FatManSeoul

Now that the weather is getting nippy, it’s time to start reveling in the special warmth of winter flavors.  The light of day may be fading fast, but what can match the comfort of a warm cup of tea on a chilly evening? Is there anything to match a soothing but spicy cup of medicinal [...]

A special contribution by Han Kim Fatman has already expounded on CJ Food’s recent entry into the international restaurant sphere with BiBiGo.  Fortunately, Fatman’s wonderful friends stepped in to supplement our interest in the chain by reviewing their new location in Los Angeles, California.  Let’s have a big, hearty round of applause for Han Kim [...]

It was Fatman’s recent pleasure to join esteemed professor Charles Montgomery of Korean Modern Literature in Translation and his lovely wife Yvonne to try out a bowl of buckwheat at 메밀꽃필무렵 (maemilggotpilmuryeop), a restaurant specializing in buckwheat cuisine. Why, pray tell, is Fatman dragging a literature professor along for the eating?  The name of the [...]

Adding to the growing list of organic restaurants in Seoul, Mananim stands out for its singular devotion to the homemade. Now, lots of places out there feature homemade food – but how many of them make their own cheese, soy sauce, and vinegar? That’s right, everything is handmade by the owner, down to the vinegar [...]

How can something that is 80% a good idea end up going so very wrong? The Cafe formerly known as Sobahn has reopened as Bibigo*. Along with Zen Kimchi, Fatman was involved in some early test marketing for both Cafe Sobahn and the new Bibigo concept. A concept that was really, roundly panned for having [...]

Hanjeongshik (한정식) is hands down the best and most efficient way to get a wide variety of the freshest, most seasonal foods. In one single meal, you’ll get a spread that covers the forests and fields and farms’ very best, often prepared using family recipes. It’s a little more spendy, perhaps, than your typical abbreviated [...]

Note:  A version of this review appeared in the December issue of Groove Magazine. Places to drink in Seoul tend to fall into discrete categories:  The chicken hof, the trendy cocktail bar, the neighborhood beer pub . . . looking for something outside these is often a challenge, and there’s a dearth of mid-range pubs [...]

There’s all kinds of culinary arguments to be made about what style of Korean cuisine reigns supreme: Are you a fan of the salty, spicy zest of Gyeongbuk? Or do you love the down-home flavors and resourcefulness of Jeolla? Will you have nothing but the finest potatoes of Gangwon-do? One style of Korean cuisine, however, [...]

There’s plenty of fancy food in Seoul, if that’s what you’re looking for.  You can find everything from high end hanjeongshik (한정식) to absolutely authentic Japanese food.  But sometimes you want something humble . . . something gut filling and hearty and without any pretentions whatsoever.  Sometimes you just want the old-fashioned taste and satisfaction [...]

Yes, you can get a glass of absinthe here. But startlingly, rare alcohol plays second fiddle here to a wide range of very delicious coffees and the best cupcakes in Seoul. Got that? The best, bar none.