Chef Edward Kwon at Lab XXIV Edward Kwon Edward Kwon's Lab XXIV This is my unedited review for Edward Kwon's Lab XXIV. You can see the version on Seoul Selection's Magazine here:  http://www.seoulselection.com/seoul/?p=3490   There is also a great interview with the chef  http://www.seoulselection.com/seoul/?p=3628 Lab XXIV: A Conundrum Resolves By Daniel Gray Lab XXIV sounds like a molecular bistro that every Ferran Adria wannabe starts with their molecular cuisine starter kits filled with agar-agar, calcium lactate, and soy lecithin. I know, lots of scrumptious sounding stuff. It seemed as if the Chef, Mr. Edward Kwon, was seeking to reinvent himself especially after his hushed-over expulsion(?) from his previous endeavor, Spice.  Luckily, the menu was more contemporary European, rather than molecular as words such as foie gras, veloute, feuille, and jus jumped up at us. The atmosphere of Lab xxiv is sleek like a Mercedes with polished glas...

Open Kitchen, High Ceilings Edward Kwon is like Ironman. He's brash, he's rich, he's very outspoken and he is known to over exaggerate. Rumors circulate around this man like a tabloid newspaper under the influence of absinthe.  Now at the end of the day, it's the food that counts. Now, I have to say that the food at Edward Kwon's The Spice lives up to the hype for the price point. You get more than you pay for and the food, I think (but don't tell Mr. Kwon), is a bit under priced for the quality you receive. For example, the Prestige dinner is priced at 39,500 won. With tax and service the meal comes to about 45,000 won for a 4 course meal. In this post, I'm going to focus on the Prestige Dinner - for I feel it's his best course. The concept of "The Spice" seems to be a culinary education. Each plate comes with a confetti of tastes, textures, and worldly ingredients. For example, the first course is: "Foie Gras, Poussin, Pork Bel...

Chef Edward Kwon is a charismatic chef that has big plans for his restaurants in Korea. His restaurants are very successful here and he holds tight to his culinary philosophy. For one, he refuses to serve pickles with his pastas. When customers complain about that he or his staff go over and explain that pickles don't fit in with cuisine. He's a brave soul, fighting for what he believes in, and his food is quite good. I had his mushroom veloute and it was a marvelous soup- it was more cappuccino (foam-wise) than soup. It's a big soup, enough for a meal, even without Korean side dishes. (Oh, and he refuses to serve side-dishes with his meals as well.) The other dish I got was an open-faced chicken sandwich served on a brioche bun dressed with truffle aioli. I think all of what I just said seems like it would belong in NYC rather than in Seoul. Although, they were a bit heavy on the truffle aioli. It was a flavor experience I often had to travel on a plane to get. His new...

At the Shinsegae Department Store, guess who I saw working in the kitchen? I saw Korea's celebrity chef, Edward Kwon. This guy has a TV show and he is planning to open a major restaurant and there he was on the line preparing for the lunch rush. You've gotta respect a man with that sort of dedication. Edward Kwon was originally going to become a priest before he discovered his love of cooking. He has since worked in America and in Dubai. His new goal is to globalize Korean cuisine. Eddy's Cafe in the Sinsegae Department Store at the Express Bus Terminal is a breath of fresh air. They offer very California-style, gourmet meals at ordinary prices. You'll see lots of fresh leaves, nuts, and vinegarettes. I hope this is a trend that will catch on. Here are some pictures of Edward Kwon's dishes. These are not dishes that you'll find at Eddy's Cafe. These are press shots that I received for a project I worked on about him.

A family enjoying the food. Posh Interior Most of the staff and waitstaff can speak English and Korean. Side Salad with the entree. It had a sherry vinegarette. 2,000 won with the entree. Roasted Chicken with Cherry and Raisin compote, argula and bread. W14,000. Close up. Excellent coffee with rich crema. 4,000 won. The fruit dessert had chunks of peach, pear and kiwi (they should have been cut smaller in a vanilla cream custard and topped with whipped cream, pistachios and mint leaves. It was delectable and well worth the 9,000 won. Eddy's Cafe Edward Kwon is Korea's new celebrity chef and he's got the skills and the look to make it big. His cafe concept, which seems reminiscent of Wolfgang Puck, has opened at the Shinsegae department store at the Express Bus Terminal. I was told by the manager, It's the first of many, many." Here you can get big salads with toppings such as "roasted cherries, hazelnuts, and cheddar beignet (W8,500)" or ...

Edward Kwon Roasted fig, arugula and cherry tomato confit! Entrees Soups Soups Salads. I'm noticing that he likes cherries. Hmmm...Tomatillos in Korea. Interesting. Here is the menu. It has a fresh, California style food- it reminds me a bit of Wolfgang Puck's bistros.