Recently, a reader asked me, "Where can I get a proper salad?" During the hot summer months, it's all a person craves. The reader went on to define what he meant, "I mean dark green, leafy lettuce- not iceberg with brown edges." I think this is reasonable, and I would like to further expound. A salad should not be thinly sliced coleslaw with Russian dressing and corn. A salad should have a dressing should be light and accentuate the leaves- not weigh it down in globs of mayonnaise. Oh, and the dressing should not, SHOULD NOT, be honey mustard or yogurt kiwi. And lastly, the salad should be of decent size. I went on my search and other than the chicken Caesar salad at the Wolfhound and the salad bar at Seven Springs, I've found the salads to be meager afterthoughts that didn't live up to my criterion. That was until I found Mignon. Mignon, up on the hill next to 3 Alley Pub in Itaewon, has big salads with dark leafy greens and playfully thoug...

This is the full, unedited review on Isabelles The Butcher Steakhouse story that was originally published in the January Issue of Seoul Magazine. It has been reprinted by permission.-Dan Filet Mignon at Isabelles the Butcher Steakhouse in Itaewon Steak is more than just beef. It is symbol of a job well done, a special occasion, or a celebration. Now it can’t just be any steak- for a subpar steak can ruin an occasion. The cut, the aging, the sauces, and the quality of the sides represent your level of success. And the name is also important. A steakhouse should have a personality and exude some clout. When you say you are going to, let’s say, Peter Luger’s; it lets everyone know where you stand in the world. Isabelles the Butcher knows steak. The restaurant in Itaewon, although small, it is regally lit by candles and chandeliers. Although outside, there is the mad rush of the nightlife, Isabelles is refined and hushed- the perfect atmosphere to connect with your dinner guests. ...

I haven't uploaded pictures in a while, so I figured I should go ahead and do that. Here are some shots that I've been holding and waiting for the right moment to upload. I'm on day four of the master cleanse(yes, I'm doing it again) so I have been romanticizing about food for the last couple of days. First up, this is a Korean Tuna Sushi place that I went to. The food was pretty and pretty good. Carol insists that Hubble is a cat and a girl, so here is my dog in a sailor dress. I think he's posing Delicious Chocolate from Passion in Hangangjin. Mignon has some tasty salads. Here's a chicken one that I got. Mignon is behind Hamilton Hotel in Itaewon, up the hill from 3 Alley. Zaza's Tea Party. Speaking of which she is having another one on Sunday at the Orange Tree. Anyone want to go? I'm cooking. I'm making Curried Egg Salad Sandwiches, a 7? layered bean dip, and some sort of wrap (I haven't decided) Potato roasted in Soy Sauce...yum. Chef Meili...

I wrote a Valentine's day guide for the Korea Herald and it's the most read story of the day! AZA. You can check it online here  Your Valentine's Day guide Guys, picking the right restaurant for Valentine's Day is important to your romantic wellbeing. Be sure to make a reservation. If you don't have a reservation already, this is the equivalent of forgetting your anniversary or her birthday. You don't want to be that guy. It is not enough to just pick the right restaurant - the cafe or bar afterwards is just as important. And girls, it's 2010. You are more than welcome to make reservations and give hints on the places you would like to go. If you would like, you can have this page opened to this article and just strategically circle the restaurants, bars, cafes, you would like to go. (A heart or a star would be a good hint.) The restaurants on this list have a good mix of atmosphere and taste. In general, I am staying away from franchise places. I am ...

This was originally published in the December 2, 2009 issue of the Korea Herald. Amuse Bouche Toys Jeju Red Snapper over Green Pea Puree Pierre Gagnaire à Séoul  By Daniel Gray  With all this talk about Korean food globalization, I feel we forgot to consult those who would know best. The international chefs in Seoul are the ones that will take Korean food to the world. They will use Korean ingredients and techniques in their overseas restaurants and they will tell other chefs about the intricacies of Korean cuisine. Located on top of the Lotte Hotel in Myeongdong is Pierre Gagnaire a Seoul. Years ago, Pierre Gagnaire took French cuisine to the world stage. He inspired and influenced countless chefs and restaurants. He is an artist that doesn't compromise quality or his vision. Eating at Pierre Gagnaire à Séoul is a once in a lifetime experience . The restaurant hallways wind around like the labyrinth in the gardens of Versailles. The chandeliers look like magi...

I have rewritten my review on La Plancha for the magazine. You know what, sometimes it is really embarrassing to see the punctuation and spelling errors I make. When I write for my blog, it is with a free flow approach in mind. When I blog, it's just like "wow, that's fun, I'm going to write about it." REVIEW: La Plancha By Dan Gray Behind the Hamilton and tucked away to the right of Saint Ex is La Plancha. La Plancha is a high-end Spanish steak restaurant that has been around for many years. I've heard about this place for ages, yet had not gone. In general I have found western style restaurants serving meat inferior to Korean Restaurants. Over at Yuhwa (near the Hyatt Hotel) the steak I got was a disk of dried meat with an overly syrupy mango sauce. Outback is just god-awful. VIPS, or Seven Springs- don't even get me started. The one I had at Mignon, which is near Zelen (right up the hill from La Plancha) was quite possibly the only other steak place I w...

What makes a perfect burger? It should have a bit of pork, but mostly beef. Beef should be a bit marbled. I mean it doesn’t make sense to get a very expensive filet mignon or a sirloin to make a burger because it’s too lean. You need fat and marbling for flavor. The meat can be a bit grisly. You don’t want to have something too soft because then there is no body and it’s just like eating baby food. Seasoning. You should use salt and pepper. Onion and Garlic add savory accents to the meat. If you want to get fancy, you can add some other herbs. I like a bit of rosemary at times, if I am feeling exotic. It is a strong herb and it can mask the flavor of the meat that you spent so most of your money on. I recommend using rosemary if you are making a lamb burger. Lamb is a bit musky in flavor so rosemary pairs well with it. Ground lamb and beef works well together especially with a yogurt, cucumber dressing. Now back to burgers. You will probably need a binder- something to stick everything...

Nicole and I went for a stroll on Tuesday night and I got some night shots of Restaurant Alley which weren't half bad. Nicole recommended that I go to La Plancha at some point. I've heard good things about the restaurant and I've been planning on checking it out. She recommends the combo platters because you get a nice mix of food and the combos are big enough for two people. Vigna- the name alone scares me, but I'll make it in there at some point. Soo-jin of Bricx and Zelen fame has a new restaurant. It's called Trattoria Cucina Acca and it's supposed to be an upscale Italian place. I wonder if Itaewon can support another upscale Italian place, I mean Villa Sortinos just opened down the street. Also, on top of the hill near Mignon, Hong Suk Chun of "Our Place" and "My Thai" is opening up a new "My China" restaurant. It might be interesting, but overall I haven't been delighted by the food in any of his restaurants so far...

Valentine’s Day Restaurants in Seoul With Valentine’s Day coming up I decided to forgo a restaurant review for the month and instead I wanted to give you a comprehensive list of recommended places that you should take your date. Guys, picking the right restaurant for Valentine’s Day is very important to your romantic wellbeing. And during this time, you should make a reservation. If you don’t have a place to take your beau on this day it is the equivalent of forgetting a special anniversary or birthday. You don’t want to be that guy. It is not enough to just pick the right restaurant. The café or bar is just as important. And girls, it is the millennium. You are more than welcome to make reservations and give hints on the places you would like to go. If you would like, you can have the magazine opened to this article and just strategically circle the restaurants, bars, cafes, you would like to go. A heart or a star should be a good hint. The restaurants on this list have ...

Behind the Hamilton and tucked away to the right of Saint Ex is La Plancha. La Plancha is  high end Spanish steak restaurant that has been around for many years. I've heard about this place for ages yet I had not gone. Now, I don't know why, but maybe it had to do with the fact that each time I have gone to a western style steak restaurant, I simply have not been satisfied.  Over at Yuhwa (near the Hyatt Hotel) the steak I got was a disk of dried meat with a overly syrupy mango sauce. Outback is just god awful, VIPS, or Seven Springs- don't even get me started. The one I had at Mignon, which is near Zelen (right up the hill from La Plancha) was quite possibly the only other steak place I would recommend. Their tenderloin was cooked well and of excellent quality- but a bit over priced at around 38,000 (excluding tax). I went to La Plancha with my Irish friend Gary who is a musician that studied how to build microchips. Now he just travels the world. In about 3 weeks he's...