Melissa F

When I asked around for recommendations for Seoul, one of the names that kept popping up was @onjium_restaurant. Part restaurant, part research institute, Onjium strives to preserve the authentic taste and heritage of traditional Korean cuisine through researching centuries-old recipe book. The restaurant is helmed by two chefs - researcher @sung252825 and chef @joeunhee.food who is trained in Korean royal court cuisine. From the concept, I thought that the restaurant would look very traditional but in fact, the space was actually quite modern with an open kitchen and views of the Gyeongbokgung Palace. The food was very refined and elegant - we had a wonderful time learning about the past and present of Korean cuisine, experiencing flavors and dishes not typically found in other Korean restaurants.

Our menu:

BANGPUNG JUK
Bangpung Porridge

TANGPYEONGCHAE
Mung Bean Jelly Salad

DAEHAP-JEON
Steamed Clam Pancake

KIMCHI PA SANJEOK
Skewered Beef & Korean Vegetables

BOMNAMUL BIBIMBAP
Spring Vegetable Bibimbap

CHEONHYEHYANG
Sorbet
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1*, Onjium
Seoul, Korea
#supermelSeoul Less

When @gucciosteria chefs from Seoul x Florence x Tokyo came together in Seoul! Gucci Osteria is a series of contemporary Italian restaurants by @massimobottura in world cities - each with its own varied identities while sharing the same culinary philosophy. The collaboration menu gave us a taste what each chef’s cuisine can be - creative, complex, playful. Now that I’ve been to the Tokyo and Seoul branches, I look forward to visiting the one in Florence next time!

The Signature Gucci Osteria Experience:

Panzerotto (Seoul)

Colazione Italiana (Florence)

Seppia e Piselli (Tokyo)

Gambero Rosso, Raspberry, Preserved Yuza (Seoul)

Abalone, Mussels, Oysters (Tokyo)

Pasta, Bean Miso, Honey, Franciacorta (Tokyo)

Polenta Crisp, Seasonal Vegetables, Caviar (Florence)

Jeju Black Pork Sirloin, Chamnamul, Garlic Scape (Seoul)

Banana Split (Florence)

Hallabong Aperol Spritz Jelly (Seoul)

Vin Santo Madeleine & Pralines (Florence)

Torna in Italia con me (Tokyo)
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Gucci Osteria Seoul x Florence x Tokyo
Seoul, Korea
#supermelSeoul Less

I’ve always loved the Unplugged series at @monorestaurant where @rchaneton invites a chef to cook in a fun and uninhibited setting, and this time it was with Asia’s Best Female Chef @johanne_siy of @lollasg! I’ve had the pleasure of spending time with both chefs at a culinary retreat in Japan, and I was excited to see the two friends cook together once again. Except for one signature dish from Lolla, the chefs worked on all of the dishes together and it was everything a collaboration should be - creative, inspiring and most importantly, downright delicious!

The menu:

𝗩𝘂𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗹𝗮 𝗩𝗶𝗱𝗮
Amaebi, Hamaguri & Uni

𝗦𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗴𝗹𝗮𝘄
Chutoro & Calamansi

𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗹𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗮
Beef Tartare, Eggplant & Chipotle Sauce

𝗠𝘆 𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲
Avocado, Smoked Eel, Eel Consommé & Yuzu

𝗠𝗢𝗡𝗢-𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵
Pili Nuts & Eva Aguilera Olive Oil

𝗖𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗮
Queso Fresco, NOMAD Caviar & Sinigang Broth

𝗙𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘂𝗮
King Crab & Taba Ng Talangka Aioli

𝗞𝗮𝗺𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗻 𝗧𝗮𝗰𝗼 𝗙𝗶𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮
Secreto Iberico Inihaw, Bicol Express, Venezuelan-style Fish Stew

𝗚𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹
Strawberries, Star Fruit & Ancho Chili

𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗥𝗼𝗼𝘁𝘀
Ube, Yuca, Coffee & Local Longan Honey

𝗬𝗲𝗺𝗮
Cashew Nuts

𝗚𝘂𝘆𝗮𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗼 𝗦𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲
Black Pepper & Bay Leaf
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MONO x Lolla
Central, Hong Kong
#supermelHK #supermelCentral Less

To celebrate Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, the 50 Best Signature Sessions featured the region’s hottest culinary talent in a series of exclusive collaborations - one of which was the 8 hands between @soigneseoul x @wingrestaurant_hk x @ledubkk x @kwonsooksoo! The event took place in the swanky new location of Soigne with a bright and spacious kitchen. The meal started with a single dish from each chef - each with its distinctive style of flavor - followed by collaborative dishes between 2 chefs before culminating in the main Hanwoo Beef dish which featured everyone. It was a delightful medley of Korean, Thai, and Chinese flavors - thank you chefs for the fantastic experience!

The menu:

Gamtae
@kwonsooksoo

Crab
@ledubkk

Herbs “Bibim”
@soigneseoul

Golden Crystal Egg
@wingrestaurant_hk

Acorn Jelly & Bitter Melon
@ledubkk @soigneseoul

Yukhoe & Moo
@wingrestaurant_hk @kwonsooksoo

Eel & Curry
@ledubkk @kwonsooksoo

Abalone & Barley
@wingrestaurant_hk @soigneseoul

Hanwoo Beef
@ledubkk @soigneseoul @wingrestaurant_hk @kwonsooksoo

Soybean & Camembert
@soigneseoul

Petit Four
@soigneseoul
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Soigne x Wing x Le Du x Kwonsooksoo
Seoul, Korea
#supermelSeoul Less

It was a cold snowy day when we visited Ebitei Bekkan #海老亭別館 in Toyama, but the warm hospitality warmed us up immediately. The restaurant has over a hundred years of history and received 2 Michelin Stars in 2016. When it closed in 2018, the 4th generation chef-owner Kentaro Mura honed his skills further at the legendary Matsukawa in Tokyo before returning home and relocating the restaurant to a new location in 2022. We were served seasonal ingredients from the Hokuriku region including crab, buri, and squid. With the view from the counter overlooking a row of cherry blossom trees, it would be perfect to visit in the spring time.
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Ebitei Bekkan 海老亭別館
Toyama, Japan
#supermelJapan #supermelToyama Less

The second half of our menu at @mingles_restaurant:

Sticky Rice Risotto, Crab, Tomato, Sesame Oil, Caviar

Ginseng Chicken Roulade, Gochujang Mushroom Sauce, Deodeok (Korean Root Vegetables), Sesame Bechamel

Handon Soondae / Hanwoo++Korean beef), Yam, Fruit Kimchi

Noodles, Anchovy Broth

Bibimbab : Rice Ice Cream & Pudding, Soy Sauce, Sesame Oil

Sweet Pumpkin Rice Meringue & Cream, Pumpkin Sikhye Sorbet, Herb

JANG TRIO: Doenjang Creme-brulee, Ganjang Pecan, Gochujang Puff

Beautiful Korean Sweets

Thank you @mingleseoul for the wonderful hospitality!
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2*, Mingles
Seoul, Korea
#supermelSeoul Less

On the northern shore of Lake Biwa in the Kohoku region lies the charming @restaurant_sower run by a lovely couple from California - Chef @coleman__griffin and service manager @k_hyesu_jeon! I had met them last year at a culinary retreat in Karuizawa, and finally had the chance to visit them earlier this year. Having trained at @therestaurantmw, @benu_sf and @inuajp, Chef Coleman is reinterpreting Kohoku cuisine at Sower while highlighting local ingredients from the region. From the first dish, we already knew we were in for a good meal with favorites including the shijimi clam, “funazushi”, wild deer and maitake rice. Complimented with the fantastic hospitality from Kathy and team, this is a hidden gem not to be missed when in the area!

Access: complimentary pick up service from Nagahara or Omi-Shiotsu Station

Our menu:

Shijimi Clam, Chinese Cabbage, Spinach
しじみ、白菜、ほうれんそう

Shiitake, Dried Duck Ham, Lemon
椎茸、このハム、檸檬

Crispy Wakasagi, Bitter Herbs, Bergamot
ワカサギ、ハーブ、ベルガモット

Black Bass, Beet Root, Komatsuna, Sesame
プラックバス、ピートルート、小松菜、ゴマ

Salt Baked Turnip, Amago Roe, Funazushi
蕪の塩釜焼、アマゴの卵、鮒ずし

Buri, Chrysanthemum, Egg Yolk, Nanohana
鰤、春菊、卵黃、菜花

Wild Deer, Sunchoke, Kale
野生の鹿、菊芋、黒キャベツ

Maitake Rice
舞茸のご飯

Persimmon, Tomato, Salted Lemon
柿、トマト、塩減けレモン

Pumpkin, Kokuto, Orange
南瓜、黒糖、オレンジ

Strawberry, Kuwasake, Hime Lemon
苺、桑酒、姫レモン

Last Bites
最後の一口
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SOWER
Shiga, Japan
#supermelJapan #supermelKansai Less

One of the restaurants that was a must-try for me on this trip to Seoul was @mingles_restaurant by @mingleseoul! While I’ve been to its outpost @hansikgoo in Hong Kong quite a few times already, this was my first time visiting Mingles which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. The difference between Mingles and Hansikgoo - as Chef Mingoo explains - is that the former is more modern while the latter leans towards traditional. However, both restaurants use “jang” (Korean fermented sauce) as the fundamental element in their cooking.

Mingles moved to its current location 4 years ago with a minimalist and elegant design. Much like its decor, the dishes may look simple but harbor complexity and depth in its flavors. The first part of our meal started with tantalizing highlights such as the cold chestnut soup, Hanwoo beef tartare with smoked eel, zucchini rice cake tart, mingling pot (which utilized 16 different ingredients), and the fish porridge!

First part of our menu:

Strawberry, Sancho Pepper, Caviar

Sweet Potato Rice Cake

Chestnut Soup, Chestnut Chip, Truffle

Korean Seasonal Raw Fish

Fried Hairtail Fish & Gamtae Roll

Hanwoo Beef Tartare with Smoked Eel

Korean Zucchini Namul & Rice Cake Tart, Shrimp, Perilla, Turnip

MINGLING POT : Seafood Morel & Hanwoo Cabbage Mandu, Sea Cucumber, Abalone, Spinach, Acorn Jelly, Cold Brewed Anchovy Broth

Jeju Fish, Crispy Black Rice, Dried Fish Porridge, Pressed Caviar

To be continued…
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2*, Mingles
Seoul, Korea
#supermelSeoul Less

Early last month, I was back at Oryouri Fujii #御料理ふじ居 - a Japanese cuisine restaurant by chef-owner Hironori Fujii who aims to showcase the amazing ingredients from his hometown Toyama. Sadly we were the only ones at the counter because of customer cancellations due to the Noto earthquake. In fact, many restaurants in Toyama were experiencing massive cancellations even though the city has been unaffected by the earthquake. Hopefully the situation has gotten better now and business has resumed at these restaurants. The winter season in Toyama is best for crab and buri #鰤, and we got to enjoy the best of these ingredients at Oryouri Fujii. Other highlights included the bear meat udon, hamaguri soup, and shirako!
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2*, Oryouri Fujii 御料理ふじ居
Toyama, Japan
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