Jaengban guksu, (cold noodles with vegetables)

 Jaengban guksu is a cold noodle dish served in a large platter with lots of fresh vegetables. It’s usually for more than one person and is meant to be shared at the table. Jaengban guksu is a type of bibim guksu, which typically is mixed with a tangy and spicy red chili pepper sauce. I used green tea noodles here, but you can use any noodles you want. Also, it’s versatile, so you can use almost any salad vegetables you like, such as bell peppers, onions, bean sprouts and spinach. If you have le

June 28, 2013

Rooftop revolution

Cherry tomatoes, still green, soak in the summer sun, taking their sweet time to ripen. Romaine lettuce blooms in long, emerald stalks. The roof garden at Garosu-gil-based cafe Able is a pastoral scene of rustic charm, a scene that seems to be in tune with today’s “healing” and “well-being” trends. “We felt the need to not waste anything, to use everything,” Able co-owner Cha Eun-young said on how the garden came into being when the flower shop-cafe opened in Seoul last summer. “We decided we co

June 21, 2013

Conversations simmer at communal tables

Mary Altman and John Pinson, though each traveling alone on business, savored some conversation with their barbecue last week as they sat together at one of 4 Rivers Smokehouse’s large picnic tables in Winter Park, Florida.The two discovered they both live in Jacksonville, Florida, so they chatted about their lives there.“When you’re by yourself, it’s nice to meet somebody and, coincidentally, to meet somebody from your own hometown,” said Pinson, a salesman in his 70s.Diners such as Pinson are

June 21, 2013

Jjukkumi guui, (spicy grilled baby octopus)

I know that a lot of people are intimidated about cooking octopus. If you’re one of them, I urge you to try cooking with baby octopus, “jjukkumi.” Baby octopus is naturally tender and easy to handle. If you prefer, you can also use small squid for this recipe. Here, they are marinated in a spicy gochujang sauce and seared quickly on the grill. Marinating helps tenderize the octopus, so give it sufficient time to marinate. You will have tender baby octopus with a burst of flavor in every bite!2 t

June 21, 2013

Single malt scotch, mapped out

The increased local popularity of single malt whisky is no industry secret. Since major drinks business Diageo Korea started importing single malt whisky in 2006, the niche market has seen a boom. According to brand manager Ma Hyung-min, sales of Diageo’s single malt whiskies have exceeded double-digit growth every year. The portfolio has expanded from just one to more than 20 single malt whiskies now. Single malt is even weathering the economic downturn. Diageo’s single malt whisky saw a 16 per

June 19, 2013

Green as far as the eye can see

BOSEONG, South Jeolla Province ― Since being first introduced to the country in the early ninth century by merchants returning from China, green tea has acquired a long history and rich culture in Korea. Today, one of the nation’s best-known green tea plantations is the Daehan Tea Plantation here. The vibrant green tea fields of Boseong attract around 1 million visitors every year, who come to experience green tea in its most natural state while marveling at the beauty of the fields’ picturesque

June 14, 2013

Around the hotels

Unlimited draft beer and barbecue at Sheraton Seoul D Cube City HotelThe hotel’s lobby lounge bar presents two special promotions, “Golden Beer Time” and “L41 Barbecue Snacks.” The barbecue menus include sausages, nachos, chicken, chicken wings and drumsticks, grilled beef, and chicken and octopus skewers. “Golden Beer Time” runs until June 30, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. for 29,700 won per person. The price for “L41 Barbecue Snacks” ranges from 22,000 won to 27,500 won, available from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m

June 14, 2013

Buchu kimchi (garlic chives kimchi)

This kimchi made with garlic chives (buchu) is one of the easiest kimchi varieties to make. Buchu kimchi is a common summer kimchi that is especially popular in Korea’s southern provinces (Jeolla-do and Gyeongsang-do). Garlic chives are distinguished from regular chives by their flat leaves and distinct flavor that’s like a mild onion with a delicate garlic flavor. Korean garlic chives are thin and tender so they are great for making kimchi. Look for ones with thin and narrow blades. Buchu kimch

June 14, 2013

Philippine food seeks Korean palates

Filipino food is easy on those who try it for the first time. The style and cooking share elements with other cuisines such as Malaysian, Spanish, Chinese and American.“Food is very diverse in the Philippines because we were colonized by Spanish first, Japan and then the U.S. We have also Malaysian and Chinese ancestors. It’s hard to define what Filipino cuisine is about,” said Sau Del Rosario, executive chef of F1 Hotels and Resorts in Manila, in an interview with The Korea Herald during his fo

June 14, 2013

Around the hotels

Tiramisu and blueberry ice flakes at The Ritz-Carlton, SeoulStarting on June 3, The Garden at The Ritz-Carlton, Seoul will serve tiramisu ice flakes and blueberry ice flakes. Tiramisu ice flakes are a rich, creamy combination of milk, espresso, nuts, freshly roasted homemade granola, mascarpone cheese, tiramisu ice cream and red beans on finely shaved ice. Blueberry ice flakes feature fresh and condensed milk, red beans, some nuts, homemade granola and vanilla ice cream on shaved ice, garnished

June 7, 2013

Jeyuk bokkeum (Spicy stir-fried pork)

Jeyuk bokkeum is a marinated pork dish. Sliced pork is marinated in a gochujang sauce, typically with lots of fresh garlic and ginger. I also use grated apple to add an acidic sweet flavor to the marinade. You can omit it, but the apple works really well with the pork. Although any cut of pork can be used for this dish, pork shoulder or loin with some fat works best. Sometimes, I add sliced pork belly to intensify the pork flavor. Grill or pan fry and serve with lettuce leaves and ssamjang. Ingr

June 7, 2013

Around the hotels

‘All about Cherries’ at Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel During the early summer season, the hotel presents various cherry desserts in a buffet style during the “All about Cherries” event at its lobby lounge bar. The event offers an extensive cherry dessert menu from cherry crumble tart, cherry crème brulee, cherry and vanilla mousse as well as some unique items such as cherry sushi and cherry California roll. A selection of coffee and tea are also available. For teas, traditional Korean tea suc

May 31, 2013

Haemul sundubu jjigae (seafood and soft tofu stew)

Sundubu is uncurdled tofu, which has a high water content. The stew, jjigae, made with sundubu is enormously popular both in and outside Korea. If you’re lucky, you might have a good tofu house near you that specializes in this dish, offering several variations (seafood, meat, vegetables, combination, etc.) on the menu. To make this stew at home, I like to use anchovy broth, which is typical, but you can simply use water if you want. You can make different variations using the same basic techniq

May 31, 2013

‘Bad Boy’ wine savant in town

Sipping an espresso, Jean-Luc Thunevin unabashedly reveals that before he became a famed winemaker, he dabbled in woodcutting and banking, and even moonlighted as a disc jockey. Unconventional is an apt word for the man who prominent wine critic Robert Parker christened the “bad boy” of Saint-Emilion. Now, the garage wine pioneer is in Seoul promoting his wine. Though not the first to make garage wine, Thunevin and his wife Murielle Andraud are considered pioneers of the increasingly popular sty

May 31, 2013

Around the hotels

Philippine cuisine at Millennium Seoul HiltonThe hotel’s international buffet Orangerie is showcasing Philippine cuisine during the month of June. Guest chef Sau Del Rosario will prepare traditional Philippine dishes such as lechon (whole roasted pig), adobo (pork or chicken boiled with vinegar and soy sauce), pancit (fried noodles with meat and vegetables), kare-kare (oxtail with peanut sauce) and lumpia (spring rolls and egg rolls). It will also provide a variety of desserts made with sticky r

May 24, 2013

Maneuljjong hodu bokkeum (Stir-fried garlic scapes with walnuts)

Garlic scapes (maneuljjong) are the curly flowering shoots/stalks of garlic plants that are snipped off to allow the bulbs to grow bigger. They have a milder flavor than garlic cloves but are still quite garlicky. When cooked, the scapes become sweeter with a subtle garlic undertone and have a texture similar to that of thin asparagus. In this recipe, the garlic scapes are stir fried with walnuts in a soy sauce-based sauce. It’s a simple and delicious spring side dish. The scapes only appear in

May 24, 2013

Middle Eastern eats at Hummus Kitchen

Hummus Kitchen, one of the latest restaurants to open in foodie-friendly Hannam-dong, adds to the area’s growing gourmet vibe, serving up Middle Eastern fare with a modern slant. Beet sauce, parsley pesto and whole grain mustard adorn platters of hot, charcoal-grilled kebabs and made-from-scratch hummus and falafels, adding pops of color and flavor to each mouthwatering dish. Helmed by owner Kim Hyun-sung, the restaurant is the culmination of years spent in the Middle East dining on the region’s

May 24, 2013

Michelin star chef heads new restaurant in Seoul

Sardinian chef Roberto Petza assembles an amuse-bouche, starting with a base of carrot soup, layering it with slivers of bamboo, adding thin, short wands of almonds before topping it off with slices of raw oyster. Careful, deliberate and exacting, Petza is busy at work in the kitchen of his latest gastronomic adventure, Harmonium. “I like Korea,” Petza, 45, explained why he decided to helm a new restaurant in Seoul. “I like the ingredients from Korea.” Korea is familiar territory to Petza, who f

May 22, 2013

Around the hotels:

Summer desserts at JW Marriott Hotel Seoul The hotel’s lobby lounge is holding the “I Love Berries” promotion from May 1 to June 30. The lounge will serve desserts and beverages featuring fresh seasonal fruits. The promotion offers an afternoon tea set menu on weekdays for 32,000 won per person and a dessert buffet for 50,000 won on weekends. The afternoon tea set will serve fresh fruits, cranberry scones, mini sandwiches, and a selection of five desserts of the day. The buffet will include 20 k

May 16, 2013