Jungsik is now my favourite ATAS (meaning baller, uppity) molecular gastronomy restaurant in Asia because Andre’s in Singapore has closed.

Restaurants serving molecular Korean food is rare, but chef Jung Sik Yim is on a mission to ensure that they are memorable!

Jungsik is a short walk from Apgujeongrodeo station. Its a very tasteful looking 3 storey building, the first being the bar, the second the main dining hall and the third is private dining rooms and the toilets. The crowd was a good mix of Koreans and expats. The wait staff all spoke good English and they were very attentive and friendly. They also knew their food very well and the wines.

The amuse bouche was where Jungsik first got my tastebuds. The ‘egg’ was actually a mix of truffles, mushrooms and Parmesan foam that tasted so good I wanted to lick it clean. The dumpling skin was made of a radish (I think) so the texture was firm yet light, and the filling was sweet and salty. The candied burdock stock was a blend of sweetness, saltiness and crispness that’s so unique. The small gimbap was kimchi oyster with delicious seaweed. I forgot what was in the cannoli but it was delicious too! All the 6 items tasted unique and it was a great start.

The next dish was Gimbap deconstructed. Otoro (tuna belly) and salmon roe served with all the korean side dishes but done differently, paired with crispy seaweed and you eat it without rice. I love tuna belly and salmon roe so this was easily a winning dish.

It’s hard to cook abalone just right and he’s steamed it first and then grilled it for the burnt taste and he served it with beurre blanc (butter) sauce and very delicate tasting kimchi. The sauce was awesome and the abalone was so tasty and retained all the umami.

I love calamari. But braising octopus and then deep frying it made the flavours more intense and the texture so crisp. Pair it with chill and garlic aioli and darling, we have a winning calamari!

The first main course was red big eye. I guess this means it’s a red big eyed snapper. Dusted with seaweed and served with perilla oil. You smell the perillaoil as you drizzle it on your own and the seaweed smell miraculously comes right after it. Hmmmm

He can do seafood so well because I really liked this fish and all the seafood that came before.

The next main was the Gimbap. Gimbap keeps coming up because it is very traditional korean! You eat it everywhere and anytime and everyone makes it. This version comes with a beef bulgogi rice centre, wrapped in crispy seaweed that stayed crisp even though i rested for a while and get this! THE TRUFFLE AIOLI. It’s delicious to a point I wanted more even though I was already half full.

The final main dish was a slice of beef with cute little mushrooms and perilla leaves. The beef was cooked just right, tender and flavourful. It’s served like a sushi, pimped up!

After all the tasty food, I’ll need a palate cleanser please? Jungsik’s version, Korean traditional drink of cinnamon topped with pear sorbet. So refreshing!

I don’t usually like dates but this Jujube ice cream served on a bed of chestnut mash and chestnut sponge cake with parilla biscuits was very delicious. I can tell he used seasonal food because this dessert was made from fruits I saw growing on the trees as I walked the parks.

I had wonderful buckwheat tea before I had my petite4, but it was only 3.

Chocolate almond, buckwheat cake, tangerine macaroon.

Happy belly and Happy ending! I will come back to Seoul just to eat here again!

Pro tip: the signature menu is also served during lunch time at a fraction of the cost. I couldn’t get the lunch reservation as it was full but you try ok?

Oh did I mention the wine list is also one of the best in Seoul? Cheers!

Eat, explore, sleep, repeat

XOXO

Stella