I have a pleasant memory from a long time ago in Incheon Chinatown. Among the rows of Chinese restaurants, I went to one place I was attracted to, and even though they had dishes such as gyoza, five-spice pork, and cold jellyfish dishes, it was a “place that didn’t sell jajangmyeon.†For customers who were aware that a Chinese restaurant should have jajangmyeon, champon, and sweet and sour pork as a basic set without saying anything, this Chinese restaurant was truly a sensation. I wonder if the honesty and stubbornness of writing “There is no jajangmyeon†on a piece of paper despite protests from many customers was the driving force behind this restaurant’s survival until now.
Just as kimchi, which is the most basic ingredient in Korea, tastes different from region to region, cuisines such as China, Thailand, and Mexico also vary from region to region. If foreign food culture came to Korea and was uniformized according to the tastes of consumers, nowadays, stubborn restaurants that show more of the individuality of chefs are appearing.
These include breaking “seafood is fresh†and creating a combination of buttery sauce and various ingredients, dining where you enjoy course meals while moving from place to place, and composing courses with dishes that can only be found in a real Chinese home where you pat cucumber with a stick and mix it with condiments.
Contemporary cuisine restaurants that present new, modern and original menus based on traditional food culture are gaining popularity mainly in fine dining, and this is an era where the chef’s philosophy, individuality, and persistence are fully revealed without being limited to food culture or genres, even in bistros and casual dining scenes that are relatively easy to access. Gourmet chopsticks are busy even today.
1. Cheongdam ‘Filater’, a casual dining bar that combines seafood and wine
Image source: xoxo_o9o’s Instagram
Image source: xoxo_o9o’s Instagram
A new casual dining bar located in Cheongdam. It has already gone viral as a place where seafood is cooked in a new and clever way. They have a seafood-based starter, main, side, dessert menu, and wine list. “Cuttlefish†has a rich texture and flavor made by putting skipjack tuna butter sauce on pan-fried cuttlefish and white mushroom. Fish and chips made from skewers are also one of their signatures. Most of the dishes are buttery and use a lot of sauce, so you can’t feel the fishy flavor unique to seafood, so it’s a good approach for beginners.
[Eating tips]
â–²Location: 40-4 Seolleung-ro 148-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
â–²Business hours: Tuesday to Thursday 18:00 to 24:00, Friday to Saturday 17:30 to 24:00, closed on Sundays and Mondays
â–²Price: Cuttlefish: 24,000 won, yellowtail: 30,000 won, Eundaegu: 30,000 won, and sea bream: 40,000 won
â–²Testimonial (Shikigin, Dawn Moon): If you don’t like eating seafood, I highly recommend this place. They seem to be aged separately, but the flavor of the seafood itself is well-prepared so that it doesn’t taste fishy, and the combination with the sauce is perfect. All that’s left now is for the wait to run out. Go fast when it’s not very famous.
2. Eco-friendly future dining, Yongsan ‘Level Zero’
Image source: bon_bong_bon_bong’s Instagram
Image source: bon_bong_bon_bong’s Instagram
Image source: bon_bong_bon_bong’s Instagram
A very unique future fine dining that pursues eco-friendly zero waste. It’s a unique way to enjoy food while moving from one place to another. The first space is a small indoor garden with lots of greenery, where starters and grilling menus are provided. After sitting at the table in the second space and tasting the three menus, you’ll go straight to the third live kitchen. After enjoying the main dish and dessert while enjoying the dishes of the busy chefs right in front of you, you will be taken to a different exit from the place you entered. It’s an interesting place where the story of environmental friendliness and zero waste is captured not only in the space but also in the ingredients and cooking methods. A must-see for foodies looking for a unique dining experience.
[Eating tips]
â–²Location: 31-20, Hangang-daero 15-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
â–²Business hours: Wednesday to Saturday 18:00 – 22:00, closed on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, and public holidays
â–²Price: 200,000 won for dinner, 120,000 to 150,000 won for pairings
â–²Testimonial (Early Bird): A great place to visit on an anniversary. There was a standing eating course, so I was dumbfounded, but as I kept moving from seat to seat, I enjoyed something new and interesting. I’ve been to a lot of restaurants, but it’s the most memorable place.
3. A new world of Chinese food! Private Chinese home-cooked meal, Seocho ‘Shanghai Choi Seonsaeng’
Image source: mesiri27’s Instagram
Image source: mesiri27’s Instagram
Image source: mesiri27’s Instagram
A space that operates take-out Chinese home-style dishes and side dishes, and a private one-table restaurant. A light and healthy lunch is made by adding minimal seasoning to bring out the natural flavors of good ingredients. A place that is getting word of mouth from foodies. Meals enjoyed at One Table can only be used if recommended by existing visitors, and Chinese home-style side dishes can be purchased from time to time in addition to on-going menus such as jajang sauce, water dumplings, and health soup.
[Eating tips]
â–²Location: 108 Seocho Jungang-ro 22-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul
â–²Business hours: Takeout part 10:00 – 18:00 (advance phone inquiries required)
â–²Price: Varies by menu
4. Contemporary Mexican Restaurant, Seongsu “El Molinoâ€
Image source: rebecca0428’s Instagram
Image source: rebecca0428’s Instagram
Contemporary Mexican restaurant opened by a local Mexican fine dining chef. We’ve added a modern touch to authentic Mexican recipes so you can enjoy great dining. It consists of separate menus divided into seafood and meat, and the fact that tequila and cocktails are prepared without wine is like a Mexican restaurant. Tacos made from tortillas made by grinding corn every day are a signature dish you must try. We recommend the “Iberico Carnitas Taco,†which has a thick Iberian neck and is flavored with jalapenos, pickles, sesame leaves, and cilantro.
[Eating tips]
â–²Location: 19-18, Seoulsup 2-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul
â–²Business hours: Wednesday to Sunday 17:00 – 22:00, closed on Mondays and Tuesdays
â–²Price: Iberico canitas tacos 8,000 won, octopus & scallop aguacile 15,000 won, homemade churros 8,000 won
â–²Testimonial (shikigin hazelnut latte): It’s spicy, but it’s full of local Mexican flavors. The tacos ground with corn really had a strong corn flavor, so they were savory and fresh.
5. Tasting wine and dining at Thai Gastro Pub, ‘Tal’ in Apgujeong
Image source: chef_mean’s Instagram
Image source: chef_mean’s Instagram
A Thai gastropub serving cuisine in the Isan region of northeastern Thailand. You can enjoy Thai food and wine in a clean and luxurious interior with a nude tone. The cool and spicy flavor of Chum Yum Goong ramen, which is topped with plenty of garnishes such as mussels, shrimp, sausage, fried pork belly, and minced meat, is addictive. Pad thai with the funny name “Grandma’s fried noodles†is also worth recommending. When the weather is nice, it’s a good idea to sit on the terrace and enjoy the atmosphere.
[Eating tips]
â–²Location: 27 Seolleung-ro 155-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
â–²Business hours: Sunday to Thursday 11:30 – 24:00, Friday to Saturday 11:30 – 02:00, B · T 15:00 – 17:00
â–²Price: Taltal fruit soup 16,000 won, Taltal chum gob ramen 15,000 won, grandmother’s stir-fried noodles 14,000 won
â–²Testimonial (Queen of Eating and Drinking): The terrace is so beautiful. The wine was also kindly recommended, and it was really nice to have fried rice and pork ribs on the terrace and served it with the wine. The price is also very reasonable in Apgujeong, so I like it.
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