ/JSA tour would have been better. As would have been a bus that defogged the windows.

But it was interesting nonetheless.

There was a trip down the "Third Infiltration Tunnel", and I will not be in a particular hurry to see the First, Second, or Fourth. No cameras allowed. On the way down, you choose a helmet from the left or the right, with different colors. Only those with one of those colors get to ride the train back up out of the tunnel, the rest have to walk. My pedometer for that day showed I had climbed a total of 100 storeys. I am very tall, and the trip through the actual tunnel part was agony for my neck.

Anyway, A Hazy Shade of North Korea:



I should note that the DMZ Tour does not actually allow you within the DMZ.

I like trains, and I liked this train station a lot. Apparently it was modelled on Incheon, or had a common designer, not entirely sure:



The guide and others gave us quite a few talks about how South Koreans dream of one day being able to travel to Europe and elsewhere by train.

 

[Major]

A train from Korea to Europe. Now that's different

 

[TomVexille]

This looks good. Following along now

 

[RoMambai]

Love your work Abdul_A350 - terrific mix of travelogue and personal vignettes. Never been to Seoul but can't wait to go there at some point.

 

[Abdul_A350]

(2) Jungsik

This place is in the heart of Gangnam. Bar on the first floor that appeared to be empty, restaurant on the second floor.

It was the second-hardest booking to secure on this trip, the first two nights I asked for were not available.

A little more formal in feel than Soigné, perhaps because I was sitting at a table.

I like this kind of simplicity in a menu:



There were lots of surprises on this menu, and I do not want to give too much away.

The set of amuse bouche was designed to be eaten counterclockwise starting from the bowl on the left and was just a wonderful progression of flavors:



Next up was the Gujeolpan or 九節板, a standard consisting of nice delicacies. We will see a more traditional version of this later. The twist here was that the wrapping element is seaweed rather than a wheat crepe. Stunning presentation: