I wanted to give a quick thanks to my sponsors and let you know about the specials going on. Today is Tuesday and that means Buy 1 get 1 free Fish N Chips at the Wolfhound Pub in Itaewon. Tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo and Tomatillo will have specials all day: Cinco de Mayo specials at the Jongak Store all day:12,000 won Steak Fajita Platters...2,000won Naked Chicken Tacos...4,000won Mini Chili Cheese Nachos...4,000won Mexican Beer...19,000 Lime Marg Pitchers Lugo Italian Restaurant is Seoul Eats newest sponsor and they have 1/2 price glasses of wine on Monday night. (sorry, you'll have to go there next week).   Thank you so much to all of the sponsors. Oh, and other news, the O'ngo Food Cooking Studio will be opening this Saturday! We will be holding classes there soon. More details to follow. Cheers, Dan Want to advertise on Seoul Eats? Here's this link for rates.

This was published in the Friday, March 12th 2010 issue of the Korea Herald. Italian food isn't hard to find, but popularity doesn't mean that just any spaghetti would be something that an Italian would find palatable.  Of course, there are the reliable standbys such as Sortinos in Itaewon, Seoul, Antonio in Cheongdam and Primo Baci Baci in Hongdae. But for every reliable Italian restaurant, there are at least three duds. So are there any good new Italian restaurants in Seoul? I was determined to find out. I chose three: Dam Dam in Hongdae, J and T Trattoria near Seoul National University and Lugo in Apgujeong. Each has positives and negatives, and since they are different price ranges, there's one for everyone's budget. Dam Dam 2595 In a hidden Hongdae back alley is a cute little restaurant. It has a brick exterior with moss growing between the cracks - appropriate for a good first impression. Its two-syllable name, "Dam Dam," is a holler to every...

Dear Seoul Eats Readers, I hope you are all eating well. The last Seoul Eats Meet-up with the 2S2 Seoul Community group went very well. We had over 30 people come out. We started with Tteok Mandu-guk (Rice Cake and Dumpling Soup) then went and had corn hotteok, and then we went to a cafe. Everyone had a good time. I wanted to let you know that I would like to do another Seoul Eats meet-up this Saturday on Janurary 23, 2010 at 12:30pm. This week it will be at Lugo Italian Restaurant in Apgujeong. Recently, I met the chef, Mark Battle and I was totally impressed with his philosophy of cooking and the cuisine that he is bringing to Seoul. The interior of Lugo has a kinetic New York feel to it and his menu doesn't have your typical, boring Italian Fare. The thing I found most impressive on his menu was his mozzarella made to order and topped with figs or topped with prosciutto and roasted peppers. Because the mozzarella is made seconds before arriving at your table, it retains...

As the Lugo Caffe website states, "Since the 1950’s of Fellini’s Rome, the world over has been captured by the dream of ‘la dolce vita’. As the cornerstone of Lugo Tailored Lifestyle , Lugo Caffé brings that very dream to life." Oh-- and was it ever so dolce ~ yum. Thanks to this man, executive chef, Mark Battle and his right hand man, sous-chef Jeff. Greeted with some bubbly prosecco and a delightful spread of pepper infused olive oil and white bean spread. Next, an impressive line-up from the antipasto section: Fresh mozzarella made to order with perreroncini-roasted peppers, salumi and fresh mozzarella with prosciutto de parma, fig jam. insalata cesare with ricotta ravioli croutons Now for the secondi - Costolette di mailale (Pork chops with an apple mustard seed sauce) Spigola in cartoccio (Sea bass with carmalized onions, roasted wild mushrooms and lemon) Fettuccine ai frutti di mare (homemade fettuccine, clams, shrimp, mussels,...