By Bae Ji-sook
Staff reporter
There are many Western eateries in Korea presenting dishes inspired by Korean ingredients or cuisine, but they are not very popular or receive much attention.
The Grand InterContinental Seoul hotel has recently stepped up to make quite a bold and impressive move in the area - its French restaurant Table 34 has presented a full-course meal cooked with indigenous ingredients only. From baby cabbages to caviar, everything was farmed and produced here.
It’s something that not even the finickiest gourmands or culinary experts here would have expected. But what more impressive is that each vegetable, meat or spice’s quality is the same as, or even better, than the imported equivalents, labeled with long and unidentifiable places of origin.
The menu was first organized for the Chaine des Rotisseurs Dinner, an event for the pickiest gourmands, a couple of months ago. After it passed the screening of the fastidious palates, the hotel is planning to refine it for a possible dinner menu for the G-20 Summit attendants, mainly state leaders and large corporation operators all over the world.
“We have spotted some great potential in the menu since many guests at the gala night expressed their satisfaction.
Someone even told us that it was the best they’ve had by far,” Bae Han-chul, director of kitchens, said on presenting the “Uniquely Korean-Inspired Produce.” The eight course meal starts with three kinds of caviar served with various other sides such as Japanese egg pudding, lobster jelly and others. The albino caviar, white eggs instead of the conventional purple ones, is rare even in Russia, Bae explained.
The kitchen crew had to search all over the country to locate the only caviar farm in Korea. Amid some concerns, the product was quite good. Besides the well-steamed eggs, the caviar itself was quite delightful - a bit sour but at the same time juicy and rich inside.
The surprise continues as the ginseng and pheasant essence made with pheasant, mushroom, ginseng tortellini; a warmed terrine of pressed yellowtail kingfish, langoustine, ginger beurre blanc; Jeju cactus sorbet; and DMZ Korean beef tenderloin served with truffle infused potato foam, spring vegetables and red wine jus are all part of the meal.
The beef was soft. While you could see the texture of the muscle, it was juicy, chewy and tender enough to satisfy all generations of all tastes. The garnish was good, too. The baby cabbage and baby carrots were delightful to eat and pleasant to know that they were produced not far from Seoul.
Many women may find the dessert section attractive. The Brie cheese from Gochang, North Jeolla Province, served with ice cream and rakakak, walnut biscotti, salted caramel and persimmon chutney is followed by apple mango mousse inside a white chocolate dome. The waiters come around and splash hot caramel on the chocolate dome, then crack it to release the mousse. It is truly eye-candy and a pleasure to finish off the exquisite trip for the taste buds.
Apple mangos are relatively new to Korea since only there are only a handful of farms, crammed in the southern island of Jeju, produce them in fully controlled greenhouses. The sweetness and succulence make you smile all the way down to your stomach.
Bae stressed that the dishes aren’t just another novelty in the fast-changing dining industry, but more of a journey into discovering another story-telling food, which a lot of Korean cuisine is said to lack.
“Each dish has its story: Whether it is beef from cows pastured around The Demilitarized Zone, or green tea from Boseong, Jeolla Province, where the whole village is dominated by green tea farming or related industry, the story itself will be intriguing to foreigners, and of course, state-leaders,” Bae said.
Since many vegetable and fruits are seasonal, the G-20 menu will be slightly different, consisting of seasonal delicacies.
“Uniquely Korean-Inspired Produce” is offered to large groups of diners who make advance reservations.