EAT옛골토성 청계산점
Korean
Korean cuisine (hansik) is built around balance — fermented sides (banchan), a steaming bowl of rice, and a main dish that changes with the season. Meals are served all at once rather than in courses, and sharing dishes at the table is the norm. The depth of flavor comes from slow-fermented pastes like doenjang (soybean) and gochujang (chili), which form the backbone of soups, stews, and marinades across the country.
Seocho-gu — home to Seoul's arts corridor, the Supreme Court, and upscale residential areas — has a refined dining culture to match its address. Garosugil in Seocho is particularly known for its café-lined tree canopy street. Restaurants here tend toward the polished and premium, often with outdoor terraces and wine lists to match.
It's located a bit off the hiking trail entrance. I went there because the popular spots usually have long wait times. Hmm, there weren't even 5 groups of customers, but it took 40 minutes to prepare. I was hungry so I had no choice but to order acorn jelly, but it finally came out after 30 minutes, so I had a soju and beer mix with onions. The waitress seemed a bit flustered. The food tasted just so-so.
After hiking Cheonggyesan Mountain, I sat down at a cool outdoor table and enjoyed chicken stew and seasoned seaweed. The aunt's cooking was delicious, and the owner was very friendly. There weren't many customers early in the morning, but around noon, lunchtime, I felt like there were a lot of regulars.
Korean blogger posts. Links open original posts on Naver.
