I was lucky enough to have been invited to Mi Casa for a Spanish Food with International Wine pairing. Mi Casa, which is located on restaurant street, behind Hamilton Hotel is known for their wine and tapas.  At their wine event they were introducing their new chef, Manuel de los Reyes who came to Korea from Barcelona.  The atmosphere at Mi Casa is sumptuous and high tech. The interior has a European, "candlestick" feel but with a really cool, digital wine pouring system so you can sample a small pours of many different wines or a full glass of a wine of your chose. The wines are kept conditioned in their special wine refrigerators so every glass is delicious.  The wines of the evening were all excellently selected. The ones that stood out were the complex 2010 Bodegas Langa Pi 3.1415, the buttery 2012 Pazo Barrantes Albariño, and the robustly plummy 2008 Pagos del Rey Condado de Oriza Reserva but all the wines were excellent. The wines were all paired with great food th...

I just visited Libertine Bar and Restaurant in Itaewon. I had been meaning to visit there for ages but work and married life got in the way. (Wifey, that's not what I meant. I have been meaning to bring you here, girl.)  I decided to pick it for our restaurant's (Brew 3.14) Christmas dinner because I wanted to thank them all for their hard work.  The restaurant has a modern French Bistro feel that is opulent because of the high ceilings, good lighting, and lots of space. I was quite impressed because space comes at a premium in Korea, especially in high rent areas like Itaewon.  We started with a bottle of the Pascual Toro Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 (49,000). It was a nice mellow Cabernet with nice cherry and plum accents. To start we had the spinach and artichoke dip. Good stuff with lots of flavorful cheese in a thick bechemel. I was surprised with the amount of artichoke in it. The pita that it came with was fresh and thick. I wish I had more of i...

Sashimi Platter at O Kitchen Tuna Platter (Susumu's Dinner) Susumu Yongari Whenever I go to O Kitchen I feel like I am visiting old friends. Well, the friends that I would really like to meet: artistic foodies that can hold a decent conversation while juggling knives. This is a place I have visited extensively and so I will let the photos tell the story. The menu during my last visit was: /An Assorted Sashimi Platter that included Sea squirt, halibut, mackerel, snapper and more /A Polenta Cake with soft boiled quail egg /Persimmon Sorbet /A Pastrami cold plate with garden grown carrots /Seafood Pasta with Ugly Ravioli /Chicken Four Ways /Fish Four Ways /Dessert Platter that included Persimmon Pie, Beet dessert topped with Gorgonzola Ice Cream and Chocolate Souffle with mint cream /Coffee Garden Grown Carrot Fish Four Ways Chicken Four ways Dessert Chocolate with Espresso Ice Cream and Mint Cream Beet Souffle with Gorgonz...

This is a guest post written and photographed by the fabulous Megan O'Brien.  Vatos Tacos in Itaewon Vatos Tacos in Itaewon Vatos Tacos in Itaewon Vatos Tacos in Itaewon It is a fact that Korean food is up and coming on the world food scene. It is also a well known that tacos have been making a triumphant comeback for a couple years now. In the U.S., food trucks have been popping up in cities offering a combination of the two in the form of Korean tacos. The simple presentation of tacos provides an opportunity to be creative and artistic with ingredients and the distinct flavors of Korean BBQ is the perfect filling.  Recently in Seoul, two guys from California and Texas, respectively, have been able to successfully offer Korean tacos in a casual, sit-down restaurant format. With the hip name, Vatos Urban Tacos, you get the impression that the guys know a thing or two about what people in Seoul are looking for in a taco and have given taco enthusiasts in Seou...

It is always great to meet other people that share a love of food. I got to meet with Seoul Grub  a couple months back and he is definitely a foodie. His blog is a great resource for those looking for good eats. Here are some of his favorite places in Seoul. Also, if you are interested in contributing a post to Seoul Eats, please contact me at seouleats at gmail dot com. Seoulgrub’s 5 Favorite “Grubberies” in Seoul! In no particular order: Vatos Urban Tacos 1 - Vatos Urban Tacos: A spunky spot located in Itaewon where they serve up “Tacos, Margaritas, and everything in between,” this place does taco’s deliciously. They have incorporated fresh, authentic ingredients to muster up a delicious fusion blend of Mexican and Korean flavored dishes. Staying true to what a taco should be, Vatos Urban Tacos has a variety of tasty taco choices, finger-licking hot sauces (plural), and a great selection of drinks to accompany your meal. I recommend getting each of the different types o...

I don't know why but I had not been back to one of my old haunts in months. I had stopped in from time to time to get sausages at the deli, but I had not stopped in the restaurant in a while. On Sunday, one of my chef friends and I decided to explore non-Korean restaurants in the Itaewon area. My friend, Ulbee, works at a Korean restaurant so she wasn't in the mood to drink soju and have Korean food. Thank goodness because neither was I. Our first stop that evening was at Chef Meili's Austrian restaurant in Itaewon.  Chef Meili is known for his sausages and his Vienner Schnitzel and his gluhwein. I have indulged in his restaurant many times in the past (especially during the holiday seasons). I don't know why but his food reminds of my holidays back home.  Sure enough as soon as I stepped in, the chef, Christian Meilinger, was there to greet me. He is a big, boisterous guy and he said, "wow, it's a surprise to see you." We talked a bit and I s...

Seoul is always full of surprises and I always see something new as I wander the city with friends. While visiting Namsan Tower I saw a Hell's Angels-like crew of Korean Police officers parked near the tower. I don't know why they were there but I don't think there was some raid or anything.  The interesting thing about the police officers are the bikes- they drive nice bikes. Most of the bikes are either Harley Davidson's or BMW bikes. That's pretty cool, right? The Popo in Seoul cruise in style. If you go over to the Samcheongdong area you'll see a big fence that has a very interesting painting of a naked Mona Lisa. Look how they have strategically placed the trees. I also love the blush on her cheeks.  The display is an advertisement for an art show at the National Museum of Art that will show naked pieces of art. Lunch was at a tteokgalbi place over in Samcheongdong. I don't remember the name of the place but it is on the corner from S...