Immediately as I stepped inside Berlin in Itaewon, I could feel an overwhelming sense that I was back in the 1920’s. The atmosphere of Berlin was carefully designed with all things from glasses to the floors kept in mind. After my first drink came out, I understood that that the atmosphere, which was so carefully crafted, was predictive of the quality the other drinks and dishes that would soon be present.
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Guest Author: Lindsey Gorfine
Located in the heart of Itaewon, this breakfast bistro offers the atmosphere and food to amply help anyone pass the day. The flying pan has a lively menu that seeks to reinvent ‘Momma’s’ old brunch favorites and brunch is served all day from 10:30am to 11pm.
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From the day I first set foot in Korea, whenever friends asked what I missed most about America, I had only one response: Mexican food. During my last visit to the States, I came to find I was not alone in this sentiment, as my smug Chipotle status updates on FaceBook were met with the jealousy and idle threats of my Seoul-bound peers.
Thus it’s understandable that last year’s rumors of a Taco Bell opening in Itaewon put Seoul’s ex-pat community into a frenzy of excitement. A mere cheap commodity taken for granted in other countries, until now it has been a sacred privilege exclusive to those with access to the army base in Korea. But fear not, my burrito-craving comrades, for as of last weekend it’s official: Taco Bell has arrived in Seoul.
Between Terrace
Campari and orange as a mixed drink in Seoul? As I read over the drink menu at Between, I was pleased to find a change of pace from Itaewon’s standard cocktail list, and their dinner menu impressed me as well. Although I was a bit skeptical coming into Between because it had only been open a few weeks, I left feeling impressed with their architecture as well as their drink and dinner selection. This venue has the potential to become one of the most well-known lounges in Seoul.
Some of you might have noticed that we’ve been a little quiet recently. Now Team SeoulGrid comes out of hiding and proudly presents:
SeoulGrid Guide to Seoul Nightlife Ep. 01 — Macaroni Market, Itaewon!
A picture paints a thousand words. And a video animates a thousand pictures. Especially at a high frame rate in HD! So check it out, and let us know what you think in the comments.
Sometimes you want to break away from your dining experience that more or less is consistent with the following: pasta, galbi, pizzas, samgyupsal, chicken and repeat. Why not introduce something fresh to the menu?
One restaurant I frequent these days is… none other than Itaewon’s Greek souvlaki restaurant, Santorini, located in the alley behind Hamilton Hotel.
The interior of the restaurant is aptly decorated, colored brightly in white and blue to remind visitors of the real place.
Once in a while everyone goes through the stage of craving all the carbs, protein, grease and bacon your body can take (notice how I categorized bacon separately). Finding a good breakfast place in Seoul is not the easiest mission one can devote to. One can find breakfast/brunch places that are alright to so-so to good, but it’s really hard to come across a GREAT place. There are few examples of GREAT breakfast/brunch places in Seoul:
But what is the problem with places mentioned above? Besides contributing to your rising cholesterol levels?
The only problem with those places is that you have to wait in a line. If you go during the weekend, you have to wait for a good 20-30 minutes before you can sit down. After you place your order, it’ll take a good 10-20 minutes for your order, which will add up to around 40 minutes of waiting.
So unless you wake up early with the sole purpose of getting some good food, you are going to have to salivate and torture yourself while you smell all that greatness around you. What’s an alternative? Or better yet, is there a better option?
And thankfully the answer is YES!
Read more after the jump.
Bliss is probably one of the classiest restaurant/bar in Itaewon. The place definitely made it to my top hot-spot list in Seoul, and SeoulGrid will cover everything there is for you to know to make your next visit to Itaewon totally blissful!
Former member of Drunken Tiger and celebrity DJ Shine (Mark Yim) runs this place, and he’s usually around his shop making sure everything is operating smoothly. I met and talked to him on a few occasions and he was a real nice guy, and a good host as well.
So the interior is quite posh, with lighting and classy furniture to make it definitely one of the nicest places in Itaewon. Bliss also has a nice outdoor patio seats, which I imagine will be very nice in spring, summer and fall. For me though, I preferred to sit in a corner where I could overlook at the venue.
The inside is actually quite large, easily able to accommodate around 80 or so people.
SeoulGrid’s definition of a lounge: a venue that serves alcoholic beverages that has music in the background. DJ booth is a plus. The difference between a bar and a lounge is that bars tend to be more crowded or loud with people talking. Lounge is where there is plenty of space for everyone and where you can go for a nice drink or two. You wouldn’t typically go to a lounge to get wasted, unless you have cash to burn.
Bars, you’d take your college buddies out for drinks of Irish car bombs or Jaggermeister shots for a casual night of fun. Lounge, you’d take your date; extra dry gin martini for yourself and mojito for your date. Sure, a glass of Cosmopolitan may cost twice or even thrice how much it would cost in casual bars, but once in a while, it’s an worthwhile investment.
Now what makes a lounge great? The differentiating factor between an awesome lounge and a lounge is that the former typically is larger in scale, serves better cocktails and of course, plays better music. Of course once in a while you run into a lounge that feature interior decor and ambiance so unique, modern and stylish that your jaws drop. There also are ones that are nice private lounges that isn’t open to everyone.
Below is top-pick list of the best lounges in Seoul. Of course, I am sure there are several others that I do not know of or haven’t had the chance to visit, but if I do, you can count on me to write about it in detail in future!
August First Thursdays Afterwork pictures are finally up! There were almost 300 people who participated on that Thursday Evening.
Participants of the evening came from various backgrounds and industry fields. Next time you want to meet some new people, or hang out with your colleagues after work on Thursdays, make sure to check this party out!
Next Afterwork is on September 3rd, 2009.
Pictures after the jump.
