Soobul

Amongst the numerous Italian- and French-inspired eateries of Seoraemaeul, Soobul gained prominence as a delicious, modern Korean pub. It now has branches in Parnasmall in Samseong-dong and Gwanghwamun. The identity of "Soobul," an old Korean word for alcohol, can be found in its menu. The hand written menu displays its frequent seasonal variations, around eight types of makgeolli (rice ale) and traditional alcoholic brews from all over Korea. If you want to opt for Western beverages, the 60 or so wines listed start at a mere 10,000 KRW. And lastly, for discerning diners, detailed footnotes on the food as well as Soobul's philosophy leaves us with a bulky but informative menu on the table. Seasonal dishes as oyster and gwamegi (wind dried herring and billfish) are popular but modified Korean fusion items like gochujang (red pepper paste) steak, black sesame chicken and perilla seed chicken soup are constantly sought after too. While technically a sit-down meal and an evening of drinking are both possible here, the menu tends toward meat orientated dishes that are better as anju, or dishes to be eaten while drinking. (The sole rice dish available is brown rice with vegetables.)