December's things to do

Mingles is undoubtedly one of the most interesting modern Korean restaurants in Gangnam. As its name suggests, Mingles utilizes Japanese, Spanish and French styles of cooking with Korean cuisine as its backbone. By undertaking the serious work of studying the ingredients as well as well as demanding an exacting selection, the chefs at Mingles have been successfully demonstrating creative ways to expand and further existing concepts of Korean cooking. Utilizing seasonal ingredients and recipes that have been passed down through palace kitchens over the hundreds of years, they create impressive combinations of the traditional and popular. Their nutty, citrus yuja danja (citron pot), once offered to the kings of old, and their jangajji (pickled vegetables) that have been fermented for an extended period of time are just some of the innovative efforts that enable patrons to get a taste of the past and present. The crème brûlée trio made with Korean traditional sauces is another such recipe that defies existing concepts and offers to your palate flavors unlike any before. Having received one star from Michelin in 2017 and ranked 15 on Asia's 50 Best Restaurants in the same year, Mingles has proved its strength in innovation and their influence in the local food scene.

Salmon sashimi lovers, here’s one for you. Mibbeudong is famed for its tomato salmon noodles – a refreshing, cold tomato broth packed with vegetables and long strands of salmon sashimi cut lengthways to resemble noodles. If you’re a little less excited over this, another popular item on the menu here is the Mibbeudong itself, a rice moat topped with a tower of mixed sashimi, uni and ikura.

Originally from Japan, with more than 130 studios nationwide, ABC Cooking Studio has expanded to other parts of Asia including Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand, and has finally landed in Seoul. This Lotte World Mall location is the first and the only studio of ABC's in Korea. Can't imagine a cooking class inside a mall? Well, if you just have one look at this place through its full wall window, you'll be surprised at how open and breezy it is. And very likely, you'll be anxious to join the little groups of part time cooks. What sets out ABC Cooking Studio from the rest of institutions of the kind is the freedom of choice in the curricula. While most cooking classes are set up for a certain period of time for a particular type of cuisine or license, this institution allows you to choose any date, time slot and menu among the 3 different courses (cooking, bread and desserts) which it offers at all times. There are different menus for each course, and they change every month. The cooking course, for example, includes the Japanese Menu (Japanese home cooking and dinner parties), Home Party Menu (Thanksgiving dinners, Christmas dinners, Halloween parties, etc.) and World Menu (Asian, European, etc.). Instead of demonstrations or lectures, every class taught here is practice based. At each kitchen island, individuals in a small group (4 to 5, depending on the course) create their own result with the help of one teacher. There are signature gift wraps and greeting cards...