Hotel the Castle Jamsil Sports Complex

Tucked inside the restaurant Hinotsuki, the minimalist room features an eight-seat hinoki counter where a Japanese chef and a Korean team serve refined sushi. The sushi rice is made with Korean rice, cooked to mimic the texture of Japanese grains and seasoned with salt and two types of red vinegar for clean umami, while the seafood is largely seasonal and caught in Korea. On occasion, diners may taste the restaurant’s signature plump, deeply flavourful aji sushi. While the sushi selection is the same for lunch and dinner, the evening features more elaborate, intricately crafted dishes and a fu

Chef Kim Dae-chun’s cooking continues to diversify and deepen over time. The menu at this restaurant embodies the culinary direction he wishes to pursue, largely thanks to his modern Korean preparations. Under the theme of fermentation and aging, the essential attributes of Korean gastronomy, the chef prepares ingredients with care and expertise. The 7th Door symbolises a gastronomic entrance to “the seven tastes of food,” the first five being the five basic tastes; the sixth, the taste of fermentation and aging; and the seventh, the culinary sensibility of the chef.

Bathed in warm tones and accented with contemporary artworks and refined tableware, Mingles embodies an elegant minimalism, its windows framing calm green views. Chef Mingoo Kang seamlessly weaves Korean culinary philosophy into a modern tasting format, using seasonal ingredients to build layered, nuanced flavors rather than overt showiness. Signature elements such as the long-simmered “Mingling Pot,” rich with concentrated umami from dried seafood, vegetables, and fruit, and the “Jang Trio,” a French-inspired dessert reinterpreting doenjang, ganjang, and gochujang, highlight the chef’s innova

Located in a quiet residential neighbourhood, Exquisine is Chef Kyung-won Jang’s creative space for exploring the characters and potentials of Korean ingredients. Using herbs grown in-house and fresh, regionally sourced produce, the restaurant offers reasonably priced menus—one for lunch and one for dinner—each changing frequently according to ingredient and kitchen conditions. With soft lighting and minimalist decor, the compact dining room in black and grey tones creates a warm, intimate atmosphere ideal for dates and quiet meals.

At Mitou, the prowess and ingenuity of chef duo Young-woon Kwon and Bo-mi Kim are showcased through authentic Japanese cuisine prepared with fresh, seasonal ingredients. Chicken, eggs, rice, and vegetables are carefully sourced from Chef Kwon’s family farm, ensuring consistent quality. A culmination of such painstaking effort, the dishes reflect the chefs’ shared values of sincerity, restraint, and dedication, shaped by their ongoing pursuit of culinary craft. It thus comes as no surprise that diners eagerly look forward to Mitou’s evolving menu every season.

Gomtang Lab, newly reopened on the 10th floor of Hyundai Department Store, is Chef Jeong-sik Lim’s secret base for exploring gomtang and other broth-based dishes. The signature collagen gomtang is simmered for over 10 hours with beef bones, tendons, shank, and tail, resulting in a rich, gelatinous depth of flavour. The menu is broad, ranging from tripe gomtang and clam gomtang to Pyongyang-style cold noodles and beef ramen. Ordering the set brings an array of sides, such as tofu with pollack roe, kimchi pancakes, and dumplings. The slow-cooked beef pairs well with traditional Korean liquors.

At Restaurant Allen, Chef Hyun-min Suh’s sensibility shines through in contemporary dishes accented with light French touches. The elegant yet comfortable dining room, paired with carefully chosen tableware and views into the orderly kitchen, enhances the experience. The cuisine is delicately constructed around seasonal local ingredients and reinterpreted throughout the year. A sourcing map in the menu highlights the origins and seasonality of the products used. The makgeolli-yeast sourdough, with its crisp crust and balanced acidity, is a standout. Warm, polished service brings the meal to a