The Original Pancake House in Seoul

A new brunch-friendly place is coming to town this Monday. The Original Pancake House ― a more than five-decade-old American family chain that started out in Portland, Oregon ― is opening in Seoul. Known for its pancakes, crepes and other breakfast-centric items, The Original Pancake House boasts around 120 outlets nationwide, according to corporate chef Jon Liss. This will be the business’ first overseas store, Liss revealed. The new Seoul store’s owner, Jun Hyun-joon, said he was drawn to The

May 16, 2013

Deep-fried pork rolls (dwaeji gogi mari twiguim)

In this deep-fried dish, thin pork slices are rolled up with perilla leaves (kkaennip) and julienned chili peppers. They are then battered and deep fried until golden brown. The strong taste of the perilla leaves nicely balanced with the sweetness of the chili peppers, gives a robust flavor to the mildly flavored pork. Deep fried in light batter, the result is a crispy outside layer and a burst of flavor inside. These little delights are great for parties as they can be prepared ahead of time an

May 16, 2013

Around the hotels

Special summer treats at Lotte Hotel Seoul Lotte Hotel Seoul’s The Lounge presents bingsu on May 1 to sweep away the heat. Bingsu is a popular shaved ice dessert topped with various ingredients, such as boiled red beans or fruit. The hotel offers apple mango bingsu and chestnut red bean bingsu. Apple mango bingsu has the scent of apple and a juicy taste with soft ice shavings sweetened by condensed milk with fresh apple mangos. Chestnut red bean bingsu is a traditional red bean bingsu with its f

May 10, 2013

Sake maker’s dinner at Sheraton Grande Walkerhill

Kiyomizu, the hotel’s Japanese restaurant, organizes a special dinner event by inviting a top sake maker from Japan. For this dinner, six recommended top-end sakes will be paired with the eight-course dinner. For a bit of a cultural touch, Kagami biraki, a traditional Japanese performance, will also be presented during the dinner. The dinner will start at 7 p.m. on May 24. It is priced at 150,000 won per person including tax. For more information, call (02) 450-4599. Meanwhile, the hotel’s Europ

May 10, 2013

Dubu jorim (braised tofu)

Dubu jorim is a popular side dish, especially for home-packed school lunches. The tofu is panfried and then braised in a soy sauce-based sauce, transforming the tofu into a flavorful side dish. The gochugaru adds a bit of a spicy kick. Add more if you like more heat. It’s delicious, warm or cold. You’ll find that the tofu tastes even better the next day. Ingredients:● 1 pack firm tofu (about 500 grams)● 1 tablespoon vegetable/canola oilFor the sauce:● 3 tablespoons soy sauce● 3 tablespoons water

May 10, 2013

Health-conscious bread on the rise

South Korea’s “well-being” trend appears to be seeping into every niche of the nation’s food and beverage industry, including the bread and pastry market. Bakeries nationwide are putting out more health-conscious options like rye and whole grain breads.This year, major bakery chain Paris Baguette released 30 varieties of “healthy bread” and put out a much-publicized product ― its sugar-free toast ― last month. CJ Foodville’s Tous Les Jours ― which has over 1,000 outlets ― announced a new “health

May 10, 2013

Around the Hotels

Acacia wine dinner with Penfolds at Grand Hilton SeoulThe hotel’s outdoor Lotus Hill Garden presents the Australian premium Penfold’s Bin series. It includes Thomas Hyland Chardonnay, Penfold’s Bin 128 Shiraz, Penfold’s Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz and Saint-Henri Shiraz. The course menu includes marbled goose liver, red snapper, caviar, milk-fed veal steak, smoked lobster ravioli and black truffle. For desserts, a selection of cheeses, yuzu mousse, bitter chocolate, cinnamon espuma, raspberry rhubar

May 3, 2013

Gogi wanja jorim (glazed meatballs)

In this recipe, meatballs are braised in a soy sauce-based sweet and savory sauce (jorim jang) commonly used in Korean cooking. For the meatballs, I like to use a mixture of beef and pork. You can use all beef or all pork depending on your preferences. Mushrooms, onions and scallions add a lot to the flavor and texture of the meatballs without being overpowering. Make sure to take the time to finely chop the ingredients for a smoother texture. Then your children will never know there are mushroo

May 3, 2013

Slice of the moment, Neopolitan pizza

The pizza of the moment seems to be the Naples version. Once a rarity in the ‘90s, the Italian specialty can now be easily found throughout the city. “When we opened in 2009, Neopolitan pizza was only popular among a small clutch of diners,” said The Kitchen Salvatore Cuomo manager Yu Byeong-gyu. “Recently, it has become all the rage.” Yu attributes this in part to increasingly food-savvy, well-traveled diners who have tasted the world’s first pizza from its place of origin ― Naples, Italy ― ret

May 3, 2013

Denmark’s Noma loses world restaurant crown after outbreak

LONDON (AFP) ― Spain’s El Celler de Can Roca seized the title of the world’s best restaurant from Denmark’s Noma on Monday, one month after dozens of people came down with a bout of food poisoning from the Copenhagen eatery.The restaurant in Girona, run by three brothers and known for its dishes based on perfumes, had spent two years as runner-up on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list compiled for a 12th year by more than 900 international experts for Britain’s Restaurant magazine.It swapped pl

May 1, 2013

Korean fried chicken wins tastiest fast food award

Korean fried chicken won an award at the Chowzter World’s Seven Tastiest Fast Feasts Awards on Sunday.“They cook pepper and chicken together in the oil, where the sweetness of pepper softly infuses into the chicken meat. Close to food heaven, if you ask us,” a narrator said in a video clip played at the ceremony for the awards.The awards, sponsored by Coca-Cola Company, was organized in London to nominate the world’s best food items in seven categories -- pizza, chicken, sausage, burger, curry,

April 30, 2013

More men don the apron

When Han Jin-se enrolled in Le Cordon Bleu-Sookmyung last year, he had no cooking experience. Now, Han has mastered three levels and is completing the academy’s final program this June. An expert in the kitchen now, Han tosses out culinary lingo with ease, explaining how learning to cook not only helped prepare him to open his own restaurant, but also fostered family time with his son. “I bring home the food that I cook in class and my son brings a bottle of wine,” said Han, 61, an insurance bro

April 26, 2013

‘Meokbang’ dissected

The recent popularity of the slang term “meokbang” may signal a new era of eating on television. “Meok,” which is a shortened version of the verb “meokda” ― meaning “to eat” ― and “bang” ― short for “bangsong,” which translates to “on air” ― forms the self-explanatory catchall phrase for dining on-screen. “Meokbang” can be used to describe anything from the way a movie star eats in a film to how a food program MC dines. The basic idea is that these celebrities are so talented at chowing down tha

April 26, 2013

Catalan cuisine at Sheraton Grande Walkerhill

The hotel’s European restaurant CLOCK16 invites Michelin star chef Ismael Alonso from Barcelona, Spain. For this gala dinner event, he will present The New Tradition Catalan cuisine. Lee Hye-jung will also perform Arte Flamenco, a Spanish gypsy dance. Chef Alonso’s exceptional menus will be available at CLOCK16 for the next two months from May 4 to June 30. Gala dinners will be held on May 4 and May 10. The dinner is available for 150,000 won including tax. Reservations are highly recommended du

April 26, 2013

New menus at Oakwood Premier Coex Center Seoul

The residents’ lounge will introduce new menus in May. It presents daegujiri (dried yellow cod fish and abalone soup), ujoktang (beef bone marinated soup) and galbijjim (short rib stew). Western dishes include grilled crispy young chicken and saltimbocca alla romana (salmon wrapped in rice paper). As for Italian cuisine, it offers penne prosciutto e rucola, linguine alla vongole vianco, sundried tomato pizza with fresh mozzarella cheese, and make-your-own pizza. Seasonal fresh fruits, ice cream

April 26, 2013

Kongnamul guk (soybean sprout soup)

Kongnamul (soybean sprouts) is a staple Korean vegetable that is used in many Korean dishes. It’s cheap and available all year around. Kongnamul guk is one of the most frequently eaten soups in Korean homes. It can be made with any type of broth such as beef broth, anchovy broth or simply water. Often some gochugaru (red chili pepper flakes) is added for a spicy kick. This light and refreshing soup, with its subtle nutty flavor, goes well with any Korean meal. 2 or 3 servingsIngredients:● 250 gr

April 26, 2013

Dining in the dark

Plush red dcor. Mood music. Low lighting. It’s the perfect setting for a romantic dinner for two. Until you have to walk down a hallway in pitch black darkness, holding on tightly to the shoulders of the person in front of you, making you feel as though you’ve entered a horror movie.After a slightly nerve-wracking walk of trust in the dark, a server helps you sit in a dining room where you can’t see the food in front of you, much less the person sitting across the table from you. However, music

April 26, 2013