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Top Cloud Bar & GrillCity/Region: Seoul
The price may be almost as high as the stunning location of this restaurant perched on pillars extending from the top of the Jongno Tower, but for an elegant night out, the Top Cloud cannot be beaten. Start off with a ritzy cocktail in the bar to the tune of live jazz music, then cross the glass bridge to the grill room to dine with an awesome view across Seoul through the vast windows. Choose from three set menus or à la carte, each item impeccably served and as enjoyable as the surroundings. Steak is the specialty of
the house, this being a grillroom, but the salads and tasty tequila flavored prawn and mussel risotto are recommended too. While you are there don't miss out on a chance to visit the unique cloakrooms, but only if you have a good head for heights! Open for lunch and dinner daily. Reservations recommended.
Address: 33 floor, Jongno Tower
SanchonCity/Region: Seoul
Visitors to Seoul should not miss the experience of dining at Sanchon, the best-known restaurant in the touristy Insa-dong district or sipping tea at their attached tea house. Sanchon is run by a former Buddhist monk, Kim Yeon-Sik, and specializes in vegetarian dishes, prepared with ingredients garnered from mountain valleys. The cuisine may be monastic, but this does not mean it is staid or boring, flavored as it is with subtle herbs and roots. The reasonably priced set menu features 20 items, ranging from a soup made of perilla seed juice, radish mushroom and red pepper wraps, Goso-namul (seasoned goso, a unique wild vegetable favored by monks), to a pot stew made with tofu, ending with traditional Korean pastries. The atmosphere is jolly too, with traditional folk dancing every evening made more colorful by imbibing bowls of Nong Ju farmer's rice beer or a glass of fruit wine. Reservations recommended.
Address: 14 Gwanghun Dong, Jongno Gu Insadong
Website: www.sanchon.com
SohoCity/Region: Seoul
If you want to get your teeth into some meaty Korean cuisine in sophisticated surroundings, try Soho restaurant, near the Seoul Olympic Park, where the décor and seating is western and the food is mouth-watering. Speciality of the house is Saeng Galbi, fresh beef ribs marinated in soy sauce and grilled in front of you. The lunch special is renowned with locals because servings are extremely generous.
Address: Seongnae-dong, Gangdong-gu
Website: www.thesoho.co.kr
Il MareCity/Region: Seoul
Lively Italian style is tempered with sophistication in this casual, trendy restaurant, which tries to emulate a Mediterranean seaside café, using space, black and white, and an outdoor terrace. The surroundings undoubtedly complement the tasty menu, highlights of which are seafood pastas and a delectable blue crab risotto. Il Mare entertains diners frequently with fashion shows and concerts. Open for lunch and dinner daily.
Address: 653-20 Shinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu
Website: www.iilmare.com
SeasonsCity/Region: Seoul
For the ultimate dining experience, offering a multi-paged French fusion menu or a seven course set meal, the Seoul Hilton's Seasons restaurant scores top marks for cuisine, service and ambiance. Executive Chef Hyo Nam Park is a recognized master of his craft who enhances traditional French dishes with his own special touches. Both the set menu and the à la carte change frequently. The setting is decidedly elegant and intimate, and the service discreet and old-fashioned. No wonder bookings are essential at this exclusive eatery.
Address: Millennium Seoul Hilton Hotel, 395-5 Ga, Namdaemun
Nashville Steak HouseCity/Region: Seoul
For a taste of the USA seek out Nashville, the American bar/restaurant that has become something of a landmark on Seoul's Itaewon entertainment strip. Enjoy a martini or a beer and wolf down a cheeseburger with fries, buffalo wings or a tenderloin Texas-style steak. The chef, surprisingly, is French, but his burgers are renowned as the best in Korea. The atmosphere is informal and the clientele largely made up of the ex-pat community. Open daily from 7am to midnight.
Address: 128-9 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu
Website: www.nashvilleclub.com
ChambaenamugolCity/Region: Seoul
Duck is a delicacy of note in Korea and you would be hard put to find more delectable duck dishes than those served at Chambaenamugol restaurant. Most sublime is a main dish of duck roasted in yellow clay, smoked duck or the specialty of the house, ohyang suyuk (sliced, steamed duck breast marinated in a variety of flavors). Open daily for lunch and dinner.
Address: 17-10 Yeouido-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu
Wan ChaiCity/Region: Seoul
Chinese cuisine is popular in Seoul, as evidenced by the large number of Chinese restaurants. One of the tried and trusted restaurants in this genre is Wan Chai with a vast menu covering all the traditional favorites. Named after Hong Kong's nightlife district, Wan Chai is popular with young Koreans and serves tasty Chinese food in a relaxed environment. Highly recommended are the spicy noodles and spicy Hong Kong shellfish.
Address: 5-35 Jangchun-dong, Seodaemun-gu
NaritaCity/Region: Seoul
Witness the number of Japanese tourists who visit this restaurant to be assured that when it comes to quality and service, Narita serves 'the real thing'. The head chef has more than 30 years experience, including a long stint at one of Seoul's top hotels, ensuring that diners here can expect sushi deluxe. The restaurant also prides itself on efficient, friendly service. Recommendations from the menu are the assorted sashimi selection, Domi Meori Suljjim (red snapper head steamed in wine) and an assorted sushi platter. The restaurant also offers a Korean set menu.
Address: 950-1 Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu
Website: www.narita.co.kr
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