SCOUT

Seoul, South Korea

Located in a small road off the main streets of Itaewon (the Seoul equivalent of Shoreditch) is Scout, which is a contemporary rendition of an American gastro pub. Run and operated by two American expats, Scout caters to those longing for a dose of westernisation amongst the sea of Korean BBQ restaurants. The restaurant is fairly small in size, and can easily go by unnoticed, which is a shame since both the food and drinks are exquisite. Scout has a very Brooklyn / Shoreditch bohemian vibe, with its raw concrete floors and walls and timber tables and chairs that add to its charm and coziness. What makes Scout extra special though, is that it’s directly attached to a clothing shop which stocks designers from New York and upcoming talents in the region; it truly is a unique place. I was introduced to Scout by a very good friend of mine, who lives in Seoul, and during the course of my two-week stay, I got hooked, and went there four or five times. Scout takes pride in making the best burgers in town, and having had an incredible experience last summer at Brooklyn The Burger Joint, I was keen to put it to the test. On the night of the burger trial, I was exceptionally hungry so ordered the beef burger and the chicken sandwich, which was basically a fried chicken burger. The beef burger definitely impressed me; its size was perfect and came served with Roquefort cheese that I absolutely love. The quality of the meat was superior to the meat served at Brooklyn The Burger Joint, even though the latter had a wider variety of burgers on the menu. The fried chicken burger was also a slam-dunk, and in a land where fried chicken is a delicacy, it wasn’t surprising that it would be delectable. To help the food go down smoothly, I ordered what became one of my favourite drinks of all time: The Cardamom Mojito, which is the most refreshing beverage I have had, with its infusion of fresh basil, gin, and cardamom; just amazing. Scout has an undeniable charm and charisma that will just keep drawing me back through its doors. Even if its just for a quick nightcap, I will travel across town to get a mojito freshly made by their incredibly friendly bartender Mia and served by the amazing Sally, who made me a true Scouts-man.

www.scoutseoul.com

BEST RESTAURANTS OF 2013

Food Grid's Top 10

One month from now the Food Grid will mark its first year being online, a year that we continually celebrated by doing what we do best: eat. Suffice to say, 2013 was a good year for us at the Food Grid as we witnessed the inception of our site, which was once nothing more than an idea casually shared between two friends. It was a year we witnessed the fruition of our idea into a steadily expanding reader base, and most importantly a year where we managed to eat and review restaurants, cafes, food trucks and markets from our base in London to destinations all over the world such as Paris, New York, Los Angeles, and Seoul.

Amongst the many reviews, some stand out as being highlights of our 2013-year at the Food Grid, starting with the legendary Granger and Co located on Westbourne Grove in London. When it comes to brunch, few places manage to rival this haven, which continues to attract lines and lines of people every weekend. Ffiona’s on the other hand is much smaller and is ever more charismatic, where no restaurant can match the warm and personal welcome you receive from Ffiona herself when walking through her door, and her pancakes are the best to be had in London. Great service is also not lost on the friendliest New York staff found in the incredible Ed’s Lobster Bar. Aside from the greeting smiles, Ed’s is a treasure that has forever spoiled any other lobster roll for me and as such is a must whenever in New York. Not far from Ed’s to the lower east side of Manhattan lies Veselka, undoubtedly the most unique, serving up one of the best burgers we’ve tried, in the kitchen of a Ukranian restaurant (that meat!). Good meat however is also the specialty of Two Plus in Seoul, a Mecca for meat lovers for its high quality beef rivalling the quality of wagyu beef and being more affordable. Meat lovers should also not forget the charming Spanish countryside restaurant Bedua, which serves large ounces of steak deliciousness served from the restaurants local cattle; fresh food at its finest. Another Spanish gem is Taberna Gran Sol. Although places like this are commonly found in Spain, this one is nevertheless rare, especially with food to such an exceptionally high quality. The endless tapas enjoyed on the street side of this bar are not only delicious but are truly unique and one of a kind. Distinctive tastes are somewhat of a specialty at the Shoreditch hotspot, the Clove Club, where the food not only tastes amazing but also looks brilliant. Beautiful presentation is also credited to the kitchen staff at the Michelin starred Peruvian institution Lima. Never a dull moment at Lima, where the great food is matched with a lively crowd and energetic ambience. Towards the end of year the energy of Londoners has been focusing on trying to get a table at the highly popular Berners Tavern. The much-anticipated arrival of the restaurant was served with a lot of hype, which it certainly lived up to with an impressive cocktail list, a delicious roast and one of London’s most beautiful and majestic dining rooms.

At this point allows us to officially introduce ourselves, we are Nora Nilsen and Hussam Dakkak and we wish you a yummy 2014.

BROOKLYN THE BURGER JOINT

After having spent a decent amount of time in Seoul, it became clear that meat; beef in particular is a fixture of Korean cuisine; hence the super popular and famous Korean BBQ. In a land of meat lovers and as an avid burger enthusiast I took it upon myself to find the best burger in Seoul, and after some extensive online research and asking around, it seemed that all fingers were pointing towards the Burger Joint. Located in a remote suburban neighbourhood (Seorae Village), the burger joint is a charming restaurant nestled on a quiet street and can easily go unnoticed. The restaurant is small in size and only seats about 20 people. The dining room exudes warmth through its colourful décor and tones, and boasts an incredibly stocked condiments bar, with virtually every sauce one can imagine! My friends and I arrived at 4pm on a Thursday afternoon, so the restaurant was quite empty to our delight, as we were warned about the infamous queues it has. We each ordered soft drinks and milkshakes to start followed by burgers. The milkshake menu is quite extensive with all the classics, as well as creative options to choose from. Two of us opted for a classic Vanilla Milkshake (you can never go wrong with a vanilla milkshake) while our friend ventured onto trying the Nutella Milkshake with roasted marshmallows. The vanilla milkshakes were delicious, thick and perfect; the Nutella Milkshake however was explosive, although I would have preferred it as a dessert as it was too heavy to be eaten with a burger. With the milkshakes so good, we all got really excited about our burgers to come! We all ordered the Brooklyn Works, which comes served with American cheese, bacon, lettuce, onion, tomato, pickles and a special house sauce; I ordered my burger without the bacon. The burgers were all cooked medium and were fantastic in every measure of the word. The meat was perfectly cooked and tasted incredible. One thing you’ve got to love about South Korea is the high quality of the meat, and this burger was a true testament to that; it was honestly one of the best beef burgers I have had. The burger came served in a sesame bun which was also toasted to perfection, as well as French fries which were my least favourite item as they were not as thin as I would have liked them to be, but nevertheless were still good. The Brooklyn Burger Joint has been recognised as serving the best burgers in Seoul and I can truly attest to that, as not only is it the best burger in Seoul but it is also one of the best burgers I have had anywhere.

Seocho-gu, Banpo-dong 551-32 (서초구 반포동 551-32)

TWO PLUS

When in Korea, do as the Koreans do. So it’s fair to say that on my latest trip to Seoul I overdosed on Korean BBQ, it is just common sense to do so! Korean BBQ in Seoul is very popular and quite standard, where most joints offer the usual Bulgogi, which are strips of marinated beef, as well as Galbi that are either pork or beef ribs. Such a set up along with the usual trimmings of Kimchi (fermented vegetables), Japchae (stir fried potato noodles) and Gyeran Jim (steamed egg casserole) are what one usually expects along with a lot of Soju and Beer. Two Plus on the other hand provided a completely different experience, which was quite a relief, as after 10 days in Seoul I wanted to shake things up a little. Located in the posh Sinsa-dong province in Gangnam, Two Plus is a modern take on a traditional Korean BBQ restaurant with a very cosmopolitan vibe, and a rather westernized ambience. What’s special about Two Plus is that instead of only offering the typical meat selection one will find at any BBQ place, the have their specialty Aged Striploin. The Striploin at Two Plus happens to be 1++ Hanwoo grade beef (the highest for beef), thus the name Two Plus. Top-grade hanwoo is Korea’s counterpart to Japan’s wagyu. It was therefore obvious what we ordered. The meat, which arrived raw, was thick, juicy and generous in its portions. We were a party of 6 and hence ordered 6 steaks at 150 grams a piece. Once on the grill we each cooked our own steak to our liking. I cooked parts of mine to rare, and some to medium rare. The taste was merely that of quality, it undoubtedly rivals wagyu beef, which makes me think: Why is wagyu so much more popular? The meat melted in my mouth and was un-spoilt with any sauces or condiments, pure decadence. Words cannot do this beef justice. Along with many bottles of Soju and Beer this was by far the best Korean BBQ I have had in Seoul.      

Yeyoung Bldg. 532-9 Sinsadong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul