Hotels put luxury spin on Korean summer stamina food
Seoul's luxury hotels are competing for diners with premium takes on boyangsik, the restorative dishes Koreans have long eaten to power through the hottest weeks of the year.
The tradition peaks during boknal, the three hottest days of the lunar calendar, when samgyetang, eel and croaker dishes are believed to replenish energy drained by the heat. Chobok, the first of the three days, falls on July 15 this year. The second, jungbok, falls on July 25 and the third, malbok, on Aug. 14.
At Park Hyatt Seoul, the concept gets a French touch. The Lounge's seven-course Symphony menu, priced at 138,000 won ($90), opens with a seasonal vegetable salad before moving to lobster ravioli in doenjang broth. A barley risotto with ginseng, chicken, and chestnut reinterprets samgyejuk, the chicken-and-ginseng porridge, and the savory courses close with Wando abalone rice cooked in a stone pot. Dessert pairs an omija-and-watermelon granita with a mango-mint tartlet.
"We respected the memories and sentiment inherent in Korean food while adding a contemporary interpretation to seasonal ingredients selected from across the country. Through summer's signature stamina ingredients like abalone, croaker, eel and ginseng, we wanted to capture the season's energy and present a refined wellness dining experience," said executive chef Damien Selme at Park Hyatt Seoul.
The Westin Seoul Parnas is channeling the trend through its buffet. From July 1 to Aug. 31, its all-day dining restaurant On:Table serves a rotation of stamina dishes built around croaker, eel and sea bass, priced at 173,000 won per person.
A spicy croaker stew will be available through jungbok. It will be followed by haesintang, a rich soup that simmers young chicken, beef ribs, sea cucumber, abalone and neungi mushrooms in a single pot. Side offerings include hot lobster soup, North Korean-style spicy chicken salad and a fresh ginseng salad.
"With record heat expected this summer, we prepared this stamina food selection so guests can restore their energy and enjoy a distinctive dining experience in the heart of the city," a Parnas Hotels and Resorts official said.
Le Meridien Seoul Myeongdong has added boyangsik to the newly reorganized buffet at its all-day dining restaurant La Palette Paris, available through Aug. 31. Summer specials include teriyaki freshwater eel, baeksuk chicken soup with neungi mushrooms, croaker sashimi and hanwoo beef tartare.
The buffet opens with a Moet & Chandon welcome drink and a truffle cream potage en croute served tableside, with steamed snow crab. Weekday lunch is priced at 79,000 won per person and weekday dinner, weekend and holiday sittings at 139,000 won, the latter including unlimited wine and draft beer.
At Andaz Seoul Gangnam, the summer push arrives with a full menu renewal of its Korean restaurant Jogakbo Kitchen, now centered on seasonal Korean dining at more approachable prices.
The summer menu opens with a chilled soup of watermelon, cherry tomatoes and dongchimi, or radish water kimchi, and leans on croaker, eel and abalone. Lunch courses start at 61,000 won, while the Bokdalim course at 82,000 won pairs a chilled lobster salad with a choice of sea urchin bibimbap topped with hanwoo striploin or spicy croaker seafood stew. Dinner courses range from 93,000 won to 148,000 won, the top tier featuring sweet shrimp with avruga caviar, grilled croaker and an Eonyang-style hanwoo striploin bansang. Bansang, which is a combination of different dishes for one person, is served on a tray with a bowl of rice, a bowl of soup and several banchan.
"We focused on presenting Korean food that carries the natural flavor of seasonal ingredients. We selected the most delicious ingredients of each season so guests can fully experience the seasonality of Korean cuisine," said executive chef Kim Hyung-jin.
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