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Fine dining
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Tiberious aka Sparkles



Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Location: I'm one cool cat!

PostPosted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:44 am    Post subject: Fine dining Reply with quote

What's the best place in Seoul for fine dining? Any suggestions -- I can't wait to read "Buy the Way" or "animal shelter" -- would be appreciated, as would menu/cost.
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CeleryMan



Joined: 12 Apr 2007
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 5:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fine dining as in "atmosphere" is plentiful north or south of the Han. Fine dining as in quality Western or culinary delights ... your best bet is the blue plate special at the Navy Club 8th Army Base.
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Saxiif



Joined: 15 May 2003
Location: Seongnam

PostPosted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 5:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Depends how much you want to pay. Some of the fancy restaurants have good food but its stupidly expensive. There a good number of places in Itaewon where you can get decent enough food for cheap if you stay off the main street.
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europe2seoul



Joined: 12 Sep 2005
Location: Seoul, Korea

PostPosted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 6:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

U can go to Samchongdong - there are several restaurants there - a bit smaller in size but nice atmosphere, nice street to walk on, etc....good for eating and a stroll after the meal. It is next to Gyeongbok palace leading towards the blue house. About 10mins walking distance from Insadong rotary area (near line #3).
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GoldMember



Joined: 24 Oct 2006

PostPosted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 12:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Look for Restaurants with names that contain the following words:

Royal
Royale
Palace
Gold
Ubiquitious
Castle
Grand
Grande
King
Queen

If it's a big ugly concrete building, it's not a restaurant, it's an apartment building, full of rich cluless peasants who have been ripped off big time and paid way too much for a concrete box.
If the building has ugly neon signage, then it's a fine dining restaurant.
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CentralCali



Joined: 17 May 2007

PostPosted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 12:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

CeleryMan wrote:
Fine dining as in "atmosphere" is plentiful north or south of the Han. Fine dining as in quality Western or culinary delights ... your best bet is the blue plate special at the Navy Club 8th Army Base.


You have to be joking! Dining at the Navy Club at US Army Garrison Yongsan was one of the worst culinary experiences of my life. The atmosphere stinks, especially the band. Also, the waitstaff are terrible, as was the food. My buddy and I went there after seeing their menu on the web. Sadly, the place doesn't even come anywhere near to the caliber of the menu we saw.
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jajdude



Joined: 18 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 12:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sparkles must have been bored. Lots of good restaurants in Bundang, as he knows.
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mark dew



Joined: 19 Oct 2007
Location: UK

PostPosted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 5:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

the quality of food in seoul is fantastic for the money but for something different the swiss chalet in itaewon is a cosy little place to have some fondue or a schnitzel.
Can't remember how much but was a little pricey but very different.

http://www.asiarooms.com/travel-guide/south-korea/seoul/what-where-to-eat/contemporary-restaurants-in-seoul/swiss-chalet-restaurant.html
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kimchi story



Joined: 23 Nov 2006

PostPosted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 5:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tribeca. It's a couple of blocks up the hill from where the Hard Rock used to be. Posh at a posh price and the menu is Western elegance.
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CeleryMan



Joined: 12 Apr 2007
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 6:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

CentralCali wrote:
CeleryMan wrote:
Fine dining as in "atmosphere" is plentiful north or south of the Han. Fine dining as in quality Western or culinary delights ... your best bet is the blue plate special at the Navy Club 8th Army Base.


You have to be joking! Dining at the Navy Club at US Army Garrison Yongsan was one of the worst culinary experiences of my life. The atmosphere stinks, especially the band. Also, the waitstaff are terrible, as was the food. My buddy and I went there after seeing their menu on the web. Sadly, the place doesn't even come anywhere near to the caliber of the menu we saw.


Sweetheart, we are in South Korea where SPAM holds premium culinary value. Locals are forced to adorn their pizza with corn cause there's no other alternative. I've been lucky enough to dine at Michelin rated establishments worldwide and firmly stand by my endorsement of the Navy Club and other 8th Army base eateries as the best game in town. My gut tells me Anthony Bourdain would agree with me..
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CentralCali



Joined: 17 May 2007

PostPosted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 6:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

CeleryMan wrote:
Sweetheart, we are in South Korea where SPAM holds premium culinary value. Locals are forced to adorn their pizza with corn cause there's no other alternative. I've been lucky enough to dine at Michelin rated establishments worldwide and firmly stand by my endorsement of the Navy Club and other 8th Army base eateries as the best game in town. My gut tells me Anthony Bourdain would agree with me..


The other dining choices on USAGY are okay, except for the golf club (Cominskey's?). I dined there once and will never do so again. The best, of course, is Hartell House, but you need a General Officer or major unit commanding officer to sponsor you in as a guest.

If you're rating the Navy Club there as high caliber, perhaps you need to not be drunk, "sweetheart," the next time you dine there. Or perphaps being drunk is the way to go for the swill they served.

I've found that there are good restaurants around. It just takes a while to find them. Funny thing is that just a couple of hours ago, my co-teacher and I were discussing why we each thought Koreans are such "culinary cowards." She agrees that the majority, the vast majority, of the population can't be bothered with doing anything that goes against their preconceptions about food. In other words, "If it's not Korean, then they're not going to try it."
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seoulsucker



Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Location: The Land of the Hesitant Cutoff

PostPosted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 7:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

CentralCali wrote:
In other words, "If it's not Korean, then they're not going to try it."


That's changing though...just slap "Fusion" or "Well Being" in front of it, and they'll at least give it a try.
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Lekker



Joined: 09 Feb 2008
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 10:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Next to the Wolfhound in Itaewon there is a deli owned by an Austrian guy and an English guy. You should check it out. Really good, not very expensive, and they have bread made from ingredients shipped from Europe. Good place.
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CeleryMan



Joined: 12 Apr 2007
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 10:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

CeleryMan wrote:
CentralCali wrote:
CeleryMan wrote:
Fine dining as in "atmosphere" is plentiful north or south of the Han. Fine dining as in quality Western or culinary delights ... your best bet is the blue plate special at the Navy Club 8th Army Base.


You have to be joking! Dining at the Navy Club at US Army Garrison Yongsan was one of the worst culinary experiences of my life. The atmosphere stinks, especially the band. Also, the waitstaff are terrible, as was the food. My buddy and I went there after seeing their menu on the web. Sadly, the place doesn't even come anywhere near to the caliber of the menu we saw.


Sweetheart, we are in South Korea where SPAM holds premium culinary value. Locals are forced to adorn their pizza with corn cause there's no other alternative. I've been lucky enough to dine at Michelin rated establishments worldwide and firmly stand by my endorsement of the Navy Club and other 8th Army base eateries as the best game in town. My gut tells me Anthony Bourdain would agree with me..


Babe, we ain't cowards. People here eat cat. I've also seen my fair share of Korean tourists thrown down ethnic joints all over the US. At best, we're "Culinary Prisoners" held hostage by a totalitarian food culture.
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Fishead soup



Joined: 24 Jun 2007
Location: Korea

PostPosted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 11:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Don Valleyhas good grilled Korean meat dishes.
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