Seoul Eats

Bakery Napoleon has a long history of making fine breads in Korea. Although many of the breads cater to the Korean palate (such as green tea, rice cake, cheese, bread) they have world class skills for desserts and their croissants. I have to say that their croissants are the closest you'll get to a partisan croissant in Korea. I love a good croissant in the morning with coffee and I am disappointed with many of the franchise croissants that have a sugary glaze on a burnt top (yes, Paris Croissant and Paris Baguette that dig was made at you.) They have a coup of misses in my book such as their famous red bean paste bread that the chocolate bread which just like a hotdog bun they put red bean or chocolate pudding in. But apparently, people flock here for those stuffed breads so my opinion must not count. Their coffee is not very good either and I decided not to get brunch or pasta or salad at a bakery. With that said, their croissants, cakes and tarts are worth the journey and that

When I think of Gastropubs I am reminded of bar hopping in Portland Oregon and in NYC. The bars are serious about their drinks as well as their food. There is a bit of haughty pretentiousness when you enter these establishments and you should prove you know your shit or you'll lose credibility and then it will take forever to get a drink. 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

I am very interested in hearing what you have to say about this restaurant. I have been here main times and I have written reviews on it for various publications but my reviews are not timeless. With out new review plugin you can write your own review. Here are some pics that I took tonight. Tell me what you think. 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

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

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 (

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

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 hou

There are many European expats including French businessmen that live in Seoul. Some of the perks they get from living in the beautiful Korean city are the low cost of living, great public transportation, security, and convenience. There are many stores, restaurants, and bakeries that are just walking distance from each other. You can wake up late at night for some quick snack or enjoy freshly-baked bread for breakfast. If you think that Seoul is all about Kimchi, Japchae, Bulgogi, and Bibimpap, then you got it all wrong. Some of you may be surprised to find out that there are many French patisseries or in Korean “patissier” in Seoul. Many Korean bakers even traveled to France to train before opening their own bakery in this megacity. If you are tired of eating meat, vegetables, and rice during your stay in Seoul, then grab some bread and pastries at any of these French bakeries: Publique Craving for traditional French bread? Head to Hongdae where you will find Publique , a French pati

So after some thought and soul searching I think I know what my problem is. I want it all and I need action to make it happen but I have taken too much on so I am left in a state of inaction. I have a good life and I make a good living in a very enjoyable fashion. At times I don't feel I deserve this but it came quite naturally. I feel like I need a bit or a challenge in my life and I think this is why I take on new projects. In the end, I need focus. I have too many devices and I get confused about how to manage all of my conversations and they end up as meandering tangents. I want to be more creative as well. I used to write stories and poems and screenplays but that part of me seems a bit lost. I also don't want to lose what I have. So do I have a solution? No. Not yet but an idea is starting to bloom. Lets see what comes of it.

I had another epic weekend. Te weather was great and I had great guests visit us in Seoul. Friday I went out to Koelli Pochana with my friends for dinner. The pad Thai there was pretty good. The whole place has a grungy feel to it like being on the streets in Thailand. I like the food but I think a tad over priced for the atmosphere (12,000 for pad Thai, 15,000 for panaeng curry). In the curry I did like the mushrooms and thickness of the curry. Afterwards I won't to he magpie basement to grab some beers and a slice of pizza. The pizzas were ok. They were crispy on the bottom, the cheese was cooked till brown but the dough needs something. It just doesn't have the right body- it is a bit airy. Saturday I had a food tour all day and then I saw the lantern festival at night. Now I am sitting and about to watch Iron Man 3 in 4D. More on that later. Dan