We wanted to have one special dinner in Seoul since our dear friend Lauren joined us for the weekend from her home in Japan. Believe it or not picking a place was incredibly difficult. Seoul is known as a food destination and has burst onto the world restaurant stage over the last three to five years. We wanted to try a Korean modern/fusion kind of place so that we could push the taste envelope a little.
One of those restaurants that has made its mark, and whose menu is Korean fusion, is Jungsik in the glamorous Gangnam-gu neighborhood of Seoul. So we made a reservation for three through our concierge at the Grand Hyatt (not available otherwise!).
“They also have a location in New York if you can’t make it to Seoul.”
After about 25 minutes of what seemed like a lot of u-turns and backtracks (very common here) we arrived at Jungsik. What a cool space!
On the menu you have two options: a set four course (or five with dessert) with two tracks or a set eight course with one track. We chose the set four course so that we’d have the flexibility to choose around food issues.
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Before we even began out came our amuse bouche. And boy were our bouches amused.
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These weren’t called out on the menu so I have to do this from memory.
In the center, on the leaf, was a yellow-tail sashimi with a delectable condiment. On the left was lobster sashimi, also in a lovely little sauce. The little cone is a salmon and sabayon mousse. The black item that looks like a pile of ashes was actually an incredibly delicious fried oyster. Then lastly a brown rice and veg roll. Each of the items were excellent in their own way.
Our unanimous first course was the scallops. They were prepared perfectly.
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Next course we diverged, but I chose the mushroom beef broth which was served in a cast iron pot so hot that the mushrooms were still cooking as it was brought to the table. The server finished by pouring the broth over the mushroom. Yum.
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The next course we all had the branzino, which is a sea bass. Served with nori powder sprinkled on it followed by a lovely mild perillo oil. Incredible.
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Lastly we all chose the duck. It was perfectly prepared. It’s really hard to beat that when it’s done well.
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They then brought us what they called a “pre-dessert”. It was a granite made from lime and tonic over which the server poured a shot of Hendricks gin and topped with a candied lime chip. Really unique and even vodka drinkers like us approved.
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Then for the actual dessert. I chose the green tea mousse. Look how adorable, and all of it edible. The mousse was hidden inside the little “moss” covered statue and it was served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
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We can’t recommend this place enough.
You’ll note they also have a location in New York if you can’t make it to Seoul. Reservations definitely recommended!