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.
Read the rest of this entry »Guest Author: KungPyo Rhee
If you have had enough of fried or greasy chicken, Bong Chu Steamed Chicken(봉추찜닭), located near Hong Dae, provides you a new and healthy experience. Unlike other traditional Korean restaurants, Bong Chu Jjim Dak facinated me with its modern interior décor. The restaurant was crowded but not disturbingly so.
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Soju is drunk in Gangnam. Champagne in Cheongdam, and coffee or wine in Garosu-gil, Sinsa.
So which drinks fit the Hongdae scene?
If anything, Hongdae has it all. Hole-in-the-wall soju and beer places are everywhere. Jagermeister and tequila shots are commonplace in clubs. There are plenty of wine bars and other bars that sell hard liquor. But can you think of a place where you can have some sangria?
El Bliss is a dining lounge that you would expect to see in Cheongdam. El Bliss is reminiscent of Bliss in Itaewon, with similar wall design and light lamps that hang low.
But if anything El Bliss feels more like a cocktail lounge. In other words, totally un-Hongdae-like.
Guest Author: KungPyo Rhee
Often, when people think of cafes, they think of quiant little shops where couples, families, and friends can drink coffee, eat sandwiches, and have a few pasteries. This is such a place. Adorned with a diverse selection of ornaments, Buccella provides you a range of visual satisfaction while you have delicious sandwiches!
Most people in Korea, whether residents or travelers, are familiar with soju. And although I am fond of soju, I would like to introduce a place to drink one of my other friends, who is named makgeolli. Also known as Korean rice wine, makgeolli is drank by the old and young, and where they come together to drink is at MoonJar located in Sinsa.
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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.
D6
Just as you occasionally feel the need to stomp on the accelerator to escape from everyday mundanities, the millions of taste buds that have served you well (hopefully) thus far in your life deserve the same. When you feel like it is time to reconcile conflicts of culinary extremes between extra creamy chicken penne alfredo and aged kimchi jjigae (spicy kimchi soup), it is time you visit a newly-opened fine-dining restaurant in Cheongdam titled D6.
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.
International restaurants are becoming more common throughout Seoul, but the generally inflated price tag accompanying them requires that you be an especially discerning judge; there’s no dining injury more painful than a bruised wallet following an insulting meal. Thankfully, the restaurant DIWAN-I-AM offers authentic Indian cuisine that is well worth the price.
