By Kim Tong-hyung
Staff Reporter
Korean diners tend to have a very strong preference for Hanwoo, the cherished purebred Korean beef, but it won't take Joerg Hontheim two seconds to tell you he could not agree more.
That is good news for patrons of Manhattan Grill, the fine dining eatery at Renaissance Seoul in Kangnam since as the executive chef, Hontheim has seen fit to brandish an assortment of sumptuous dishes using nothing but Hanwoo.
Take the beef carpaccio for instance. Marinated in black olive and pear, wild mushrooms with sesame ginger vinaigrette, the thinly sliced temperature-seasoned Hanwoo melts away, unfortunately, before you really have a chance to chew.
So it is befitting that the German gourmet chef designed the first of two seven-course menus with this particular dish to get you started on just the right foot through a culinary adventure.
This adventure takes you next to the double delight of Hanwoo ox-tail consomme with pine mushrooms and fatsia shoots cream soup, the combination of which really sets you up perfectly for the rest of the journey.
To create a balance with the richness of the Hanwoo beef carpaccio, Hontheim next serves up delicious king crab and organic green salad with lime in a poached rice basket.