69th Gourmet Circle at Millennium Seoul Hilton

The hotel’s acclaimed French restaurant, Seasons, will host the 69th Gourmet Circle Dinner on Dec. 14 and 15. Gourmet Circle Dinner, offered only four times a year, is a tradition that started in 1996. With each new season, award-winning Executive Chef Park Hyo-nam, creates a one-of-a-kind menu, paired with a selection of fine wines. This special dinner, including wine, starts at 178,000 won per person. Because the Gourmet Circle Dinner events are popular, it is strongly advised that parties mak

Nov. 30, 2012

Sarashina Soba Special at Westin Chosun

The hotel presents the true taste of soba at the “Homuran” Japanese restaurant by inviting Yoshinori Horii, the head chef of Japan’s famous “Sarashina Horii” soba restaurant, with more than 220 years of history and tradition. Various types of sobas including Yuzu soba, Kakitama soba with crabmeat, seafood soba with scallops and more will be introduced for the first time in Korea from Dec. 4 to Dec. 7. The lunch and dinner set menus are priced at 40,000 won and 80,000 won, respectively (excluding

Nov. 30, 2012

Christmas cooking for kids at Hyatt Regency Incheon

In celebration of the holiday season, the hotel has launched a “Christmas Kid’s Cooking Class” to celebrate Christmas. The children who participate in this event will have the opportunity to make gingerbread houses and Christmas cupcakes with French pastry chef Pascal Cialdella. The classes will take place on Dec. 15, 22, 23 and 25 at the hotel’s “Terrace Room.” Children aged 6-12 are welcome to join the class with an entry fee of 70,000 won. Members of Club at The Hyatt will receive a 10,000 wo

Nov. 30, 2012

Tailored Package at Marriott Executive Apartments

This package provides three different themed benefits. The options include: a ready-to-bake cookie set for families; SOO Spa’s hydro bath treatment (20 minutes) vouchers for guests who are friends; or wine for couples. The hotel also offers breakfast for two people or room upgrades upon availability. The “Tailored package” offer is available until Feb. 28, 2013. The price for the package is 255,000 won (excluding tax and service charges). Reservations are available at www.measeoul.com or call 02

Nov. 30, 2012

‘Best of Cheehong 2012’ at Ritz-Carlton

Cheehong at The Ritz-Carlton will be hosting a special end of the year tasting event featuring some of the hotel’s most popular dishes of 2012. The event will be held from Dec. 3-31 with set menus that offer a variety of Cheehong’s unique specialty dishes, including abalone with fish sauce and garlic, steamed sea cucumber, and succulent seasonal winter steamed hairy crab. The lunch set menu is priced at 78,000 won and the dinner course menu at 108,000 won (not including tax and service charges).

Nov. 30, 2012

Comfort food, with a dash of innovation

Serving everything from churros to salt coffee and hot rum eggnog, newly minted cafe One Chu could induce some serious head-scratching from first-timers. One sample of the deceptively all-over-the-place menu reveals a common thread well worth the venture. One Chu, the culinary offspring of owners Lee Joezinho and Yoon Young, specializes in Spanish and American comfort food and drinks, both at their traditional and innovative, gut-warming best. Fried-to-order churros emerge hot and crisp, tucked

Nov. 30, 2012

Bibim-naengmyeon, (Mixed cold buckwheat noodles)

Bibim-naengmyeon is a dish of cold buckwheat noodles mixed with a spicy, thick red pepper sauce. It may also be garnished with raw fish. It is also called “hamheung-naengmyeon” because it was a regional food of the Hamheung district in Hamkyeong Province, now North Korea. Ingredients● 600 g buckwheat noodles (dried), 15 cups water ● 100 g minced beef Seasoning sauce 1: ● 1/2 tbsp soy sauce, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp minced green onion ● 1/4 tsp minced garlic, 1/8 tsp ground black pepper● 1/2 tsp se

Nov. 30, 2012

Charcuterie meat products for holiday feasts

When Belgian charcutier Benito Plasschaert visited Korea 20 years ago to train staff at a major hotel in Seoul, perhaps no one had ever heard of charcuterie or tasted meat products other than ham. But when he returned last year and again this year for the promotion of prepared meat products at Grand Hyatt Seoul, he was surprised to see people waiting for him and his products ranging from sausages and hams to more unfamiliar products such as pates, terrines, rilletes and meatloaf. Plasschaert pre

Nov. 28, 2012

French cuisine at Grand Ambassador Seoul

The hotel presents its “Signature Festive Promotion” with fine French delicacies available until the end of December. The hotel’s live buffet restaurant The Kings and restaurant Caf de Chef introduce 50 newly added items as well as Christmas desserts such as Christmas cake with cranberries and brandy custard, buche de noel, carrot cake and Christmas dried fruit pound cake. Also, “Special Eve Celebration Wine Dinner” at “Caf de Chef” features soft caviar aspic topped with cauliflower cream, fresh

Nov. 23, 2012

Winter package at Grand Hilton Seoul

The hotel offers a choice of special winter packages from the months of December to February for those looking for a restful and relaxing winter escape. Package I offers a one-night stay in a deluxe room, a coupon to enjoy coffee for two available at the Atrium Caf and a copy of lifestyle magazine Maison. Package II features an overnight stay at a superior room and the benefits of Package I. Both packages also include complimentary use of the swimming pool and gym. Package III offers a one-night

Nov. 23, 2012

Ice rink at Grand Hyatt Seoul

The hotel’s ice rink will re-open for the winter starting Dec. 1. The rink offers skating lessons, daily events, children’s birthday party packages, proposal events for lovers, and more. The proposal event takes place after the rink’s normal operation hours, allowing one special couple to participate in a cinematic proposal experience at the center of the ice. In addition, children born in the winter months can enjoy a memorable birthday complete with colorful party decorations, a special menu a

Nov. 23, 2012

Winter therapy packages at Lotte Hotel Seoul

The hotel presents three winter packages for a warm and blissful relaxation away from the cold available from Nov. 23-Feb. 28. The “Winter Therapy I Package” covers a one night’s stay in a superior room, aroma tea set for two at the hotel’s European style library tea house, Salon de Th and two Lotte Cinema movie tickets. Guests can add 30,000 won for an upgrade to “Winter Therapy II Package” with a deluxe room. “Winter Love Therapy Package” includes one night at club deluxe room commanding a spe

Nov. 23, 2012

Ogokbap (Five-grain rice)

Ogokbap is made up of glutinous rice, glutinous African millet, sweet red beans and black beans. From olden days, Koreans have regarded the day of the first full moon of the year as important. People cooked five-grain rice on that day and shared it with neighbors in the hope of peace and a good harvest. Ingredients● 2 cups glutinous rice ● 1/2 cup black beans● 1/2 cup glutinous African millet ● 1/2 cup sweet red beans, 1 1/2 cups scalding water, 2 1/2 cups boiling water● 1/2 cup glutinous millet

Nov. 23, 2012

Korean fare from home

Food stylist and researcher Roh Young-hee pulls off her trademark combination of good Korean cuisine and artistic plating yet again at her newest restaurant, Roh02’s Kitchen. Roh first earned her cred as a restaurateur with the modern Korean establishment Poom Seoul several years ago. When Poom opened in 2008, it created a stir among food critics and chefs with its then-novel interpretation of Korean cuisine as a multi-course affair. Now, nearly four years later, Roh revisits themes initially sh

Nov. 23, 2012

Drinking tea as a way of life

Tea of the 21st century has gone beyond just boiling tea bags and blending herbs. Today, tea is used a basis to create a wide variety of flavor combinations and creations. Mixing a blend of fruits, flowers, vanilla or milk to add flavor and texture to one’s drink is not uncommon. However, tea has opened the doors to even more creative blends and has even given rise to the profession of tea sommeliers. For example, some of the hot tea recipes being taught at the Korea Tea Sommelier Institute incl

Nov. 21, 2012

‘Carmen Mota’s Fuego’ package at Sheraton Grande Walkerhill

The hotel invites the guests to a special dinner performance by Carmen Mota’s Fuego, the authentic Spanish Flamenco. This very new concept of dinner show, pairing Spanish royal cuisine with Flamenco, will be held at its theater from Dec. 17-23, except on Dec. 19 due to the presidential election. In addition, guests who wish to stay overnight after the show can enjoy the hotel’s “Carmen Mota Fuego Package,” which consists of a one-night stay, breakfast, performance and dinner with a giveaway pres

Nov. 16, 2012

Italian feast at Park Hyatt Seoul

The hotel’s restaurant Cornerstone presents contemporary Italian cuisine with one-star Michelin Chef Michelino Gioia from Nov. 16-25. The promotion includes lunch and dinner special menus, weekend brunch, cooking class and a gala dinner. During the 10-day promotion, Cornerstone menus will be created directly by Chef Gioia and on Nov. 21, he will hold a cooking class to share his secret cooking recipes as well. An exquisite six-course gala dinner, prepared by Gioia and the hotel’s top chefs, will

Nov. 16, 2012

All-new ‘Bistro’ at Novotel Ambassador Gangnam

The Bistro, located in the lobby of the hotel, recently transformed into a French-style bistro with a whole new menu as well as ambience portraying a street of Paris. The restaurant’s a la carte menus now cover over 50 dishes with fresh local ingredients of vegetables, meat and seafood. The new menu includes Caprese salad, fresh mussels, fresh snails, onion velout, chestnut soup, crab bisque, Parisan beef tartar, ricotta-stuffed chicken, breaded pig trotter and braised lamb shank. A la carte dis

Nov. 16, 2012

Thanksgiving dinner at Renaissance Seoul Hotel

The hotel’s award-winning steakhouse Manhattan Grill is offering a special Thanksgiving set menu on Nov. 22 for family and friends to enjoy. Lunch is comprised of a three-course menu, which includes creamy sweet potato soup, roast turkey with glazed chestnuts, stuffing, green beans, gravy, and pumpkin pie with maple syrup and vanilla ice cream. The lunch menu is priced at 63,000 won, excluding tax and service charge. Dinner includes an extra appetizer dish. The dinner set is sold at a price of 7

Nov. 16, 2012

Wine and dinner special at W Seoul-Walkerhill

The hotel’s restaurant Kitchen presents the last of this year’s delicacy series, “W Indulge,” on Nov. 29. The series finale, titled “W Indulge Winter,” will have Matt Kramer, a food and wine critic and columnist famous for his book, “Making Sense of Wine,” personally select the wines with Kitchen’s fine delicacies. The combination menus will include seared Hokkaido scallops with Chablis William Fevre 2010 or Flowers Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2009, Maine lobster risotto with Flowers Sonoma Coast Pi

Nov. 16, 2012