Here is the latest review from Jonathan Bates. He takes on Niji Part 2 Restaurant near Ewha University. Would you like to contribute to Seoul Eats? Do you have a restaurant you would like us to review? Send me an e-mail to Seouleats at gmail dot com  Opinions expressed in this review are from Jonathan Bates and not of my own. Dan Written and Photographed by Jonathan Bates White Day. Sound familiar? It should – seeing as it was just a few days ago. In a nutshell it’s the Korean version of Valentines Day so you may have noticed (I don’t know how you couldn’t) couples in vast number inundating shops, cafes, and restaurants with romantic zeal. Being in a relationship with a Korean meant that my participation in White Day festivities was not a choice but an expectation. Since I was the half responsible for V-Day, my partner took the reigns and thrust us right into the heart of the not oft-traveled area of Ewha Women’s University and into the uber chic course restaurant, Niji...

Hold the Gnocchi Written and Photographed by Jonathan Bates My friend invited my partner and I to her birthday this past weekend, which was to be held at an Italian restaurant named Sortino’s. Needless to say that I was less than excited when she told me it was in Itaewon as it not being my favorite area and offering little more than overpriced and mediocre-grade “western” restaurants among other things. Nevertheless, we put on our winter gear and hit the streets of Itaewon, eager for some good Italian food. I must confess that I was doubtful of having truly great, let alone good, Italian food in Korea as I was raised in a house with my grandparents who were “Off-the-boat” Italians. I knew that my friend had good taste and a knack for the finer things in life so I was hopeful that she wouldn’t steer a group of festive partygoers into utter disaster. She didn’t. Getting to the restaurant (which we found with ease), we told the hostess we were with “Harry Potter” (yes, my friend ...

Written by Jonathan Bates Photographs by Luis Carlos Cobo Paella for Two? The night started off with my friend exclaiming “I want something European, NOT Korean.” Not that she dislikes Korean, just that she was tired of the same old galbi and bibimbap. We have all been there at one time or another so I was definitely game. There was this Spanish restaurant, La Paella, I had always walked by in Hongdae and was eager to try so we quickly decided that was where we were going. The first thing we noticed once in the restaurant was that it was aesthetically warm and definitely had a Spanish air to it. It was a fairly petite restaurant in size and had some people waiting in the foyer but we were quickly seated and the hostess was quick with the water. I was impressed up to this point and was excited to have some Spanish food again, especially after finding out that the chefs were from Spain themselves (through the large window that lets you view them work as they create their dishes)....

I am happy to announce that Jonathan Bates will be a new contributor to Seoul Eats. He has been surveying the Korean Restaurant scene and he is ready to let us know which places he recommends. Thank you Jonathan for joining the team. If you are interested in contributing to Seoul Eats with a video, review, announcement, or general tomfoolery related to food, feel free to send me an e-mail at seouleats at gmail dot com Dan Come take a cooking class or take a Culinary Tour in Seoul! http://www.ongofood.com Pictures are taken either with my Panasonic DMC-G2 Camera with 20mm Lens or with my iPhone 4G