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...

(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...

Chef Ciarian Hickey over at the W-Hotel is one of the last foreign head chefs in Seoul. He has had his position for almost 5 years because he is constantly innovating. Over his tenure he has made the W-hotel 'The Hip' venue for Seoulites in Seoul. His champagne brunch is top notch and so are the meals over at Kitchen. Chef Hickey also came up with the  humongous X-burger (which I haven't had a chance to try.)  I have had his other burger and that is pretty darn tasty. These days over at the W-Hotel, they have a BYOB promotion. BYOB is bring your own bottle night. You can bring your own bottle of wine and have it with the menu the W-hotel will prepare. This is a great idea and something I am looking forward to going to again. Now you can pick your own bottle and share it with others without having to pay Hotel prices for wine. Plus the food is darn tasty. The dinner per person is only 100,000 won and with the luxury of bringing your own bottle, I'm totally there. ...

Taste Makers at Liquid Namu Chef Ciaran Hickey of the W-Hotel told me about this exciting event at their bar Liquid at their premium restaurant. They'll be having a tasting of fine French wines and pairing them with AOC French cheeses. A night with fine wines and fine cheeses? It sounds like a perfect evening.  The cost is only 70,000 won a person and it is on Wednesday (tomorrow night) from 8pm to 10am. You can reserve at Namu : 02-2022-0222 or email at namu.wseoul@whotels.com

Our sponsors, Suji's has a new wine special at their Itaewon Branch. It is Rapaura Springs wine from New Zealand. The wines are very good and excellently priced. Seriously, to get a good New Zealand White Wine for this price is outstanding. The wine is excellent as well. The Pinot Gris is bright, a tad silvery, and sharp. My favorite is the Sauvignon Blanc which is citrousy with a nice bouquet. I haven't had the Pinot Noir yet. I recommend you go check them out with some of Suji's great food. In celebration of their wine celebration promotion. Suji's is giving away 2 sandwich gift certificates to the readers of Seoul Eats. To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment after this post about an experience you had at Suji's (hopefully good, but if you had a bad experience let them know so they can improve). I would like to thank Suji's Restaurant for supporting Seoul Eats.  Dan Come take a cooking class or take a Culinary Tour in Seoul! http://w...

Dear Seoul Eats Readers, You can't just eat all the time, right? I wanted to let you know about some events in Seoul. Some have to do with food and wine. It's a great way to get to meet other foodies in the community. Seoul Players will be presenting Wintertime by Charles Mee at Roofers in Itaewon from November 26th to December 12th. They always do a great production, so I am definitely looking forward to it. My friend Benjamin Joineau of Le Saint-Ex in Itaewon will be celebrating his 10 year reunion. He is the person that started the whole Itaewon restaurant trend and I'm glad to hear he has been successful. He is having his anniversary party on December 1st and there will be cooking classes and cheese (mmmm...cheese) tastings this month as well. Click Read More, See More to see the complete details. Another French friend, Thomas Scheidt from World Vine will be having their Harvest celebration on Saturday, November 27th. Finally, my culinary school, O'ngo F...

Food and Wine Pairing at Pierre Gagnaire 75,000 for Pierre Gagnaire is a huge bargain. I'm going if I can find a date. Food & Wine Pairing Exclusive Event @ Pierre's Bar Apr 22, around 7pm Enjoy tasting of 5 different wines with Pierre Gagnaire Cuisine and get personal advice of our expert on food and wine pairing. Snacking Chic á la Gagnaire matching with French Wines from Vinestock selected by Thomas Scheidt Wine Director Sommelier and Reynald Marin Manager Sommelier of Pierre Gagnaire á Seoul. Price/pers: 75000 Won To make a reservation, please call Pierre Gagnaire Hostess desk, seats are limited (50 persons). www.pierregagnaire.co.kr/

Josh Hall from www.winekorea.blogspot.com has a bottle of wine between his legs. Why? Well, because we were drinking wine on a cold winter day and we needed to bring the wine up to temperature in order to bring out the flavor. Yeah...fun. Check out the funniness here. Dan

WinPrestigious Wine Tasting from Luca Abrate winery, young talented Winemaker from the Langhe area in Piemonte (Italy) Please see below the 4 wines we would showcase (only upper range wines) - 2007 Barbera d'Alba D.O.C. "Castelve", 100% Barbera - 2007 Nebbiolo d'Alba D.O.C. "Brico Rotondo",100% Nebbiolo - 2006 Barbaresco D.O.C.G. "Clarin", 100% Nebbiolo - 2001 Nebbiolo d'Alba D.O.C. "Ceisa", 100% Nebbiolo * 장소 : 바인스톡 와인테이스팅 룸 * 참가비 : 35,000 원(8명 선착순) ( 4 아이템 루카씨 와인과 신선한 바게트, 미니 샌드위치류 포함입니다.) * 계좌번호 : 신한은행 110-274-423290, 예금주-바인스톡 (입금시 반드시 이름을 남겨 주시고,행사 당일 및 전날에는 입금 금액이 환불 되지 않습니다.) * 문의 : 바인스톡 서래마을 매장 02-536-6081 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Place : Wine Tasting Room at VineStock * Fee : 35,000 won (8 pax maximum) FYI., Wines not yet imported by VINESTOCK CO.,LTD. among them his incredible 2001 Nebbiolo d'...

What happens when a Wine Sommelier does a tasting of Korea's Max Beer? Look at the video to find out. This is my buddy Josh Hall from www. Winekorea.blogspot.com .

Two years ago, I was reunited with my Korean Mother. For those that don't know, I was adopted by my wonderful American parents when I was 5 years old. My Korean mother is an amazing woman. Back in the early 80's she raised me as a single mom. This was unheard of during the time because there was a lot of social stigma attached to this. During that time, a child that was born out of wedlock was ineligible to go to school, go to the military--hence, unable to gain a foothold in society. She begged my father and my stepmother to take me in and I lived with them for 2 years before I was put up for adoption. She requested an international adoption because she knew that I would have more opportunities than a domestic adoption. She knew that we would be reunited one day. In fact, she never left the address that she wrote on the contact information when she put me up for adoption. She believed if she moved, it would have been difficult for me to fin...

                       WINE CLASS - The “Necessary” Package: 70,000 won(VAT별도)/per class - The “Expert” package: 100,000 won(VAT별도)/per class - The “ultimate Vinestock Afficionados” Package: 150,000 won(VAT별도)/per class                                                             PS:  available depth sessions of Wine from all over the world (France, USA, Chile etc…) or region (Burgundy, Piemonte, Barossa Valley etc...) depending on guest requests. If you want to have more details about each package,  just click the address below  Thank you http://cafe.naver.com/ vi...

From  Monday December 7 until Saturday December 19, VineStock will have a Wine Tasting of 5 different wines (1 white /4 reds) Promotion operation hours: 11am-8.30pm (Monday to Friday)                                          11am-5.00pm (Saturday) Please see below the selection White: - 2008 Gewuztraminer "Les Folastries" - Domaine Josmeyer (ALSACE/France) Red: - 2005 Chianti "Classico" - Carpineto (TOSCANA/Italia) - 2005 Cotes de Provence "Terre de Croix" - Chateau Roubine (PROVENCE/France) - 2006 Bordeaux Cotes de Francs - Chateau Pimpine (BORDEAUX/France) - 2004 Marsannay - Domaine Joseph Roty (BOURGOGNE/France) Price per person: 25000 Won Fresh French baguette will be provided during the tasting PS: Glasses to be used : INAO (Professional Tas...

Today I was invited to Vinestock in Seorae Maeul: the French District in Seoul. There I got to meet Thomas Scheidt and his wife Jung Eun Lim. They have a boutique wine shop. The Arboreum Brand of Olive Oils are used in all of Alain Ducasse's restaurants. It tastes like summer grass and with a herbacious bite that hits in the back of the throat. It's one of the best Olive Oils that I've ever had. This is a Sauvignon Blanc that they had called Inspire. It looks a little like a ginseng root, but it's supposed to be a grape vine. Here is some 20 year old balsamico called Antico. I want one of these in my stocking for Christmas. Readers, I like gifts (hint, hint). And here are some real olives that a flavor that bites back. http://cafe.naver.com/vinestock.cafe?iframe_url=/ArticleRead.nhn%3Farticleid=6 VineStock 02-536-6081 Email I'll be writing more about this place soon. Dan 크게 보기

Our amazing wine warehouse sale is happening this Saturday at 12pm-5pm at Vin Vino in Itaewon. Please RSVP now as space is limited. You'll have the chance to try 50 boutique wines from around the World! It's a great opportunity to try some of our new wines, and it's also one of the only times that you can buy a mixed case. Come and join us on the 5th or the 12th. But, RSVP now as space is limited! Send us a quick message on facebook if you'd like to join us or email me directly at loriannwarriner@yahoo.com! Hope to see you there! -Lori

Located across from Cheil Worldwide is Vin Vino: Wine and Tapas. They have a full cellar with a wide selection of wine. The space is very open with high ceilings. It's the perfect place to meet up with friends and enjoy a nice bottle of wine with some tapas. Here is the cheese plate. Not bad for 12,000. There are a wide selection of tapas. I really liked the cheese plate. The rest...well, not for me, but I'm sure other people would like them. What I really wanted were some nice black olives, maybe a spinach dip with warm bread... The sommeliers are knowledgeable and polite. Here is my friend Andrew with his lamb lollipop. This was a great dish because it comes with mash potatoes and gravy for dipping. Plus, you get to eat it like a lollipop. Vin Vino  02-711-9171

Here's the info and you can sign up on facebook. Host: Vin Vino Wine Club- Seoul Network: Global Start Time: Monday, November 28, 2009 at 5pm End Time: Friday, November 28, 2009 at 8:00pm Location: Vin Vino Wine & Tapas Bar- Itaewon Description This month we will be have our "Blind Wine Tasting"- judge for yourself to see which countries have the best wines! This will be a fun event for all levels- prizes for the best guessers! contact us for details! Date: Nov 28th (Sat) Time: 5:00pm Price: 45,000 Won- includes all wines, food, and presentation. Guests get special access to discount prices if interested in ordering some for home delivery.

Dear friends, Nothing special to do on this Friday, early evening? Please come and enjoy a white wines tasting at my place: , which is located in Jongno. Go here for the website and for directions Wines from Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Riesling and rare Manseng will welcome you for a nice moment… Feeling the Elegance of white wines and Living guitar&violin music show would be the themes of the party ! For more information, just check the link below. http://wine.meetup.com/784/calendar/9894874/ Hope to see you there. Have a great day, Yours Arnaud Abadi President of Terroir Sélection Mobile: 010-2923-7020

La Bocca. In Itaewon. It's a Cafe, Italian Pastry, Deli and Wine Bar. Does it suffer from the Korean bibimbap factor of trying to mix too much into the pot? Unju and I went to La Bocca in Itaewon last week. The menu looked very impressive. I mean real prociutto and salami with high quality cheeses...; it sounds like heaven. The bread was perfect. The crust cracked and there was a plush density to the loaf. It's a wonderous combination of air (yeast) and earth (grain). It's the perfect carrier for the meats and cheeses. The eggplant sopped up the flavors of vinegar and oil. The argula added a piquant green, the bresoala was marbled and cured like it should be- a small amount of it had enough flavor to fill the entire loaf-, and the gorgonzola cheese added the right amount of mystery. The interior was contemplative and well thought out. For dessert we had the Tre Chocolat e Zucca. Pumpkin Cream with 3 different chocolate mousses. You had me at Pumpkin. Yum. Oh, and the dark c...

Gluhwien Tonight I'm going to be hosting a quiet New Years celebration. People would probably like to know what is on the menu. My theory on appetizers is that it should be able to be eaten with the fingers with minimal mess and disturbance of conversations. Appetizers should also have a liberally based theme. Also all of this should be done without breaking the bank. The drink that everyone is aching for is gluhwien- the warmed mulled wine. I view gluhwein as a warm Sangria and I think the best food to mix with this would be "slightly Mexican." I have been doing a recipe search for Gluhwien and one the first nugget of information I found is that it literally translate to "Glow Wine"- I think it is perfectly named. Here are the some of the recipes I found. This is from ShanghaiExpat The recipe I use is a little bit different than kilted-txn but is a tried and true recipe passed on through my family. Hmm...I cannot wait to drink this over Christmas! 3/4 cup ...