Kang Seung-woo is the Business Desk editor at The Korea Times. Prior to this position, he covered politics, national affairs, finance and sports.
Lotte gaining presence as gourmet hotel in Korea
Mugunghwa, located on the 38th floor of the Lotte Hotel Seoul, is a fine-dining Korean restaurant serving healthy and modern dishes. / Courtesy of Lotte Hotels and Resorts
By Kang Seung-woo
By Kang Seung-woo
Lotte Hotels and Resorts has been in the limelight as the one and only “gourmet hotel” thanks to its lineup of Michelin star restaurants that offer visitors the best dining experience and service.
Mugunghwa
Tasting traditional food while traveling is the easiest way to experience local culture.
On the 38th floor of the Lotte Hotel Seoul, located in the heart of Seoul, is Mugunghwa, the oldest among Korean restaurants at five-star hotels here.
Mugunghwa, or rose of Sharon, is the national flower of the country and the top-class Korean restaurant lives up to its name with chefs showing their pride and passion for creating authentic Korean meals.
Based on authentic traditional Korean cuisine, the restaurant has evolved over time incorporating various recipes and modern elements, such as interior decoration, tableware and presentation, thus leading a trend in the nation's fine dining.
Its most popular menu items include herring roe bibimbap and grilled Daegwallyeong hanwoo tenderloin.
Herring roe bibimbap is unlike ordinary bibimbap made of vegetables and meat as it is presented with salted herring roe with spice, abalone and kimchi as a topping.
Grilled Daegwallyeong hanwoo tenderloin features top-grade beef from the eco-friendly eastern mountainous region of Daegwallyeong in Pyeongchang County whose extra-tender meat is best enhanced with savory oak wood charcoal.
The food is not the only thing to enjoy at Mugunghwa. Overlooking the spectacular view of Mount Bukhan and downtown Seoul, the restaurant can provide diners with an unforgettable memory complete with the finest course meal.
Pierre Gagnaire a Seoul, on the 35th floor of the Executive Tower of the Lotte Hotel Seoul, is a top-notch French fine-dining restaurant. / Courtesy of Lotte Hotels and Resorts
Pierre Gagnaire a Seoul
What is it like to experience Paris in Seoul?
On the 35th floor of the Executive Tower of the Lotte Hotel Seoul is the French restaurant Pierre Gagnaire a Seoul overseen by French chef Pierre Gagnaire.
His unique signature French cuisine with modern sensibilities has earned him the nickname “Picasso of gastronomy.” Pierre Gagnaire a Seoul was the first French restaurant in Korea to earn two stars when the Korean edition of Michelin Guide started in 2017.
Since reopening on Sept. 1, 2018 after months of remodeling, the restaurant has earned the reputation of offering French food lovers an opportunity to experience exquisite French dishes at a reasonable price. Its dinner highlights the famed chef's signature southern French cuisine.
Chef Gagnaire regularly visits Seoul to check on the menus, wine and other details at the Seoul restaurant. When he last visited in January, he expressed his love for Seoul and revealed the reason his restaurant was loved by diners in the city.
“I owe the Lotte hotel staff who have worked very hard and always shared their feelings with me, and I also enjoy the beautiful view from here,” Gagnaire said.
Stay, a one-Michelin-starred French contemporary Restaurant, is the perfect place for a romantic dinner in Seoul thanks to its location on the 81st floor of the Lotte World Tower. / Courtesy of Lotte Hotels and Resorts
Stay
On the 81st floor of Signiel Seoul, the symbol of luxury in Korea, is the French restaurant Stay by celebrated French chef Yannick Alleno.
Located in Jamsil, the center of culture, shopping and tourism in southeastern Seoul, Stay has emerged as a destination in the city's tour course equipped with everything that tourists are looking for ― from its ideal location and the scenic view to the best-tasting food.
Since it opened in April 2017, the restaurant has never ceased to be the center of attention, having earned a Michelin star within a year. It offers trendy French cuisine made of the best seasonal ingredients found in Korea. Alleno's exclusive sauce brings together all ingredients in beautiful harmony ― enhanced with the best-matching wine ― and more than suffices to enthrall diners from around the world.
Alleno visits Seoul once or twice a year to oversee his creative production.
“Cooking at Signiel Seoul, the symbol of Seoul, like the Eiffel Tower of Paris, is truly amazing. I am making efforts to create the best taste by continuously discovering fine ingredients and communicating with team members,” he said.