[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Grand InterContinental Seoul presents ‘Christmas Cake’ Grand Deli, located on the ground floor of Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas in southern Seoul, offers holiday cakes made by three master patissiers, including Kim Dong-woo, in charge of the hotel’s bakery team. Kim recommends three cakes for this year-end season -- chocolate tree mugwort cake with delicate mugwort cream on top of chocolate sheet cake; pine tree cake decorated with a Christmas tree made from Chantilly cr

Dec. 3, 2021

Coffee lovers flock back to Gangneung for caffeine-loaded fest

GANGNEUNG, Gangwon Province -- After a two-year break forced by the pandemic, the long awaited Gangneung Coffee Festival returned for its 13th edition, Thursday to Sunday. With the slogan, “Nonetheless, coffee,” some 80 coffee-themed booths were set up at Daedohobu Gwana, a site where central government officials from the capital visiting the region stayed during the Goryeo Kingdom and Joseon era. Friday saw its signature program, “100 People 100 Tastes,” a massive sim

Nov. 28, 2021

Not so provincial: Hip packaging lends air of sophistication to regional specialties

Localro, a popup store located in Seongsu-dong, a hip neighborhood in eastern Seoul with emerging artists and vibrant flea markets, displays local food products in neatly designed packaging. Since its opening on Nov. 16, the store has steadily attracted passersby who had no prior knowledge of the store, but ended up leaving with a handful of goods. The 13-day popup event is organized by the Korea Tourism Organization and run by Project Rent, an offline platform marketing company, with aims to

Nov. 22, 2021

[Holly’s Korean Kitchen] Dak bulgogi, Korean chicken BBQ

When you hear the word bulgogi, you immediately think of the famous Korean beef dish. However, bulgogi isn’t limited to beef. Try this chicken bulgogi -- Korean chicken barbecue -- and you will be surprised how wonderful chicken tastes. Chicken bulgogi, also known as dak bulgogi, is often confused with dak galbi, another spicy Korean chicken recipe. While dak galbi is chicken and vegetables pan-fried all together with a spicy sauce in one skillet, dak bulgogi is solely chicken without any

Nov. 20, 2021

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Andaz Seoul Gangnam launches ‘Guy’s Night Out’ Andaz Seoul Gangnam, a lifestyle hotel located in Apgujeong, is offering the “Guy’s Night Out” staycation package, featuring spacious luxurious accommodations in an Andaz Suite for up to four people. The package includes a special drink basket with Grey Goose vodka, four bottles of beer and a “Hangover Food Set” packaged with hangover-helper drinks, seafood ramen and french fries. Complimentary acce

Nov. 19, 2021

Michelin Guide Seoul releases Bib Gourmand list

Ahead of the official release of Michelin Guide Seoul’s latest edition slated for Thursday, the arbiter of culinary taste issued a list of Bib Gourmand restaurants in Seoul, announcing four new additions to the existing list. The Bib Gourmand classification highlights restaurants offering “exceptionally good food at moderate prices.” The price range depends on local economic standards, according to the company. The highest price for the Bib Gourmand Seoul edition comes in at

Nov. 18, 2021

German-style baked goods at Backerin

After learning how to make bread in Germany, owner-chef Lee Ho-kyoung opened a small bakery, christening it Backerin, in Seoul’s Samseong-dong in July 2020. From her small perch, she sold her take on German bread -- several varieties of pretzels and brotchen -- and sweets like her moist mini lemon gugelhupfs. Even before Lee opened Backerin, she was fond of bread. “While living in Korea I already loved bread so much I baked bread at home on occasion,” Lee, 30, revealed in

Nov. 13, 2021

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

JW Marriott Hotel presents ‘Go Bubbly’ promotion The Lounge, situated on JW Marriott Hotel’s eighth floor, presents the “Go Bubbly” promotion that provides unlimited servings of popular dim sum and small bites every Thursday. The selection of 11 dim sum creations includes har gau with soft skin and prawn filling, black pork shu mai made from tender Jeju-grown black pork, xiao long bao dumplings and hanwoo shu mai filled with chopped hanwoo eye of round steak. Some

Nov. 12, 2021

[Holly’s Korean Kitchen] Classic doenjang jjigae

A pot of bubbling hot doenjang jjigae, or Korean soybean paste stew, is perhaps the most desired stew in Korea. In terms of Korean comfort food, this is the No. 1 stew, and no Korean will disagree with that. Without a doubt, most Koreans grew up eating this Korean stew at least once or twice a week. Surely, the smell of doenjang jjigae coming out of kitchen brings a nostalgia to many Koreans. I have a fond memory of my mother often fixing her signature doenjang jjigae. My father adored her jj

Nov. 6, 2021

[Weekender] Natural wine is hip. What’s the hype all about?

It was around three years ago in Japan that Moon Dong-sun stumbled upon natural wine. He was blown away by the unique taste and colors. Upon returning to Korea, he drew up a plan to open a natural wine bar, introducing the new experience of wine to Seoulites. Early this year, Moon opened a natural wine bar in the trendy Hannam-dong in Seoul. Moon said that natural wine has rapidly become popular, and specialized bars have been emerging across the city. “The natural wine market is gr

Nov. 6, 2021

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

JW Marriott Hotel Seoul announces 2021 Autumn Wine Fair JW Marriott Hotel Seoul presents the 2021 Autumn Wine Fair showcasing wines from selected wineries in 11 countries across four continents at the Margaux Grill’s seventh-floor garden. Running for three days from Nov. 10 to 12, the wine fair will feature a wide selection, ranging from daily wines to fine small-batch cult labels and grand crus from Bordeaux and Burgundy, with savings of up to 50 percent from regular prices. Additio

Nov. 5, 2021

Maximalist pies at Dope Pizza Bakers

Dope Pizza Bakers head baker and CEO Shin Jae-uk and his team take a maximalist approach to their New York-style pies. “Our basic philosophy is to top our pies with pepperoni so there are no empty spots left,” Shin, 34, said in explaining how Dope’s Pepperoni Planet is made in an email interview. Every inch of that glorious pie with its chewy thin crust, punchy red sauce and gooey mozzarella is covered with crispy, unctuous rounds of pepperoni. “There are customers w

Oct. 30, 2021

Seoul Gourmet Week to deliver ‘glocal’ cuisines

The 2021 Seoul Gourmet Week will kick off both online and in person Friday to introduce and promote Seoul’s unique gourmet culture to potential domestic and foreign tourists, the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Seoul Tourism Organization jointly announced Tuesday. Under the theme, “Six-day trip of world’s delicacies in Seoul,” this year’s festival aims to energize visitors weary from the pandemic, showcasing a series of cultural events linked to music, films and

Oct. 28, 2021

[Holly’s Korean Kitchen] Jeyuk bokkeum, spicy Korean pork bulgogi

Pork is a beloved animal protein in Korean cuisine. And this spicy Korean pork stir-fry called jeyuk bokkeum is perhaps the most popular pork dish. Some call it pork bulgogi (dwaeji bulgogi). Every household cooks this amazingly delicious spicy pork bulgogi from time to time in their own kitchen in Korea because it is so easy and quick to put together, and it always tastes good even if you mess it up. The main ingredient to season the pork is gochujang (Korean chili paste). This gochujang por

Oct. 23, 2021

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas presents desserts for Halloween Day Special Grand InterContinental Parnas in Samseong-dong is offering Halloween special desserts and beverages for the upcoming spooky holiday. Treats are offered at the hotel’s bakery from Oct. 22 through the end of the month. The desserts and beverages are prepared by the Grand Deli’s head pastry chef Eric Kalaboke from New York. A total of six items uniquely designed by the chef are available during the limit

Oct. 22, 2021

Cinnamon rolls as sourdough at Levain Rules

A newcomer to the burgeoning bakery scene, Levain Rules has quietly carved out a substantial niche for itself with a mouthwatering selection of sourdough and sandwiches. Six months have passed since the bakery opened in Seoul’s Samseong-dong and not only has the bakery expanded to a second location in Shinsegae Gangnam, but the baked goods are so popular that it can be difficult to get one’s sandwich of choice after 2 p.m.    “We make a limited number of sandwiches

Oct. 16, 2021

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

JW Marriott Hotel Seoul opens ‘Tea Kaiseki’ promotion JW Marriott Hotel Seoul’s Japanese restaurant Tamayura, is presenting the Tea Kaiseki promotion, combining fine Japanese tea tasting with authentic kaiseki cuisine in a private setting. The Tea Bar at Tamayura features a refined ambience and sophisticated music curation, enhanced by natural aromas of brewing and roasting tea leaves to create a serene atmosphere to guests. The nine-course menu begins with premium green tea

Oct. 15, 2021

Baekban: The taste of home

In an era when one-person households or double-income families are increasingly becoming the norm, families gathering around the dining table for a warm home-cooked meal can be considered a special occasion. Finding the right type of meal at the right moment can make one’s day and Koreans turn to “baekban” for the comforting taste of home. Baekban’s literal definition is “white rice,” but is generally understood in Korea as home-cooked style meals that cons

Oct. 9, 2021

[Holly’s Korean Kitchen] Dalgona, the Korean sugar candy

Ppopgi vs dalgona Any Korean who grew up in 1970s Korea (like myself) will have a memory of two special Korean candy treats - ppopgi and dalgona. They were slightly different; while ppopgi is made with plain sugar, dalgona was made with glucose solid. These two candies were popular among Korean children in the ‘70s through early ’80s. Interestingly, over the past few decades people have confused the names. What most people now call “dalgona” should really be called ppo

Oct. 9, 2021

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

'Glamping Suite: Seoulite’ at L’Escape Hotel L’Escape Hotel in Seoul presents its “Glamping Suite: Seoulite” package, allowing guests to enjoy private hotel getaways in the boutique-style hotel’s cozy suites. To conjure up a glamorous camping mood, prior to check-in the hotel will set up camping items from high-end outdoor brand Nordisk. Modern Chinese restaurant Palais de Chine offers a Dajeong Set -- including Cantonese-style deep-fried pork with black

Oct. 8, 2021