Korea Tourism has released the first edition of the Michelin Guide to Seoul showcasing the city’s best gastronomic treats.
Food is an essential part of travel. It can deliver insights to culture and heritage and reveal tasty traditions passed down over generations.
Seoul is a popular foodie destination not only for fine dining but its variety of wonderful street food.
Specialty one dish restaurants – serving Samgyetang (whole baby chicken stuffed with ginseng and glutinous rice simmered slowly for several hours) and Mandu (Korean style dumplings served with kimchi) – can be found in abundance.
And it’s no surprise that Seoul has been named as one of the top cities to visit in 2017 by both Lonely Planet’s ‘Best in Travel 2017′ and National Geographic Traveller Magazine’s ‘Best of the World List for 2017’.
So, it only makes sense that this popular tourist hot-spot hosted chefs from the Michelin Food Guide to taste their way around the nation.
Seoul Michelin Food Guide book
For food lovers travelling to Korea, Seoul is known for its eclectic dining scene ranging from royal cuisine restaurants and fine dining establishments, to its many specialty Korean ‘one dish’ restaurants and of course its popular street food.
The new guide brings together a selection of the best of all cuisines with every establishment chosen for the quality of cooking.
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Two restaurants awarded three stars are Korean cuisine restaurants Gaon and La Yeon. La Yeon on the 23rd floor of Shilla Hotel was named in the Best 50 Restaurants in Asia in 2016.
Other contemporary Korean restaurants in Seoul like Jungsik and Mingles are well known for their innovative cuisine and the blending of traditional Korean ingredients into modern contemporary dishes with unique Korean flavours.
Jungsik also made it on to the Best 50 Restaurants in Asia list in 2016 and Executive Chef Jungsik Yim also has a restaurant in New York.
Mingles Executive Chef Mingoo Kang trained under Martin Berasetegui in San Sebastian, Spain and later enjoyed stints at Nobu in Miami and the Bahamas.
Korean street food
Food themed streets can be found all over Korea, where you can experience many delicious and unique delicacies.
In Seoul, Sindang-dong is known as Tteokbokki street where you can enjoy the famous rice cake stew; Spicy Chicken (Dakgalbi) street is in Chuncheon; Chodang Tofu street is in Gangneung; Dokcheon Octopus street in Yeongam; Raw fish street (Milak-dong Hoe) is in Busan; and Snow Crab street on the east coast in Yeongdeok.
What’s new for Seoul in 2017
Australian’s travelling to Korea increased 12.7% in 2016 and shows no sign of slow down as we move into 2017.
Known for its urban design, Seoul has change greatly in the past decade. The city has become a much greener, more people friendly city with less cars and new architectural wonders like Dongdaemun Design Plaza, as well as Cheongyecheon Steam where an aging elevated highway was torn down and replaced with a beautiful stream bringing nature back to the centre of the city.
In 2017, the city will launch its latest urban renewal project, the new Skygarden near Seoul station.
Designed by the Dutch architecture firm MVRDV, the Skygarden will be similar to New York’s High Line. The elevated garden promenade will be built on an old, almost one kilometre long, 17-metre tall highway overpass next to Seoul’s main transport hub of Seoul Station.
It will become a platform on which trees, shrubs and flowers will grow to create an arboretum of local species.
Despite its rush to modernise the city, Seoul has maintained the beauty of its ancient past. The royal palaces and shrines, Buddhist temples and ancient city walls stand side-by-side the latest urban design wonders.
In recent years, the Seoul city walls have been restored and reopened to the public. Today, hiking Seoul’s fortress walls is one of the best ways to experience the city’s ancient history, its natural beauty and enjoy some amazing views of the city.
Free copies of the Michelin Guide to Seoul
For your free copy of the Michelin Guide to Seoul, email the Korea Tourism Organisation at visitkorea@knto.org.au
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