Hip, new hotspot showcases snap-worthy, bite-worthy fare

Beer night at Hotel La Casa　Hotel La Casa, a lifestyle design hotel in south central Seoul, is offering its “Rooftop Summer Night” package. The package includes a one-night stay in a double room, two bottles of Schneider Weisse Tap 7 beer and a four-piece bruschetta plate. Customers can sip on cool beer while enjoying the city lights on a hot summer night on the rooftop of lounge bar House of Alchemy. The package is available until Sept. 9. For more information, contact House of Alchemy at (02)

Koreans are known for “thoroughly” eating the pig. We barbecue the meat, grill the intestines, make a soup with leftover meat and steam the feet. But there is more to the list: grilling pig tail and pork rinds.  Pork rinds and pig tail (By Im Eun-byel / The Korea Herald)When visualizing a pig tail, an image of a squiggly, pinkish, spring-like tail comes to mind. The cute visual isn’t really appetizing. But no worries, pig tail on the grill doesn’t look anything like it. The tail is chopped into

The idea of gaining energy by drinking unidentified brown liquid may sound suspiciously close to that of a magic potion. But such potions do exist in the real world, or at least in Korea, under the name of “nutritional extracts.”Plastic pouches of murky brown liquid substances may be healthier than one might expect, as they contain “jeup,” or extracts, of various produce considered beneficial in Korea. Talk about sucking the juice out of life. The extracts may not seem very appetizing, akin to o

A growing number of South Koreans are discovering the value of avocados. While its oddly soft texture, green hue and rough exterior may have been unsettling at first, the avocado is now being praised locally for its nutritional value. It is noted especially among the younger generation to be full of vitamins, great for the skin, low in cholesterol and beneficial to dieting.For its health benefits and delicious, buttery consistency, the green fruit is being incorporated into more meals. On Instag

Indian-themed night at Sheraton Seoul D Cube CitySheraton Seoul D Cube City hotel is offering a novel room package for families, called “My Little Agit.” The package provides a small Indian teepee for children to play in along with Milo & Gabby pillows and the signature Sheraton D-Bear in a deluxe room, along with macarons. Families can enjoy a lavish breakfast at the buffet restaurant Feast and swim at the indoor swimming pool. The deal is available until the end of the year at a starting price

Samgyetang, or ginseng chicken soup, is the most often mentioned dish when talking about revitalizing cuisine for the summer season. Its appearance may seem strange, as a whole small chicken sits in the steaming broth -- seemingly taking a bath with legs crossed. (Video shot and produced by Lim Jeong-yeo/The Korea Herald)Looking closer, goosebumps on the chicken skin can be observed. While some crave the skin for its melting mouthfeel, others dislike it for the fat.Some places serve a glass of g

Superfood afternoon tea at Park Hyatt SeoulPark Hyatt Seoul’s The Lounge offers a specially prepared afternoon tea set, filled with superfoods to combat the sweltering heat. Savories and desserts included in the set features spinach, quinoa, salmon, blueberry and avocado, all of which are known to be beneficial for health. Premium green tea, also a superfood, is served with the set. At 18,000 won per person, guests can enjoy a glass of champagne. The tea set is served on a three-tier ceramic tra

Ever imagined a glass of whiskey mixed with soybean paste and tofu? While the combination may surprise many, the drink won the top prize at a local bartending competition. Leo Seo, also known as Seo Jeong-hyun, the 28-year-old head bartender at The Griffin in JW Mariott Dongdaemun Square Seoul, concocted the highly unusual cocktail and topped the local 2018 Jameson Bartender’s Ball held last month. In the global edition of the competition, he took fourth place.  Bartender Leo Seo (Park Hyun-koo

People with a sweet tooth can rejoice as the 17th Seoul Dessert Fair returns this weekend.This year’s fair will run from Saturday to Sunday at the Setec Exhibition Hall in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. The closest subway stop is Hangnyeoul Station on Line No. 3.With watermelon as the main theme of the event, the organizers will set up a zone dedicated to a variety of watermelon-inspired desserts and fusion snacks.  (Seoul Dessert Fair)In addition, there will be homemade pastries, goods such as handcrafted

At Gray Gristmill, one of the latest additions to Seoul’s ever-growing cafe scene, getting a caffeinated brew is an interactive process. After perusing a selection of 12 different single-origin coffee and blends, cafe-goers choose their coffee and how it will be brewed. All coffee is displayed in vacuum-sealed, single portion packages at the counter with placards detailing their flavor profiles. For instance, there is Gray Gristmill’s single-origin Honduras coffee with “lemongrass tea,” “dried m

Mango bingsu at Grand InterContinental Seoul ParnasGrand InterContinental Seoul Parnas added a new addition to its bingsu list, the Cloud Mango Bingsu.The new bingsu menu comes with cotton candy on top of a pole-shaped mango biscotti. The shaved milk ice is topped with mango puree, mango ice cream and fresh mango slices. Finnish-style berry cheese cake and mango jelly are served as side dishes along with the bingsu. The menu is served in a glass bowl, decorated with a dewdrop-shaped design, from

Aguijjim (often misspelled as agujjim) is a braised spicy monkfish dish. When cooked, the ugly fish takes an unexpected gourmet turn with a delicate texture.Monkfish, or anglerfish, is usually described as one of the ugliest fish in the deep ocean. Koreans often call it “devil fish” due to its huge head and tiny eyes. An enormous mouth filled with numerous needle-like teeth completes its gruesome appearance. (Shot and produced by Lim Jeong-yeo)Surprisingly, the fish’s texture is quite the opposi

Nonprofit organization argues original names should be used for Korean food to find a place on global stage

Dessert baking videos are taking YouTube by storm with mesmerizing visuals, soothing audio