[Epicurean Challenge] Raw anchovies softly tickle the throat

Anchovies come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from 1 to 15 centimeters. In Korea, they are cooked in different ways according to their size.Some end up as myeolchihoe, or sliced anchovy served raw after the scales, internal organs and heads are removed.  Myeolchihoe (By Im Eun-byel / The Korea Herald)It is a dish usually consumed in the southern part of Korea. Fish that die soon after coming out of the water, including anchovies, are described as “short tempered” in Korean. As a sashimi dish h

June 14, 2018

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Cozy night with children at Conrad Seoul Welcoming family guests with children, Conrad Seoul presents a new children-friendly package. The kid-oriented package includes a night stay and a breakfast at the hotel’s buffet dining restaurant Zest. A Conrad Junior kit, comprising of a playbook and a coloring pencil set, is offered. Also a kids’ tent provides children guests a unique indoor space in the hotel rooms. Guests are also allowed free admission to the indoor swimming pool. The package is ava

June 8, 2018

Flavorful French with an artistic bent

Hulotte -- a fine dining French restaurant into its second year of business -- settled into its new perch in Cheongdam-dong a little over a month ago. The interior is new, the location is new but, owner-chef Lee Seung-jun says, the food is not. The food is the driving force behind Hulotte, and it seems the driving force behind the food is husband-and-wife team Lee and Na Yun-jeong.  Hulotte's strip loin pairs juicy cuts of beef coated in a caramelized glaze of cumin, honey and balsamic vinegar w

June 8, 2018

[Epicurean Challenge] Satisfying sweet tooth with red beans, patbingsu

In the sweltering heat of summer, patbingsu, or shaved iced with red beans, is a popular treat.The most classic type of bingsu, which refers to desserts made of shaved ice and condensed milk completed with various toppings, patbingsu looks like a white mountain with burgundy lava. Patbingsu’s overall taste is sweet, as the red beans have been simmered with sugar for hours and milk is used to make the shaved milk. The pleasure comes from the unexpected clash of textures. While the red beans are m

June 7, 2018

[Video] Five iced drinks to quench summer thirst

Summer has suddenly arrived in Korea after an untimely wet and humid May. Temperatures soared up to 31 degrees Celsius Friday, prompting many Koreans to either head outdoors to enjoy the sun or indoors to avoid the heat.Korea is becoming increasingly known for its myriad of themed cafes and equally diverse drinks served in cafes. The following are five iced drinks recommended by Cafe Huamdong, located in Seoul‘s Yongsan-gu. Ice cream cafe latte (Lim Jeong-yeo/The Korea Herald) Ice in a cup (Rumy

June 5, 2018

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Taste of Singapore at Millennium Seoul HiltonMillennium Seoul Hilton’s all-day-dining buffet restaurant Cafe 395, will introduce Singaporean cuisine from June 12-19. The restaurant has invited two guest chefs from Singapore, including Chef Bryce Li from M Social Hotel. He and his assistant chef will introduce a “kopitiam” style Singapore food to the buffet, presenting foods of various cultures and styles. The hotel hopes the promotion will serve as a chance to show why Singapore is known as the

June 1, 2018

[Home Cooking] Jeonbokjuk (abalone porridge)

Porridge made with abalone (jeonbokjuk) is one of the most iconic dishes of Jeju island. It’s deliciously briny, with a distinct greenish hue and chunky abalone pieces.The Jeju-style jeonbokjuk is made simply with rice and abalone. It captures all the flavor the abalone has to give by also using the internal organs (viscera), hence the greenish hue. The dark green sac of guts may not look all that appetizing, but it really enriches the porridge. The color of the porridge depends on the number an

June 1, 2018

[Epicurean Challenge] Figuring out cow’s anatomy, yangdaechang

Cows are very giving creatures, producing milk, butter, cheese, beef and more. But in Korea, they are extra-giving, as the cartilage from the bones and knees are also eaten. Adding more to the list, even cows’ internal organs are served as great delicacies, for example, yangdaechang. Yangdaechang is a mix of yang and daechang, tripe and large intestine, respectively. Though the two are separate parts, they are often enjoyed together as they make a great pair. The excessive fat of daechang gives

May 31, 2018

Slice serves up banh mi pizza

　The banh mi pizza at Slice -- a fresh, aromatic pie with a fiery kick -- was not on the menu when this eight-seater, New York-style pizza shop opened in Cheongdam-dong a little over two years ago. 　After about a year in business, owner Alex Ham first put it on the menu as a special and it stuck, becoming a new addition to Slice’s repertoire of pies, which currently total six. 　“I’m a huge fan of the banh mi sandwich,” said Ham, 46, adding this was “probably the main reason” behind his decision

May 26, 2018

Around the Hotels

Ocean view buffet at Hotel Tops 10Hotel Tops 10’s all day dining buffet restaurant Poseidon offers a gourmet experience with quality at a reasonable price. High-end dishes, such as smoked salmon, cream escargot, grilled lamb and barbequed pork rib are prepared, along with children-friendly menus, including pizza and pasta. The buffet runs from 12 to 3 p.m. for lunch and from 6 to 10 p.m. for dinner. Poseidon, with its wide windows overlooking the sea, boasts a scenic view of the ocean. The hotel

May 25, 2018

[Video] ‘Creamart’ takes latte art to a whole new level

A boy who fell in love with coffee first encountered a job called “barista” when he was 18. His hometown Sangju, a remote city located in North Gyeongsang Province, had no proper cafe at the time. By roasting coffee beans on frying pan in a kitchen and making a coffee machine on his own, he took it step-by-step to become the coffee expert. The boy, South Korean barista Lee Kang-bin, is now on a roll in the nation’s coffee scene. Lee now runs his cafe located in downtown Seoul, where he has been

May 25, 2018

[Epicurean challenge] Spring greens bring nature to table

Namul, which means seasoned vegetables, is an essential part of every Korean meal. Koreans even have an old saying, “The same namul and the same rice,” which means it’s the same thing over and over again. All kinds of “grass” are eaten in Korea, especially in the spring season, when new tender shoots emerge. Nature is brought straight to the kitchen table in various shades of green.(Shot and produced by Lim Jeong-yeo/The Korea Herald)Wild vegetables without names are enjoyed too, as long as they

May 24, 2018

Around the Hotels

Flavor of ice at Conrad Seoul Conrad Seoul’s 37 Grill and Bar offers two choices of bingsu, the ultimate Korean summer dessert made with shaved ice and milk. Diners are offered a choice between mango and red bean for the topping. The milk is brewed with Althaus’ Earl Grey tea. A special plating decoration is added with the use of dry-ice to create a cloud-like mirage. The ice-cold decoration also prevents bingsu from melting. The bingsu menus are offered until Sep. 16 at the price of 38,000 won

May 18, 2018

[Home Cooking] Slow cooker pork belly (samgyeopsal)

This recipe is a slow cooker version of the boiled pork dish called bossam. Slow cooking belly renders more fat than boiling if you are concerned about the fat content of pork belly.You can also use Boston butt (moksal in Korean) or picnic shoulder (apdarisal in Korean), which also works nicely. If you’re using a big roast cut, simply cut it into 5 to 7-centimeter thick strips so the seasoning can better penetrate the meat.For the seasoning, I used a tablespoon of doenjang (Korean fermented soyb

May 18, 2018

[Video] Feeling every bit of pollack roe, altang

Altang’s name describes pretty much everything about the dish. Al refers to egg, tang means soup. It’s a soup of fish roe, and a lot of them. The soup is filled with white small sausage-looking creatures, which are roes of pollack. Pollack roe is the main ingredient of the dish. While roes are usually sliced up when used for pasta dishes, for altang, they are served whole. The texture of cooked roe may take you by surprise. The egg mass is firm yet soft. When chewed, the roe easily breaks up, fi

May 17, 2018

Around the Hotels

City barbeque at Grand Hyatt SeoulPoolside Barbeque, an outdoor buffet restaurant at Grand Hyatt Seoul Hotel, recently reopened. The restaurant will present a unique gourmet experience, only on summer nights. On the side of the emerald-colored outdoor pool, buffet stations are prepared, filled with varieties of fresh salad, grilled dishes and desserts. Grilled dishes -- from meat, vegetable to seafood -- are immediately cooked upon order over charcoal. An unlimited beverage package, including be

May 11, 2018

[Epicurean challenge] Blood soup for non-vampires, seonjitguk

Seonjitguk, literally translated, means soup made with cow blood. But no worries, the soup is not as intimidating as its name. At first glance, seonjitguk is far from bloody red and looks rather mild. The visual is as ordinary as any other Korean soup, as the broth is made by simmering ox bones with shreds of Napa cabbage. The soup’s name originates from chunks of congealed blood called seonji.  Seonjitguk (By Im Eun-byel / The Korea Herald)Making seonji is simpler than it seems. Scoop cow’s blo

May 10, 2018

Shopping for lifestyle at Olive Con

It is hard to keep up with fast-changing lifestyle trends just by reading books, magazines and posts on social media. Therefore, local entertainment media company CJ E&M hopes to serve as a lifestyle curator for locals by hosting the 2018 Olive Con, a lifestyle shopping convention.  Visitors look around a convention hall filled with lifestyle booths. (CJ E&M)The convention started Wednesday and will end Sunday at the Coex Convention &Exhibition Center in southern Seoul. It features cooking class

May 4, 2018

Modern Italian eats at Titolo

The sea urchin pasta at Titolo, a new Italian spot in Seoul’s Cheongdam-dong, looks like a straightforward iteration of the popular dish, like its banking on the huge dollop of sea urchin garnishing it to singlehandedly wow with a massive wash of briny umami. Then the friendly wait staff gently blends the sea urchin into the creamy strands of pasta and everyone digs in. There is a lot going on in this dish, with sea urchin acting as just one of many components to deliver an unctuous, creamy slic

May 4, 2018

Around the Hotels

French-styled boutique hotel to open Shinsegae Chosun Hotel will be launching a new boutique hotel named L’Escape in central Seoul, with a stylish French concept.French architect Jacques Garcia designed the hotel, inspired by the 19th century aristocracy in Paris. The interior of the hotel aims to re-create the atmosphere of the city. As its name suggests, the hotel hopes to serve as a place where people can “escape.” The 25-story building will hold 204 rooms, along with a modern Chinese restaur

May 4, 2018