Napoleon Bakery
3 Stars
Seongbuk-gu Seongbukdong 1ga 35-1
Ph#027427421
Open from 8am-10pm (but they usually sell out far before closing time)

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Recently, I was invited to Hopscotch Gastropub by the owner Brian so I obliged to check out their fare. It is located off the main drag and it doesn’t even have a name sign. It is tucked behind
Imposing steel doors marked by lit by industrial lights and a red neon sign that looks like a cubist daisy.

Inside the interior has a MC Escher, industrial feel and lit by antique Edison lamps. The place has a speakeasy-feel and makes you imagine secret poker games and bootlegging in the back rooms. The good thing is that in the back room they are churning out amazing food to go with wide selection of beers, cocktails, and scotches.

We started with some pork cracklings that kept popping as they came to the table. These were fun to eat but I think could have used more Cajun spice. The shiitake mushroom fries were excellent with the garlic aioli and Parmesan cheese. This was followed by an excellent citrus salad that was topped with cranberry, avocado, mandarin oranges, sugared pecans, cucumbers and tomatoes. The salad was one of the best I have had in a while and it reminded me of San Francisco.

We had a few more appetizers such as their bacon-topped Mac-and-cheese. This was ok, at least it didn’t have corn in it but the use of pasta of different sizes was a tad confusing and I think it could have used more cheese (but I think everything deserves more cheese). The steak chili was hearty and had good homestyle flavor.

The star was the duck fries. These were thin splinters of potato that were sumptuously crispy that has a rich foie gras taste. You start eating one and then just keep going back until they are all gone. Yummy.

For the main, we had the roast chicken with Gorgonzola mashed potatoes. This was a simple dish done right. The skin was crispy and the potatoes were creamy.

For dessert we had a delicious chocolate cake (how delicious I can’t remember because of all the beer.)

Hopscotch has a great beer selection and has a good selection of local and international brews. They have cocktails but no wines. They take their scotches seriously and will serve you a ice sphere in your rocks glass (that the chef cuts himself).

Overall, this is a great find. It’s not cheap for beers start at 7,000 won each. Food is reasonable with small plates starting at 9,000 won and entrees at 14,000. It’s a great atmosphere and your friends and colleagues will up your cool factor for taking them to this great little gastro-pub.

Hopscotch Gastropub
강남구 논현동 113-20
Gangnam-gu Nonhyeon-dong 113-20
phone: 025110145
Directions: If you take a cab, they will drop you off near the Gastropub, but you’ll have to walk down the side-street next to the Kia dealership and make the first left. You’ll see the metal doors up ahead.

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Le Saint-Ex

119-28 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
02-795-2465

Friday hours 12:00 pm–3:00 pm, 6:00 pm–10:00 pm

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Written by BigSkySeoul AKA S.A. Walrath Read her blog at http://creamseoul.blogspot.kr/

Visited on April 2013

If you come out of exit 8 in Hongdae, turn right, and walk until you reach the roundabout you’ll spot a tiny brown building, plain white letters. This little burger joint, known simply as Burger 4.5, serves up a very small, but tasty menu, specializing in delicious and beautiful burgers.

The space inside is very small. Three tables, each seating four, can make Burger 4.5 a crowded place, but if you go in the middle of the day, like my friends and I did, you’ll have no problems nabbing a spot to sit and mow down.

Offering only four various types of burgers (three when I went, as the Caesar No.5 was sold out), it won’t take you long to make your choice.

The New Standard, burger number one, is your typical cheeseburger. Served on a soft, tasty bun with your standard (see what they did there?) lettuce, tomato, onion cucumber and cheese, burger number one is a safe and solid bet to kill your hunger.

If you prefer something a little less… standard, burger number three, the Red Rocket Burger, might just be your jam. With rucola, onion and a special spicy sauce that is extremely flavorful, the Red Rocket is my suggestion. Add some fries, either regular or crispy (which simply means seasoned), and you’ve got yourself a meal.

The burgers come in two sizes, but spend the extra ₩500 for little bigger patty. You can throw on a little bacon, or cheese for a little extra as well. If you’re thirsty, they’ve got cans of soda or nice foreign brews.

With so many burger joints in Hongdae, what stands out about Burger 4.5 is they small, but well crafted menu. As you’d expect from a little place like this in Hongdae, it’s hip, cool, and they’ve got Biggie blaring on their iPod radio. It well priced, the guy making your burgers is friendly and speaks English, and damn is it tasty.”

Price: $$ 10- 20 USD

Rating**** 4 Stars: Recommended: A place you would recommend your close friends

Burger 4.5 (버거 4.5) “Burger 4.5
마포구 서교동 330-18, 서울특별시
Tel: 02 322 8779

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I have been getting some concerned emails, supportive emails and angry emails these days from my readers. First of all, thank you for being concerned and thank you for taking the time to read the blog.

I have been having some technical issues with wordpress and I think that this theme has finally frustrated me to the point of change. It is a chore for me to write and post on this platform so I will be making a change soon. The sight is getting too slow and bogged down with errors and I don’t have the technical skills to fix it. I will be changing the theme over and making it more streamlined.

These days I have been very busy with my business and personal relationships so I haven’t been able to write so much these days.

And just for the record, my trip to London was sponsored by Chowzter which i stated in my other posts. My dinners at Mosimann’s and Saint John and the food tours were paid by myself. My trip to Paris was not sponsored by anyone other than me and my company ( so it was paid by me). It was a research trip to see the food tourism and restaurant scene around the world. If Paris or London had invited me, I would have definitely written more and I would have written a disclaimer stating such.

Restaurants that invite me, I state that I was invited. Almost all the restaurants on the site have been paid out of pocket by myself or my company. I would love to get paid to eat for free at all the restaurants but lets face facts and reality. They would all go out of business if they did that. Also, the expat market (and dollar) is not really significant enough to have food bloggers come and dine for free. While my blog gets over 100,000 page views a month unless it targets the Korean market, it will really have no impact on if it makes or breaks a restaurant.

For those interested in my dining habits and approach to review, I tend to pick restaurants that have an interesting story, chefs, or those that focus on ingredients. I prefer local Korean restaurants in Korea and I like small businesses trying to do something new. Cost is really not that important to me. If the dish is composed of expensive ingredients and requires a high level of skill or the atmosphere is unique or sumptuous then it probably justifies the cost. I will try to state the prices of the dishes for those interested. Also, instead of stating something is just bad or good, I try to write my criticisms more descriptively.

Also, for those that are upset about the ads for the tour company, please understand that my job is the head of tours and marketing at O’ngo Food Communications. I need to build up the SEO of different tour products (and other products) we are selling. For those in the expat community that are not interested in such things, please ignore them. However, keep in mind that we are trying to help out the expat community here in Korea. Our tourism company has in the course of three years become one of the top high-end tour companies in Korea. The tour company doesnt really target many of the expats in Korea. We tried this before but we found that our customer base were mainlu from the overseas market. Because of our success we have been able to have a voice in how the tour business has run. These days we are lobbying to have expats to be able to work in the tour industry for their native language skills are better suited for travelers coming to Korea. At least it will be another option from just teaching English.

For those that had some helpful criticisms. Thank you. My plan is to refocus the website on restaurant reviews. I will think of another venue for random diatribes.

Cheers,

Dan

The post Just for the record appeared first on Seoul Eats.

I am supposed to be finishing up an article on Korean food but as I sit here, I am craving the food that I ate in London. Boy was that an epic food trip. Borough Market was one of the most interesting markets that I have been to and I ate so many things there from the sausage rolls, chorizo sandwiches, grilled cheese, beet and apple juice, cheese, cookies and more. I now know why I am having problems getting rid of the two extra kilos I gained on the trip. Lol. I also miss the meatpies.

I was also lucky to stop at Gordon Ramsey’s Plane food on a short stopover at the Heathrow airport. I had Eggs Florentine and it was a nice breakfast before my last meal back to Korea. Anyway, back to work. Deadlines are due.

Dan

The post I am missing London Bites appeared first on Seoul Eats.

I am having issues with wordpress these days. Give me a second. I am working on figuring it out.

Dan

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Yesterday was a great day. I went to an art exhibition in Seogyodong with my fiance and tried some great food in the area. I really like the Hansung University area and even went to check out some apartments in the area. Yes, it seems like the next stage of my life is coming and I am doing what I can to make it happen. It’s amazing how your life goals change when you meet someone special. Maybe it’s just the spring, but I have to say, I feel new. It’s nice to know that someone is on your side and that they’ll be there to support you. It’s also great to meet someone that share a great meal with.

Yesterday, I went to Bapjikgo (밥짓고 티우림) Tea Woorim. This is a place famous for their handmade banchan and jangachi. Jangachi are Korean pickles that can be pickled in salt, vinegar, soy sauce, chilies and bean pastes. It is an old skill that is often lost these days but this restaurant prides itself on making them.

The restaurant is set in a Korean hanok and it has a tea house on the first floor and the restaurant on the second. When you enter the inner garden, you’ll see kimchi pots and old Korean antiques. The menu here is Korean cuisine and you can get bibimbap, mandu stew and smoked duck with garlic/mustard sauce. Everything has a homey, village feel to it. The pickles are strong and they have brown rice with the meal so everything feels very healthy.

It is a picturesque place to have a lunch or a tea in the afternoon.

Bapjikgo Tea Woorim
밥짓고 티우림
Seongbukgu Dongsomundong 1ga 40bonji
http://cafe.naver.com/teawoorim

Directions: Go out Hansung Station exit 6 and make the first right

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Publique

Craving for traditional French bread? Head to Hongdae where you will find Publique, a French patisserie owned by Chef Jang Eun-chul. Having worked in France as a baker for four years, you are assured of tasting authentic French bread and pastries in Chef Jang’s patisserie. He named his bakery Publique because this is where the public can enjoy dining and doing their thing like reading a book or playing online games. You can see some French businessmen playing online poker using their laptop or any Android device while indulging on Canneles Bordelais and sipping on Colombian coffee. Poker is quite popular in France and is now gaining popularity in Korea because of its accessibility. There are many internet poker providers that offer non-stop poker action including partypoker. You can now play your favorite card game anytime and anywhere you want. If you are new to this game, then you can learn easily by reading the basics of poker and watching video tutorials at partypoker. With skills and luck, you might win some cash that is enough to fly you to France.

Paul & Paulina

If you are planning to go to this bakery, make sure to call in advance, unless you are willing to wait in line. Paul & Paulina is one of the most in-demand bakeries in Seoul because of their great selection of French bread and pastries, including the mouthwatering pain au chocolat and delectable peasant bread. Despite the long queue, people are still willing to wait because they are assured of having freshly-baked goodies.

Pain de Papa

Do you miss the bread that your dad used to bake when you were still in France? Visit Pain de Papa to get a taste of organic bread made by Korean baker Lee Ho-Young. You can match that bread with Lee’s homemade spreads making you feel like you were back in your hometown. There are also many choices of brioches and croissants available at Pain de Papa.

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