Five-star hotels release bingsu menus for Seoul's sizzling summer

[Hotel News] Ahead of Seoul's looming summer heat, five-star hotels around town are launching bingsu (shaved ice) with creative, luscious takes.

From left: Apple mango bingsu (shaved ice), Maru bingsu and green-tea bingsu at the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul in Jongno District, central Seoul [FOUR SEASONS HOTEL SEOUL]

[Hotel News]

Ahead of Seoul's looming summer heat, five-star hotels around town are launching bingsu (shaved ice) with creative, luscious takes.

Four Seasons Hotel Seoul in Jongno District, central Seoul, is showcasing three different bingsu at its Maru lounge on the lobby floor.

Its apple mango pavlova bingsu (126,000 won or $92) is made with Jeju Apple Mango, shaved ice incorporating 100 percent local organic milk and honey, crisp meringue exterior and marshmallow-soft interior that envelops tangy mango and passion fruit sauce. Layers of mango sorbet, mango compote, strawberry gel and vanilla cream create an interplay of silky textures and summer flavors, according to the hotel.

The Maru bingsu (78,000 won) combines in-house red bean paste with shaved ice, crowned with creamy vanilla ice cream. Spicy notes of candied ginger cut through the sweetness, while the unique texture and flavor nostalgia of red bean paste is complemented by a crunchy contemporary tuile. The bingsu can be personalized by adding condiments like a scoop of vanilla ice cream, bungeoppang (a fish-shaped pastry) or a drizzle of condensed milk.

Its green tea bingsu (78,000 won) carries sweet, bitter and smoky notes brought out by rice pudding, hoji tea ice cream, puffed rice and green tea sauce.

“Bingsu is unique to Korea and synonymous with summertime so it's always a great pleasure to come up with new ways to serve it each year," said Emanuel Accame, the hotel's director of food and beverage, through the hotel's press release last month. "This year's trio merges local ingredients like Jeju apple mango, red bean and organic milk with international dessert concepts like pavlova and rice pudding. It honors the rich Korean dessert tradition and pushes our team's creativity, but also allows our guests to be creative too and customize their bingsu exactly to taste."

Four Seasons' bingsu are available through Sept. 30.

From left, apple mango bingsu and honey red bean bingsu at DoubleTree by Hilton Seoul, Pangyo in Gyeonggi [DOUBLETREE BY HILTON SEOUL, PANGYO]

DoubleTree by Hilton Seoul, Pangyo in Gyeonggi launched two bingsu on Tuesday, at its first-floor Caffe.

Its apple mango bingsu (77,000 won) is inspired by the acacia trees surrounding the property, served with a mountain of premium apple mango slices. Its honey red bean bingsu (66,000 won) incorporates freshly collected honey from its rooftop apiary and injeolmi (rice cake) and in-house sweetened red bean paste topping.

They are available through Sept. 30.

Matcha bingsu at Grand Hyatt Seoul in Yongsan District, central Seoul [GRAND HYATT SEOUL]

Grand Hyatt Seoul in Yongsan District, central Seoul, is serving matcha bingsu (80,000 won) at its cafe Gallery on the lobby floor.

Incorporating matcha powder from Kyoto, Japan, the green tea-infused ice envelops sweet green tea ice cream and red bean paste, then is topped with chewy rice cakes.

The bingsu is served with a mini condiment bowl containing brownies, sweetened condensed milk and more red bean paste. It is available through Oct. 31.

Chodang oksusu (sweet corn) bingsu at Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas in Gangnam District, southern Seoul [GRAND INTERCONTINENTAL SEOUL PARNAS]

Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, is showcasing four bingsu this season at its Lobby Lounge and Bar.

Newly featured this season is its chodang oksusu (sweet corn) bingsu (63,000 won) and bamyanggaeng (chestnut jelly) bingsu (55,000 won).

It is also offering mango bingsu and tomato bingsu, both topped with premium quality fruit, the hotel said. The mango bingsu includes mango jelly, mango tapioca pearls and mango ice cream. The tomato bingsu incorporates four varieties of local tomatoes marinated in yuja syrup, yogurt gelato and basil sauce.

Three of its bingsu items are available in different portion sizes this year. The bamyanggaeng and tomato bingsu cost 35,000 won for the small version and 55,000 won for the bigger version meant for around three people. The mango bingsu is 42,000 won for the small size and 67,000 won for the large size. Further discounts are available for orders made online during May.

"This year, we focused on making the bingsu more affordable so that more people can enjoy them," the hotel said in a press release earlier this month.

Grand InterContinental's bingsu are available through June 30.

BY LEE JIAN [lee.jian@joongang.co.kr]