First-time visitors to the vibrant, exhilarating city of Seoul can find the fast-paced capital of South Korea daunting yet highly addictive. Keeping up with the locals definitely needs to be fuelled by good food. Cheap-and-cheerful to worth-every-cent-expensive, there really is no excuse not to eat well when visiting Seoul.
1. Chef Mingoo Kang
From: Restaurant Mingles
“The concept is casual but the food is really tasty and goes really well with their wine selection. I recommend the terrine.”
Lunch pick: Hadongkwan (12, Myeongdong 9-gil, Jung-gu). A 70-year-old restaurant in Myeong-dong, Jongno-gu that first opened in the 1930s, it serves two delicious items: gomtang (beef bone soup) and suyuk (boiled beef) with two side dishes of radish kimchi and kimchi.
“It’s the best beef soup place in Korea.”
Food shopping: Gyeong-dong Market (147, Wangsan-ro, Dongdaemun-gu)
“At Gyeong-dong Market are the best seasonal local products you can find.”
2. Chef Jisun Joung
From: Zhong Hua Fu Chun
Favourite restaurant: Orzo (229-55 Yeonnam-dong, Mapo-gu)
“I’ve really liked this restaurant since my first visit. It has a great atmosphere and the servers are friendly; it is very clean, which makes it perfect for a date too! It is very close to my restaurant and while I really enjoy eating Chinese food a lot, sometimes you want something a little different. I always order the Spicy Orzo pizza (with two poached eggs) but the pasta is just as good.”
Lunch pick: Okdongsik (385-6 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu)
“The pork soup is the best here – clean and fresh broth which seems so simple but has a rich and deep taste; it is also really affordable. It is starting to get a lot of recognition from food guides like the Michelin Bib Gourmand.”
Food shopping: Mangwon market (486-8 Mangwon-dong, Mapo-gu)
“Take subway line no. 6 to Mangwon station and look out for Mangwon market. It is one of the most traditional markets you can find in Korea and gives me a lot of good memories. On the streets, look for Basakmacha (crispy cart), selling fresh pork cutlet.”
3. Chef James Park (Moohyun Park)
From: Muoki
Favourite Restaurant: Restaurant Mingles
“Chef Mingoo of Mingles restaurant is always cooking amazing dishes. His modern Korean style is unique and special, and of course very delicious. It is amazing how he constantly tries to reinvent himself and this season, it is all about concentrating on Temple Cuisine and cooking with vegetables.”
Lunch pick: Toctoc (main photo). It is primed as the restaurant to watch. With Chef Kim Dae-Chun leading the way, there are no rules. European, Japanese and of course, Korean ingredients come into play. Despite a lot of effort going into sourcing and creating his dishes, the restaurant is surprisingly simple – TocToc raw fish, winter dream salad, and a butter poached cod with saffron beurre blanc are easily the best on the menu.
“I have visited Toctoc about 10 times already. Always happy to go there with anyone.”
Food shopping: Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market (674, Nodeul-ro, Dongjak-gu) and Garak Market (932, Yangjae-daero, Songpa-gu).
“These two markets are the biggest ones in Seoul for seafood and vegetables respectively.”
4. Chef Han Man Seang (Daniel Han)
From: Le port 13
Lunch pick: Cuisson 82 (453-16 Dogok 2(i)-dong, Gangnam-gu)
“I love spicy food so this is a place I visit a lot. It’s a very small restaurant, however, the food quality and level are not low at all – the food is made with a lot of sincerity and it feels like you are eating at home. Here’s what you should order: lamb stew and French fries.”
Cool place to drink and go food shopping: Le port 13 and Noryangin Fisheries Wholesale Market
“A good place to have a chilled drink is in my seafood pub Le Port 13 – you can find me there a lot, particularly on my way to Noryangin Fisheries Wholesale Market at 3am – this is the life of a chef! It is lively and fresh here.”
– TEXT BY MICHELLE TCHEA
PHOTOS: MINGLES (CHEF MINGOO KANG), SSAK COMMUNICATIONS (CHEF EDWARD KWON), KOREA TOURISM BOARD, TOCTOC SEOUL FACEBOOK (MAIN PHOTO)
This article was originally published by Singapore Press Holdings.
