mary eats

Irionala
Seoul, Korea
Subway: Apgujeong Station exit 2, Take a right at the Sung Su Dae Kyo Intersection. Irionala is off a right side street near the Do San Park Intersection.
Phone number: 02 545-2195/6
Hours:
Price: $$$
English Menu: No, Set menus.
Atmosphere: Quiet, good for out of town quests
Cuisine: Korean
Overview:
Reviewed in the Korea Times by moi.

Not everyone can jump into Korean cuisine headfirst. For weary diners, or those interested in trying a range of dishes, Irionala, in Apgujeong, provides a cautious and comprehensive sampling of the Korean palate. Set in a basement location, Ironala plays up to a traditional Korean motif. Pottery copies from the Choson and Koryo dynasties line glass bookcases, and an exquisite painted floor to ceiling screen brightens the room with an energizing glow. Though there is no English on the menu, and next to none spoken, all you have to do is pick one of the four set menus. Prices start at 18,000 won for lunch and range from 25,000 won to 45,000 won for dinner. Each set contains over 13 dishes and often include, but are not limited to, vegetable pureed soups - hobak juk, mixed vegetables and noodles- jap chae, vegetable and octopus cakes - jun, jelly fish salad - haepari-naengchae, and grilled sliced beef - sol gogi gap sal gui. I guarantee you will not leave hungry.

Cheongdam Sundubu
Seoul, South Korea
Subway: Located between Cine City and Hakdong saggori. Subway line 7, Gagman-gu office, exit 3. Walk down the hill and cross the street, or Subway line 3, Apgujeong station exit 2, turn right onto Dongsandaero walk three blocks.
Phone number: 02-545-4840
Hours: Open 24 hours, limited menu from 10:00pm-8:00a.m
Price: $1/2
English Menu: Yes
Atmosphere: Come as you are
Overview:
Cheondam Sundubu review in the Korea Times by moi.

While Cheongdam Sundubu is open 24 hours, it’s necessary to arrive early for dinner on weekend nights. That is unless you don’t mind waiting in a cluster of hungry soon to be diners lingering around the door, eagerly waiting to get their hands on a spicy hot bowl of sundubu jjigae (soft tofu spicy soup). Good beginnings start with an English menu, great for those unfamiliar with Korean food, or adventurers ready to move past old favorites. Tofu, showing up in most all dishes, is the star of the show. Alternate menu paths lead diners to hissingly hot plates of bulgogi mingling with strips of sweet red and green bell peppers. Or to lean bites of dwachigalbi, arriving fajita style poised on a bed of thinly sliced white onions. This wellbeing restaurant is a pocket book friendly spot to fill up in Cheongdam before, or after, a night out.

Jangsarang
Seoul, South Korea
Subway: Apgujeong Station, line 3, exit 2. Turn left at the Seongsu bridge intersection. Jangsarang is behind Samwon Garden.
Phone:02-546-9994
Hours: 11:00a.m-9:30p.m.
Atmosphere: Smart Casual
Price:$$
English Menu: No
Overview:
Jangsarang, reviewed in the JoongAng daily