New Korean restaurant “Kwon Sook Soo†located in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu
Chef Kwon Woo-joong's New Korean restaurant after going through 'East Village' and CJ.
Along with the chef craze, there was a boom in fine dining restaurants in Korea, and many restaurants have sprung up.
Personally, I was more interested in places based on Korean food than French or Italian restaurants.
“Kwon Sook Soo,†which I visited on this day, was one of the restaurants I've always been interested in, but I finally decided to go there on this day.
Go to “Kwon Sook Soo†store information ▶
'Kwon Sook Soo, 'located on Apgujeong Rodeo Street
The name of the restaurant “Kwon Sook Soo†combines the performance of Chef Kwon Woo-joong with the old word “suksu†which means professional chef.
The interior structure of the restaurant was a bit unique, but the number of seats didn't seem very large compared to the overall size.
There is also a small hall near the entrance to the restaurant, and private rooms are also available, but on this day, we ate at the counter table in front of the kitchen.
Private rooms are available, so it's a great place for a quiet meeting.
As you can see in the picture, there are small statues for each person on the large table, and all dishes are placed on individual tops.
A clean, personalized table.
I hadn't looked it up beforehand, but the day I visited was the day I was able to enjoy the “Kwon Sook Soo†1st anniversary gala menu.
At lunch, four types of alcohol were paired with the traditional dinner course menu (100,000 won).
Seeing that the price was set at 100,000 won, it's safe to think that the pairing was actually provided free of charge.
“Juansang with our sake and 6 kinds of snacksâ€
The beginning of the lunch course was a much more satisfying configuration than expected, as expected.
Fish roe that the chef made himself, gochujang sashimi topped with endives, kimbugak topped with sea urchin , etc.
Korean beef ribs with sous vide octopus, potato chips, and even savory soybeans.
Looking back, it wasn't 6 kinds of snacks, it was a side dish composed of 7 types of snacks.
They are dishes that can be eaten in light bites, and the flavors are also things where you can feel the characteristics of the ingredients
I think it was a great appetizer at the beginning of the course.
(I was most satisfied with the Korean beef, red bean paste, and jerky marinated in Jukrikko )
Sea bream sashimi with pine needles and dandelion noodles mixed with perilla oilâ€
Among the dishes of “Kwon Sook Soo†that I looked for before visiting the restaurant, the dish I was most curious about was the dandelion noodles.
A wonderful dish with a wonderful combination of the savory aroma of perilla oil, capellini pasta, and bittersweet dandelions and sesame herbs.
(The light sea bream sashimi is covered by the aroma of perilla oil and herbs, so I can hardly feel its flavor, but… (The crunchy texture alone seems to have enough value)
Wine paired with dandelion noodles, '2014 Domaine des Granges de Mirabel, Viognier'
Personally, I think the pairing of dandelion noodles with this white wine is a bit ambiguous.
The aroma and texture of wine are quite similar to dandelion noodles, so at first glance, it seems like a pretty good combination.
The bitterness of dandelions and sesame herbs is also one of the characteristics that can be felt well in this wine
The bitterness stays in the mouth for quite a while even after eating food… The part that was a bit disappointing.
“Grilled conger eel and salted sea breamâ€
A dish topped with salted sea bass, seaweed, and salmon roe dipped directly into grilled conger eel.
From the flavor of conger eel to the unique flavor of salmon roe that pops in the middle, and the subtle flavor of salted yellowtail.
The flavor itself was quite satisfying, but if there was one disappointing part, it was that the texture of the conger eel was a bit tough.
I was wondering if I undercooked it a little bit, the dish would be much tastier than it is now.
The traditional sake “Beopgo Changshin Jaju ,†which will be paired with the next steamed bluefin crab dish
“Fresh Seomjin River Crab Steamed Crabâ€
A steamed egg custard dish made from Seomjin River crab, also known as the signature dish of “Kwon Sook Soo.â€
It's a dish that feels like a Japanese “chawangmushiâ€, but rather than a dish with a strong aroma unique to Japanese crab
Personally, I was more satisfied because it was a light and subtle dish with a slight scent of crab.
At this time, the sweetfish kamameshi ordered as the main menu appeared.
This is how sweetfish kamameshi is prepared on one side of the table.
When you eat the dishes that appear next, kamameshi is perfectly prepared at an amazing timing.
“Grilled Gugam Chicken with Miso Sauce and Pickled Zephyr Leavesâ€
This dish, which boasts a nice plating, was also delicious.
On top of the mung bean porridge, I put Jeju guam chicken baked with the chef's homemade miso, coriander, and various vegetables.
Above all, because the chicken grilled with miso sauce was so tasty… hehe
Although it is a small amount, you can enjoy it even more if you add pickled jellyfish leaves, which have a strong unique flavor, to the chicken .
However, there was something a bit disappointing about this dish…
The chicken felt a bit overcooked, and I wonder what it would have been like if the ingredients were slightly undercooked because the ingredients were good.
If I had cooked it like the grilled chicken I ate in Taian, Osaka… Maybe it was the best menu of the day.
Before the main dish was served, a detox sherbet for the palate appeared.
Wine to pair with the main dish '2014 M. Chapoutier, Tavel Rose'
The main dish of the day was sweetfish kamameshi, which was well prepared on one side of the table, and seasonal banzang.
The sweet scent of sweetfish that spreads when you open the lid of kamameshi reminds me once again of the importance of seasonal ingredients.
The main dish of the day was seasonal banzang with well-prepared kamameshi and various side dishes.
The sweetfish kamameshi I tasted on this day was by far the highest level of rice I've eaten in Korea in recent years.
In my opinion, the best menu of the day.
The kamameshi was great, of course, but the side dishes that came with it were all full of flavor and sincerity.
For each side dish of the staff, where did each ingredient come from
It was also a good part that you told me how it was made.
They even explained in a sensible way that it was summer served with eggplant and cucumber cold soup.
I was satisfied with the cold soup and side dishes, but I still keep thinking about the taste of this sweet-boiled rice.
“Beopgo Changshin Cheonggang Sakeâ€, a traditional sake to be served with dessert
'Kwon Sook Soo Watermelon Bar'
Mint melon sorbet, lemongrass ganache, summer fruit and chia seed watermelon juice
My personal favorite ice cream is watermelon
As soon as I saw the name Watermelon Bar on the dessert menu, I chose it without hesitation.
Definitely different from commercial ice cream (?) If you look at a watermelon with a different healthy flavor, I think it would be a perfect fit
Along with “sesame leaves and vanilla†from “Swaniye,†I think it was the most delicious dessert I've eaten this year
Finish the meal with cold Hadong wild green tea and a light refreshment.
It was a restaurant I definitely wanted to go to, but I was lucky enough to visit “Kwon Sook Soo†during the 1st anniversary gala event
In fact, in the past, I wasn't really excited about Chef Kwon Woo-joong's journey through a large company called CJ.
I experienced the new style and taste of Korean food that I tasted at “Kwon Sook Soo†on this day
My impression of the chef seems to have changed to a very positive one.
I think it's another best practice where new modern Korean food should be promoted along with “Jeongsiang Restaurant †and “Ra-yeon.â€
If you maintain the current direction and style and improve the degree of perfection of the dish a little
I wonder if it will become a more recognized restaurant than it is now.
