By Kwon Mee-yoo
Staff Reporter
Local hotels are turning sweet and fresh seasonal strawberries into a colorful array of delicious drinks and desserts. Try out the following strawberry delights and get energized, reducing spring fatigue.
The Grand InterContinental Seoul's Lobby Lounge features the ``Strawberry Dessert Buffet'' until March 15. From 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on weekends, enjoy different kinds of desserts made with only the freshest strawberries. The selection includes a poached strawberry lemon roulade, strawberry pistachio frasier and strawberry vanilla pannacotta for 25,000 won. For more information, call (02) 559-7603.
JW Marriott Seoul Lobby Lounge and Deli Shop present a lusciously appetizing ``Spring Strawberry Festival'' from March to April. Yogurt and strawberries smoothies are paired with ginseng making a healthy compliment for the fruit. For more exotic interpretations, try a soothing strawberry and tequila cocktail. Meanwhile, the strawberry buffet offers a wide selection of strawberry desserts such as strawberry dip chocolate and strawberry tartlets. For reservations, call (02) 6282-6735.
Compass Rose, of the Westin Chosun Seoul, offers a new berry-themed selection featuring fresh strawberry refreshments. Customers can enjoy the fruity sweetness of strawberry juice until the end of March for 13,000 won. For more information, call Compass Rose at (02) 317-0365.
Grand Hyatt Seoul presents a selection of seasonal strawberry cocktails at its Lobby Lounge. The alcoholic cocktail menu includes such creations as strawberry bellini, a sweet drink with a vivid color, and the strawberry martini, a refreshing cocktail with a powerful yet sweet taste. The promotion is available through March 31 and the drinks cost 18,000 won. Call (02) 799-8165 for detailed information.
Ritz-Carlton Seoul's bakery and pastry shop, Ritz Deli, ushers in the spring with a broad selection of strawberry pastries including strawberry tarts, strawberry cake, strawberry choux puff and more. Whole cakes are available for 31,000 won and 4,200 won per slice. This promotion runs from March to April. For more information, call Ritz Deli at (02) 3451-8278.
Palm Court, Millennium Seoul Hilton's lobby lounge, offers a varied selection of beverages and delectable desserts featuring strawberries for its ``Simply Strawberry Festival'' in March and April. Some of the selections include strawberry cheesecake with strawberry dipped in chocolate, strawberry crepe suzette with ice cream and strawberry almond tarts. The desserts cost 13,000-15,000 won. For more information, call Palm Court at (02) 317-3058.
Lotte Hotel World's The Lounge offers juice, cocktails and cakes made with sweet and fragrant strawberries from March 1 through April 30. ``Strawberry Oasis,'' a concoction of strawberries and raspberry liquor, will revitalize tired bodies and spirits. Guests should not miss the three kinds delicious strawberry cakes. Call (02) 411-7751 for more information.
The Sheraton Grande Walkerhill's Pavilion lounge holds a `Very Berry Strawberry Season 2'' promotion till March 29 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. A sweet and delightful variety of 13 different seasonal strawberry desserts are available. The strawberry buffet features a tempting strawberry tiramisu made with silky, smooth Italian cheese, fresh strawberry vanilla cake, strawberry cream cheese, strawberry pudding, strawberry mini tarts and many other luscious desserts. Guests who find the Lucky Voucher will win the selected prize of the day. The buffet costs 27,000 with coffee or tea and 30,000 won with strawberry juice. Call (02) 450-4534 for inquiries.
Sheraton Grande Walkerhill's strawberry buffet first held in 2008. Baek Dae-jin, the pastry sous-chef of Sheraton Grande Walkerhill, said this year's dessert buffet is an improvement on last year's while maintaining popular items such as the strawberry tiramisu. According to Baek, the strawberry promotion is popular among women of all ages, drawing some 50 teams to the hillside hotel to indulge in the sweet delights last Saturday.
``The strawberry is a good ingredient for making desserts because it's more cohesive than other fruits, like watermelons,'' Baek said. ``We use mainly fresh strawberries for the dessert, but I'm thinking of baking strawberries next year.'' The hotel also plans to expand the promotion to include other fruits, such as cherries, in the summer.