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Hotel Lobby

Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul An Italian promotion titled “Festa Italiana” will be held at Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul’s modern European restaurant The Festa Bistro and Bar Nov. 3-8. Customers can enjoy modern Italian cuisine prepared by guest chef Massimo Mele, executive chef at Hugos Group Sydney, who has served VIPs in the G’day USA promotion in the U.S. in 2009 and 2010. He also appeared in several television shows and magazines. Lunch and dinner courses start from 45,000 won. The promotion will also have a variation, such as aperitivo Thursday with Peroni, Italian gourmet wine dinner, slow Sunday Italian brunch, and an Italian cooking class, at between 40,000 won and 150,000 won. For more information, call 02-2250-8170. Imperial Palace Seoul Imperial Palace Seoul’s buffet restaurant Familia offers 11 special “Australian-Korean menus” together with Meat & Livestock Australia in celebration of the Korea-Australian Year of Friendship 2011. Prepared to commemorate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries, the dishes, created by Australian s

Oct 27, 2011

Edward Kwon’s restaurant eyes families

By Kwon Mee-yoo Yet another restaurant by star chef Edward Kwon, called The Mixed One, opened in Hannam-dong Friday, one that will mainly target families and foreigners living in the neighborhood. Kwon said the concept for the restaurant comes from modern Californian multi-cuisine. The restaurant will serve a variety of food from the East and West and sometimes creatively combine them. “Hannam-dong is a foreigner-concentrated area with many embassies. I hope The Mixed One will appeal to them with its reasonably-priced food,” Kwon said at a press conference on the restaurant earlier this month. “I think there are no real family restaurants in Korea where a family can come together and have gourmet food in a comfortable setting. I want to provide quality food at affordable prices for families and foreigners.” Kwon was a head chef at the prestigious Burj Al Arab in Dubai and has been leading the globalization of Korean food by presenting contemporary Korean dishes at the Sydney Food Festival, Jakarta Food Festival, 2011 Singapore World Gourmet Summit and Hawaii Food and Win

Oct 21, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo

Hotel lobby

Ritz-Carlton Seoul A Halloween party will be hosted each night at the The Ritz Bar of the Ritz-Carlton from Oct. 28 to 31. Every guest at the party will get a “horror” cocktail prepared by the hotel’s World Class award-winning bartender, Eom Do-hwan, as well as complimentary Halloween cookies, pumpkin pies and pumpkin soup. Costume and photo contests will also be held with great prizes as well as Taro card readings for those wishing to take a glimpse into what the future may have in store. For more information or reservations, call 02-3451-8277. Millennium Seoul Hilton Il Ponte, the Italian bistro in the Millennium Seoul Hilton, is preparing a Winemaker’s Dinner on Oct. 28, featuring wines from the Dievole winery which has produced wine since the 11th century. Wines to be introduced include Dievolino Bianco di Malvasia IGT 2010, Chianti Classico La Vendemmia DOCG 2008 and Premium Quintus 2007. The wines will be accompanied by a six-course dinner, carefully selected to showcase the nature and flavor of the wines, such as red onion ravioli filled with sea scallops and p

Oct 20, 2011

Boeing 747 Dreamliner debuts at Seoul air show

By Lee Hyo-sik The much-delayed Boeing 787 ``Dreamliner’’ was finally put on display during the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition (ADEX) 2011, attracting tens of thousands of airplane enthusiasts from all over the country. All Nippon Airways (ANA), one of Japan’s flagship carriers, became the world’s first airline to add the state-of-the-art aircraft to its fleet last month after three years of delay. Boeing is scheduled to deliver 10 planes to Korean Air from 2016. About 50 international airlines have ordered a total of 800 aircrafts. ``The 787 Dreamliner is 20-percent more fuel-efficient, compared to other aircraft of the same size. The plane also releases 20-percent less carbon dioxide and flies 15-percent faster because it is made of ultra-light carbon fiber,’’ said Randy Tinseth, vice president of marketing at Boeing Commercial Airplanes, during a press conference at the Westin Chosun Hotel, Tuesday. He then said Boeing projects 1,250 new airplanes will be delivered to Northeast Asian carriers valued at approximately $200 billion over the next 2 de

Oct 20, 2011

Coex Mall, all about entertainment

By Kim Rahn Daniel, an English resident in Seoul, used to have lunch at Coex Mall in the Gangnam District almost every day when he worked nearby. Now he doesn’t live near the mall, but still visits there about once a month. “When I go, it’s usually to meet up with friends who live in the area. We’ll probably get something to eat and then sit around in a coffee shop talking for hours. Sometimes I go to Bandi & Luni’s Bookstore there, because it’s probably the one in Seoul with the biggest selection,” he said. Coex Mall, located under the Coex business complex, is a place to meet, not only Daniel, but also many of Seoul’s citizens. The main reason why Asia’s largest underground mall is so popular is it can literally satisfy all needs ― dining, shopping, entertainment and cultural experiences. Connected directly to Samseong Station on subway line No. 2, the mall has become a good date place for couples, entertainment venue for families and a tourist attraction where foreign visitors can catch a glimpse of Korea’s leisure culture all at once. “It is pretty huge, so

Oct 20, 2011

Jeonju to host Korean food feast on Oct. 20-24

By Lee Hyo-sik If you want to know how traditional Korean dishes are made and what ingredients are used, you don’t want to miss the upcoming two festivals. They are the 2011 Korean Food Festival in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, and the 2011 Icheon Rice Cultural Festival in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province. In Jeonju, widely known for its traditional housing and cuisine, visitors will able to see how bibimbap and other traditional dishes are cooked by chefs from across the country from Oct. 20 to 24. Bibimbap is a mixed dish of cooked white rice, vegetables, beef, garnishes and red pepper paste. Guests will also get to sample ``hansik,’’ or Korean cuisine, and take part in culinary classes to hone their cooking skills. To go with the food, a wide array of traditional performances will be organized throughout event venues. The 2011 Icheon Rice Cultural Festival presents the perfect opportunity for those who want to see and experience what Korea’s agricultural industry was like in the past. Event organizers plan to offer a wide range of programs which visitors can take part in and

Oct 13, 2011By Lee Hyo-sik

Hotel Lobby

Oakwood Premier Coex Center Seoul The Residents’ Lounge at the Oakwood Premier Coex Center Seoul offers an Italian promotion through Oct. 30. A chef with 30 years of experience at five-star hotels will prepare authentic Italian cuisine, including beef carpaccio with rucola and capricciosa salad, polenta gratin with sauteed seafood, rare-grilled tuna with spicy tomato sauce, roasted chicken with gnocchi in garlic oil sauce, and chocolate cake with fried apple covered with vanilla sauce. The prices of the pasta and main dishes start from 21,000 won. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks are available at the lounge from 11:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. For more information, call 02-3466-7203. W Seoul-Walkerhill The W Seoul-Walkerhill has appointed Greg Findlay as its new general manager. The hotelier and management expert from New Zealand has built his career mostly in Asia and Oceania including Australia, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia since beginning work at the Sheraton New Zealand in 1992. Findlay has been with Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide for many years and

Oct 13, 2011

World cuisine introduced in chef promotions

By Kim Rahn As fall arrives, many of Seoul’s top hotels are presenting various food promotions to celebrate the new season. Hotels invite chefs from top-class restaurants around the world to satisfy guests’ palates with the finest food ingredients. The Grand Hyatt Seoul will have Michelin-star chef Stefano Baiocco from Villa Feltrinelli in Italy to showcase his contemporary interpretations of authentic Italian cuisine. From Oct. 26 to Nov. 1 at The Paris Grill, the Italian will present some of his top creations from the many venues he has worked at, including Yokohama, New York, Hong Kong, Oxford, Spain and Italy. His herb-based dishes include chilled soup with 10 different spices, and fresh and candied fruits and vegetables with herbs. His main courses include a premium selection of pastas with a signature entree, such as sea bass filet amatriciana, grilled wagyu beef with spinach and eggplant ravioli, and homemade tortellini filled with carbonara sauce and broccoli cream scented with anchovies. A variety of appetizers and desserts are also available. The pro

Oct 13, 2011By Kim Rahn

Around Town

Classicial Concerts Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra Sejong Performing Arts Center* (See ‘Venues’ on the right for more information) Seoul Arts Center* Nov. 11, 13 The Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, founded in 1951 and now led by maestro Yuri Simonov, will appear with violinist Joszef Lendvay. Lendvay, born in 1974 in Hungary and best known as a violinist mixing classical music with gypsy melodies, will perform “Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64 by Mendelssohn” on Nov. 11 and “Violin Concerto in D major by Tchaikovsky” on Nov. 13. Tickets cost 60,000 to 250,000 won. For more information, call (02) 3463-2466. Berliner Philharmoniker with Simon Rattle Seoul Arts Center* Sejong Performing Arts Center* Nov. 15 and 16 Berliner Philharmoniker will again visit Korea. In 2005 when the orchestra held a concert in Korea for the first time in 20 years, the ensemble promised it would hold a triennial concert for Korean fans. “Symphony No. 9 in D major” by G. Mahler and “Symphony No. 9 in D minor” by A. Bruckner will be played under the baton of conductor Sir Simon Rat

Oct 13, 2011By Do Je-hae

Around Town

Clubs Underlounge Seoul Hongdae or Hongik University Area This is the local club of a hip Japanese chain that also has a branch in Shanghai. Located in the famous clubbing area Hongdae, it’s all flashy with loud music and lights. Spacious, with a supersized mirror ball hanging over your head, DJs from near and far make music while you hang out at the bar or in classy private rooms. Located near the main entrance of Hongik University. Call (02) 325-5715 or visit www.underlounge.kr. Boutique Club 52 Itaewon Once called Function inside Macaroni Market, Club 52 boasts a chic and modern interior with the DJ spinning the beats for the hippest crowd from the center of the dance floor. Featuring top DJs from both home and abroad, two bars inside the club serving the coolest cocktails including some made with Hendrick’s gin, and a high-class interior, Club 52 is always the place for good times. Club Volume Itaewon Located in the Crown Hotel near Noksapyeong Station, Club Volume offers the finest venue for specially themed weekly events and talented internatio

Oct 13, 2011By Do Je-hae

Travel & Food

Travel & Food

Hotel Lobby

Edward Kwon’s restaurant eyes families

Hotel lobby

Boeing 747 Dreamliner debuts at Seoul air show

Coex Mall, all about entertainment

Jeonju to host Korean food feast on Oct. 20-24

Hotel Lobby

World cuisine introduced in chef promotions

Around Town

Around Town

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