Inspired by @pomodoro’s recent post, as well as many others, putting down here a report about my trip two years (!) to the ROK.
Many details hazy! Locations with asterisk are memorable favorites.
Wayne’s Bagels, Gangnam
Montreal-style bagels.
im.mute, Sinsa-dong
This location has since closed! I think he’s still operating as a roaster / tasting room on the north side of the Han. Top 3 favorite coffee in the city.
“A Flower Blossom on the Rice” (Michelin link)*
Went here with an old professor of my girlfriend’s. Great spot! Leans vegetarian I remember that we had a pork dish. Didn’t snap it all. I would definitely recommend.
**Cuisine La Cle** *
Quebecois food near the Blue House! Friends went here in June, and we came on their recommendation. Very excellent!!! We reserved on an app that I now don’t remember; very straightforward.
(still dream about this rillette)
Bonanza Coffee, Hannam-dong
In the upper tiers of that shopping area in Hannam, not far from Leeum Samsung museum. Very nice staff!
(That was a great cake!)
Parc Seoul* (Hannam-dong)
I had marked this on my map, likely because I saw it on a list/Korean variety show, but had completely forgotten it by the time of the trip. It’s September, the heat is oppressive, we’re so hot; there was a rice place that was reservations-only, and I saw this up the street and went, “There.”
Parc RULES. Home-style dishes executed with a high degree of precision, set in warm, inviting, yet contemporary space that’s almost like a house.
(Oxtail anniversary special.)
The owner/manager and I had a nice chat at the end about LA, whereby I helped him remember that Ham Hung was the place where he’d had his favorite naengmyeon outside of Seoul. That’s some high praise!
Seoul Gypsy, Hannam-dong
(In 2019 I went to their first location near Ikseon-dong(?). Great place for local beer and eats!)
(these were spicy as hell).
Basement of a Dongdaemun mall
A chain chicken place in Yangjae
I don’t remember the brand! But there was a lively hiking group behind us and it was fun.
Fritz Coffee, Yangjae
Travelers to Seoul know that a lot of specialty coffee doesn’t open up early – at least in my experience! Fritz was not one of them. Love this location of Fritz!
Coffee Libre, Yeonnam-dong
High-performance specialty roaster in the quiet and charming Yeonnam-dong.
Okza (?) (Naver link)
(I always forget the name of this place but I loved the noodles here. Okza (sp?) came up as a nearby recommendation on Naver after Coffee Libre. Pho! I know we get the best of pho here but this was very very tasty and fresh!
Samdye Samgyetangjin, Seocho-dong
It was hot, so you gotta get the samgyetang! I don’t remember how we landed on this one, but we got the pine nut broth. Y E S
Ggupdang, Sinsa-dong*
(Maybe we flew out that night / next morning because this is the last restaurant-of-note I have in the roll. Michelin Bib Gourmand and it was absolutely delicious.
