Pho’na Thai (포나타이)
Review by Kristen O’Brien, ETA 2014-2016 City: Seoul Restaurant Name: Pho’na Thai (포나타이) Food Served: Thai, Vietnamese Restaurant Address: 1) Sinchon-ro 155, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 서울특별시 서대문구 신촌로 155 120-809 2) Gaepo-ro 621, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 서울특별시 강남구 개포로 621 SH공사 View Map Directions: I visited the branch in Sinchon (right near Ewha Women’s University). Take Line 2 the green line to Ewha Women’s University Station, exit 1. Walk straight, away from the other subway exits. If you keep walking, you’ll pass two side streets on your right (pass a post office). At the next street, you will find yourself at a big 4-way intersection. On the corner (on your right) is a NH bank, and the restaurant is right there. You have to go up to the 2nd floor up a ramp to get there. Cost: ~8,000 won and up The price of this restaurant varies by dish, but the prices are very reasonable. The decor is very nice, with cushioned seats, and it sits on the 2nd floor so you get a nice view of the streets below. There is seating for people dining alone, and even seating for groups of people. This restaurant has the best pad thai and the best pho I’ve had in Korea. I always get the pad thai here, and I also love their Vietnamese iced coffee! The food here is very delicious and fresh, and the coffee is really, really good. If you’re looking for great Thai and Vietnamese food, I highly recommend this place! It’s also perfect for a shopping trip to Ewha. If you’re already shopping along the main strip, just shop your way along it, and once you reach the end and find yourself hungry, stop at Pho’na ^^ [slideshow_deploy id=’4233′]
D. Queens (디 퀸즈)
Review by Kristen O’Brien, ETA 2014-2016 City: Seoul Restaurant Name: D. Queens (디 퀸즈) Food Served: Brunch, Italian Restaurant Address: 1) Coex Mall (1st floor, I-104) 서울시 강남구 삼성동 159 코엑스몰 지하 1층 I-104호 2) Hannam Branch 서울시 용산구 한남동 273-2 View Map Directions: I went to the Coex location! Take the subway to Line 2, Samseong Station exit 5 or 6. The mall is directly connected. Cost: 15,000+ won This restaurant is pricey with meals starting at 15,000 won and up. Salad starts around 11,000 won, and the portion sizes are very small. Despite all that, this restaurant has the most legitimate spaghetti and meatballs I’ve ever tasted in Korea. They are juicy, tender, herby, and meaty. It was served with perfectly al dente pasta in a mini skillet, coated in a warm tomato sauce. I was licking the sauce off the plate once I finished. I also had the ricotta salad, and then carrot cake cheesecake for dessert. The ricotta salad…I can only rave about it. They have mixed nuts, a big helping of creamy ricotta cheese scooped on top, cranberries, and a delicious glaze-like dressing. I’ve had a lot of ricotta salads, and despite being small, this is the best ricotta salad ever. Unlike the other dishes, the cake was a generous slice. It was a large slice of carrot cake, with thin layers of cheese cake in between. Service was average, but the restaurant was also bustling. It was very busy. The restaurant was clean, and had a bistro-like feel to it. If you have some extra money to spend, I highly recommend you check out D.Queens! It also has a cafe section, and the brunch looks really delicious as well (for a much more modest price during regular lunch hours I believe).
The Wine House
City: Seoul Shop Name: The Wine House Merchandise type: Liqueur, Cognac, Brandy, Whiskey, Wine Restaurant Address: Seoul-teukbyeol-si Jung-gu Euljiro 6-ga 18-187 (서울특별시 중구 을지로6가 18-187) Link for the location on Naver Maps: http://map.naver.com/local/siteview.nhn?code=18001571 Directions: Take the subway to Euljiro 1(il)-ga Station Exit 2. Exit straight and walk three blocks toward Cheongye Stream (청계전) along the main road. Turn left onto Dadong Road (다동길) and walk one block. The store will be on your left. Living in Seoul this year, it’s been nice to see good craft beer, wine shops, and other varieties of alcoholic beverages becoming more commonplace. Most of the cheaper choices can be found in E-Mart or Costco (for the hard to find imports). The Wine House, though adjacent to the discount clothing stalls of Myeongdong, is not a shop to find cheap deals. This shop caters primarily to the liqueur connoisseurs and wine enthusiasts. Ranging in price from 40,000 won to 600,000 won, The Wine House’s selection of whiskeys, wines, and liqueurs are a marvel. Some of the lower priced items are reasonable if you’re looking for that special gift for your principal, boss, or host family that says “I care enough to buy you a really expensive bottle of wine.” The vast array of designer decanters, glasses, and limited edition bottles definitely makes this a worthwhile stop in your Myeongdong meanderings. The owner, Mrs. Huh is very nice, and if you’re looking for any particular vintage, vintner, or taste pairings, she’s extremely knowledgable. Even if you don’t expect to make a purchase, the shop has the atmosphere of a fine liqueur museum. It is highly recommended, and definitely a 5-star stop in your Seoul window-shopping adventures.