Western-style Korean
Western food has been localized in Seoul over decades, emerging as something distinctly Korean in the process. Demi-glace pork cutlets, cream pasta with kimchi, and French-style brunch menus sit alongside Italian pizza and American burgers in Seoul's eclectic restaurant landscape. Many younger Korean chefs trained abroad and returned to open restaurants that blend European technique with Korean ingredients and sensibility.
Gangnam-gu
Gangnam-gu is Seoul's upscale business and entertainment district south of the Han River. Home to K-pop entertainment companies, COEX Mall, and the Apgujeong-Rodeo shopping strip, it attracts young professionals, tourists, and K-drama fans. Restaurants here tend toward the polished and premium, with a density of international cuisine, high-end Korean dining, and trendy cafés.
I went there for lunch with a friend. It caught my eye because it was located near my friend's office. Perhaps because it's a basement restaurant, it wasn't crowded. It opens at 11 a.m. and closes at 11 p.m., and I heard it's open on Sundays. Wondaegutang is located on the right side of the building after exiting Seolleung Station Exit 5. Turn right at Victoria Building, then turn left at the next intersection and you'll find it on the right. It's open 24/7, so if you're looking for daegutang in the area, check it out. It's not the same as the one in Yongsan. Daegutang is 10,000 won, and daegugoni-tang is 12,000 won. The side dishes include cabbage kimchi, cubed radish kimchi, seasoned seaweed, and stir-fried fish cakes. The stir-fried fish cakes were so delicious I ordered more, but the owner had bad knees, so they brought some from the kitchen. It's not particularly tasty, but it's filling when eaten with rice.
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