Taste of France at Lotte Hotel Seoul After an extensive renovation, Lotte Hotel Seoul’s world-class restaurant Pierre Gagnaire is set to reopen on Sept. 1. The French fine dining restaurant will offer Allegro service for business guests during lunch, allowing guests to finish their meal in an hour. Southern French-style cuisine is offered for dinner. At Pierre’s Bar, guests can enjoy a panoramic view of Seoul at a private boutique space. Bar bites will be added to the menu. For more information

As the heat wave continues across the country, here are a few traditional drinks that Koreans typically turn to in summer.Misutgaru (Park Ju-young / The Korea Herald)1. MisutgaruAt first glance, misutgaru, a Korean multigrain powder, just seems like a bland substance with a lifeless beige color. But contrary to its appearance, the mixture of roasted and ground grains is well-known for its nutritional benefits and addictive, nutty taste.Koreans often make misutgaru shakes at home by adding water

New shop specializes in Italian stretch-curd cheese

Beer galore at Sheraton Seoul D Cube City HotelSheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel will be celebrating its seventh anniversary by hosting the Sheraton Craft Beer Festival in mid-September. Famous breweries such as Goose Island, Art Monster, Craft Roo, The Hand and Malt, Levee Brewing Company and more are participating in the festival. At the event, there will also be German-style side dishes created by the hotel’s new head chef from Germany.The festival will be held over a period from Sept. 14 to 1

Ganjanggejang, meaning soy sauce marinated crab, is called a “rice thief” in Korea. The nickname has two meanings. People eat a lot of rice with ganjanggejang to offset its saltiness. But also, it implies that the dish tastes so good that it is impossible to stop eating.(Video shot and produced by Lim Jeong-yeo / The Korea Herald)To make ganjanggejang, a possibly “inhumane” process is involved. Fresh, live crabs are pickled in a brine of soy sauce. The brine is strained, boiled and poured over t

From ginseng chicken soup to abalone rice porridge, Koreans have their go-to dishes for beating the summer heat

Beat the heat nutritionally, emotionally with healthy food

Though more simply referred to as “Chinese food,” the Chinese dishes served in Korea are different from the authentic Chinese food of China. Chinese food is well known for being adapted by other cultures. For example, chow mein, orange chicken and broccoli beef are clearly not authentic representations of true Chinese food, but they now form a separate genre of cuisine: American-Chinese.In Korea, the country’s own version of the blend exists as well, due to the close geographical and cultural ti

Live in history at Nine Tree HotelNine Tree Hotel recommends guests to take a history tour of Seoul, with its Seoul Cultural Footsteps package. The package includes tickets to four palaces; Gyeongbokgung, Deoksugung, Changdeokgung and Changgyeonggung. Tickets for Seodaemun Prison History Hall and Seodaemun Museum of Natural History are also part of the deal. Breakfast for two are included well, along with a free bear doll and a late check-out option at 3 p.m. available.The package will be availa

Mulhoe, cold raw fish soup, is a summertime delicacy in Korea. The dish could be described as sliced raw fish in cold soup with vegetables, or sliced carpaccio in seasoned broth. Though mulhoe can be consumed throughout the year, it is often enjoyed in summer. The broth, chilled with ice, cools the seasonal heat. Flavored with red chili paste, the broth also awakens a sluggish appetite with its spicy, sour and sweet taste. The harmony of the sweetness of the fish and spiciness of the soup leaves

Koreans who want to enjoy Vietnamese coffee are lining up in front of Cong Caphe in Yeonnam-dong, western Seoul. Cong Caphe, a Vietnamese cafe franchise with more than 50 stores, launched its first overseas store in Seoul on Tuesday. Cong Caphe in Seoul (Yonhap)News of the launch has been spreading on social media since it was made public on July 10. On Friday evening, a long line formed in front of the store, with people waiting to have a sip of Vietnamese coffee despite the scorching heat.  On

Artisan Junichi Mitsubori adds performance to traditional Japanese confection

Edible Coffee works on making edible insects appeal to wider population

For those seeking to experience the largest beer festival in the world while still staying in Seoul, Grand Hilton Seoul presents the 2018 Oktoberfest.　The hotel has been hosting Oktoberfest since 2007, attracting more than 1,000 visitors each year. This year’s event will take place on Sept. 8 at the hotel’s Convention Center. 　 Oktoberfest in Seoul (Grand Hilton Seoul)“If there is Chuseok in Korea, in Germany, the largest traditional festival is the Oktoberfest,” general manager Bernhard Brender

Oi buchu kimchi (Korean Bapsang)Cucumbers are in their peak season. This recipe is a quick and easy kimchi you can make with summer’s abundant cucumbers. It’s crisp, crunchy, and delicious.Buchu, or Korean garlic chives, is commonly added to oi kimchi, but you can use scallions instead if you like. Although not used in this recipe, a little bit of julienned carrot or red pepper will give the kimchi a nice pop of color. To make kimchi, you will need to salt the cucumbers first to draw out some wa