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...

Here is another Guest Review. This one is written by Bigskyseoul from the blog C.R.E.A.M  . If you would like to write a guest review go here. Thanks Big Sky for the Review, Dan                                                                                       "Gangnam is full of illustrious restaurants to fit any appetite, but if you're in the mood for sushi (and come on, why wouldn't you be?) then get on the waiting list at 갓덴스시. As you take exit 12 from Gangnam station walk only a few dozen feet to find 갓덴스시 on your left, just up some stairs. You might have to put your name on a waiting list as the place has a solid following. Trust me though, it is worth the wait. Take a seat at one of the many tables adjacent to the conveyor belt and wait until you see something ta...

Tasting notes. Drinks are sweet but very inventive. I got a blue margarita with sharks in it. The sharks were filled with strawberry daquiri. Good drinks and great if you are in a festive New Orleans mood. I ordered the couples tasting menu (~30,000) We started with the Oysters Rockefeller. They were cute but needed more seasoning. The green bread crumbs that try battered it with didn't make it amazing. The Po boy sandwich tasted great. I loved the spicy remolade and the veggies on the bread. I don't know if it was homemade bread but it was very good. The star of all the dishes was the chicken gumbo. It was flavor rich with cajun spices, okra, dirty rice, chicken and sausage. It was thick gumbo i prefer, but the flavor was spot on with the right mix of cayenne, celery salt and garlic. The gumbo is proof that chef has some skills. We also got a shrimp course and the shrimp came out plump and poppy and the breading was crisp. There was one little problem. The oysters Rockefel...

  So, I got a letter from Steve who is visting Seoul: Dan, Love the blog. Thanks so much. So I'm visiting Seoul and I need a recommendation for Kalbijim. Do you have a favorite place? S. Hi Steve, thanks for reading the blog and sure I do. Here it is. Dan Gangnam Myeonok Galbijjim has become one of those ubiquitous dishes that show up everywhere. The appearance of this at an event signified that this was truly a special occasion. It must have something to do with the slowly braised ribs in a seasoned soy/sesame marinade. One of the reason it is special is the rare and expensive ingredients: beef ribs. The second reason is the time it takes to make this dish. One of the best places to get this is at Gangnam Myeonok. Here the galbijjim is cooked so finely that it literally melts off the bone and becomes delicious savoriness in your mouth. The sauce is incredible. It is a soy-sesame beef gravy that has a hint of sweetness. This dish pairs well with their homemade kimchis and their bee...

Here is a guest post from A Fat Girl's Food Guide written and photographed by the fabulous Gemma. It has been reprinted with permission. Be sure to check our her great cooking and eating tips. Thanks Gemma, Dan Another day, another gastro-pub. Just around the corner from my job is the aptly named  Gastro Pub. We spotted it quite a while ago now but didn’t really think it would be up to much, so we never investigated further. However last night we were released from work rather early. There was time before the bus came so we thought we would take a look at the menu. The place was so much bigger than I had expected and not what I had imagined at all. We’re hardly in a desolate wasteland of restaurants but I certainly wasn’t expecting anything like this. A big industrial warehouse type space. This restaurant is very deceiving from the outside. A huge long bar greets you as you enter then a large sized restaurant is beyond, with a large terrace at the back which would be perfect for s...

Japanese Spaghetti is not a gimmick. It is done with precision and flair. They can do authentic Italian like spaghetti with meat sauce and carbonara. They can also do Japanese-style spaghetti with natto or seaweed and fermented fish eggs. The place looks like an upscale ramen shop and they display the different pastas in the window. I ordered a set which came with 2 types of pasta and a choice of dessert for 15,000 won. Sets are 15,000 a person Yomenya Goemon: Japanese Spaghetti Seocho-gu Seocho Daero 77-gil 7 02-534-8036

This is a guest review written by a member of the Seoul Community. These are not opinions of the owner of the site, Seoul Eats. If you would like to submit a guest review please go  here. Written by jakemapstheseoul  Pictures by One Chu Visited October-November 2012 I wouldn’t consider myself a hardcore café enthusiast but I have been to quite a number of them, many chain ones but also many independent places as well. Hailing from the coffee capital of America (Seattle), cafés are everywhere. For me, the atmosphere is one of the most important aspects. I think the atmosphere is definitely an area where owners should want to focus on to make the customers feel welcome- whether they’re staying for a few minutes or grabbing cup to go. I think the café decor, arrangement of the seating area, lighting and the general surrounding should all be taken into consideration when creating the space. For me, Music is important—my taste consists of a mix between old school, underground hip hop with ...

(Click images for sources) If you're traveling to Korea and looking for some bars in Seoul, there’s plenty to choose from. But we’re all trying to save a bit of cash, right? Find out where to go in Seoul for free refills on alcohol so you can get wasted the cheapest way possible! (This post was originally posted at seoulistic.com ) Ssada! Maekju! in Hongdae I'm  Sexy  Cheap and I Know it The title doesn't leave much to the imagination (ssada maekju = "It's cheap! Beer!"). So if having a few beers at a cheap price is your idea of a good time, head over to Hongdae to find this college town watering hole. Hopefully, you'll be surprised by the better-than-expected interior along with the inexpensive anju (안주). But who are you kidding. The only reason you're reading this is because you want to find a cheap place to go drinking in Seoul. And this place has got what you want: free refills for draft beers (8,000 won/person) and soju (5,000won/person). Tip: The...