美憬阁首尔 Naru 大使酒店

Base is Nice gives vegetables center stage. The meal follows the basic structure of Korean cuisine made with ordinary local produce, and the comforting, wholesome flavors attract loyal diners. The restaurant embodies the “art of slow living”: from the leisurely wait for each dish, the owner’s calm demeanor, down to the minimalist decoration and atmospheric music playing in the background. Be sure to make a reservation as this restaurant is run alone.

Juxtaposed with Seoul’s contemporary skyline, a traditional hanok is home to Chef Kyung-jae Park’s Sosuheon. The serene setting offers an elegant retreat from the city. From the eight-seat counter, diners can watch the confident chef at work as he prepares nigiri with quiet concentration. Prior to the nigiri course, a range of well-executed dishes is served, from cod roe with hairy crab to steamed tilefish and grilled hairtail. Highlights include gizzard shad and creamy cuttlefish, and a bowl of matcha brings the memorable evening to a close.

Hwanggeum Kongbat focuses on nourishing, comforting Korean cuisine, using domestically grown soybeans to craft their house-made tofu. Seasoning is kept light to highlight the natural flavors of each ingredient, resulting in dishes that are gentle yet flavorful. Standouts include jjabak dubu, dubu jorim, dubu jeongol, dubu jeon, and dubu duruchigi, all beautifully paired with house-brewed takju made from just rice, nuruk, and water. While tofu is the star, the menu also features pork bossam, yuk jeon, and various seafood options, offering a well-rounded, soulful dining experience.

It is always a delight to find a restaurant with consistent quality. Jungin Myeonok is one such place; it has quietly maintained the flavors of its dishes across generations in rapidly changing times. Jungin Myeonok exclusively uses three-year-old natural sea salt and Korean beef to maintain the flavor of the broth for their signature Pyongyang naengmyeon. The subtly flavored noodles made only from buckwheat are another key feature of this restaurant. The hanu foreshank suyuk and mandu pair perfectly with the cold noodles. Expect a long wait during lunch hours as it is located in Yeouido.

The gomtang at Neungdong Minari is topped with a pile of minari so tall that at a glance, it doesn’t look like a tang at all. The clear, clean broth is made from fresh hanwoo beef that was slaughtered on the day, which is topped with piquant minari that was grown in clear freshwater for added freshness. You should expect a wait, but you will think it is well worth it once you take your first bite.

At Lee Buk Bang, North Korean cuisine is reinterpreted with a modern touch, offering a distinctive dining experience. The signatures are blood sausage dishes prepared according to the chef’s family recipes. His creativity is evident across the menu, from traditional preparations to dishes that incorporate inventive new ingredients. He also aims to create food that feels both familiar and refined, blending family heritage with his own culinary experience. Worktops made from reclaimed crossbeams and doors from century-old hanoks add to the restaurant’s nostalgic atmosphere.

Located in a quaint part of Seoul, this operation is Chef Dae-hyun Yoon’s bold experiment in stylish fine dining. Here, the diverse culinary traditions and ingredients one may encounter in modern-day Korea converge with the familiar tastes found in everyday life to form unique fusion creations. Among the many connotations of the establishment’s name is the chef’s desire to serve food with soul, and this is palpable in every dish. Along with his wife, Chef Hee-eun Kim, this husband-and-wife duo have partitioned their establishment into several distinct sections, creating suitable dining spaces