Bien Etre (Seoul)

A priori:
- my idea of "bien-etre" ('well being' for us froggies) is certainly not the Dosandae-ro / Yeongdongdae-ro intersection, a pack of tangled highways where Yeongdong Bridge and Olympicdae-ro also meet.
- and when I think "top restaurant", the first image summoned into mind is not one single, tiny room with only 2 basic tables of four, the restrooms in the next building, at the feet of tall appartment blocks next to the above mentioned noodle mess*.

But a posteriori: Bien-Etre fully deserves its name, and it's much more than just a top restaurant.

To start with, I don't mind sharing a tiny room with a Cordon Bleu chef when he's cooking. PARK Min-jae worked with Pierre Gagnaire and ran Le Carre in Apgujeong-dong. Here, the Master is not in some distant kitchen, ruling over an army of assistants: he's preparing every single amuse bouche for you, as if if were for a close relative, and you can experience the finest meal with the full show on the plate (and the palate), but sans the boring decorum that usually comes with it. The ultimate table d'hote for a happy few, a festival from the entrees to the souffle**. Every bite makes some Bien to your Etre.

In Paris, the 'neo-bistro' trend also puts food first under the motto small is beautiful, but this is probably the World's Plus Petit Grand Restaurant.

Needless to say, you have to book in advance for this not so hidden gem (Bien-Etre's reputation already crossed many borders).

Bien Etre / 비앙 에트르 (restaurant)
130 Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, ROK
Tel: +82.2.543.3288

Seoul Village 2012 - more tables here
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* I know it sounds a little bit too Dickensian for such an expensive neighborhood (Cheongdam-dong), but come on, there are nicer surroundings in Seoul. And I'm the biased, "Gangbuk" kind of Seoulite (make that "Gangcheon", for 'north of Seoul's original waterway, Cheonggyecheon').
** a la vanille, le souffle. Perfect taste, temperature, and texture. I loved it. But if you want me to melt down, cook me a good souffle au fromage.

Pierre Gagnaire a Seoul

I don't know whether "Pierre Gagnaire à Séoul" can help revive the very corny Lotte Hotel or not, but it had been ages since I last pushed its doors... and I guess I'm not the only customer to experience this weird feeling on his way to the 35th floor and to the first restaurant by a 3 Michelin Star Chef in Korea.

After Paris, Tokyo, Hong-Kong, and Dubai, the Pierre Gagnaire franchise opened shop in Seoul.

The timing couldn't be worse... or better for the Lotte Group : all luxury restaurants are struggling, but this chaebol is on an aggressive investing drive (purchasing food and beverage companies, building a new 555 m high Lotte World II...), and intends to gain ground as rivals struggle (most rivals : fellow retailer Shinsegae just opened a giant new complex in Busan, and purchased at a bargain price a key building near its headquarters in downtown Seoul).

Enough biz talk. And let's not waste time describing the curvy decor creating two niches with a view on the city center, enhanced by a smart system of mirrors.

Food, now. For this first encounter of the third kind in Seoul and after experiencing some overacted cuisine extravaganzas at "Gaya par Pierre Gagnaire" in Paris, I didn't dare taking too risky a path on the rather stimulating menu, and went for a simple and classic course. No surprise there (ie veal with eel and boletus), except for a few successful innovations maintained on the side (ie amuses-gueule and dessert), and at the right level.

My first impression : not a major disruption, but the possibility for Seoulites to enjoy the real Parisian-style, 3-star thing.

This fills a competitive gap with rival Asian neighbors, and could spark some positive competition at the national level. Eventually. And if Lotte can sustain the "caprice" until better times come.

Knowing that a much quicker and more positive way of putting definitely Seoul on the global culinar map would be to promote high end Korean restaurants : this courageous opening doesn't make for last year's tragic loss (see "Annus Horribilis").

Pierre Gagnaire à Séoul
Lotte Hotel Seoul 35F New Wing, Sogong-dong, Jung-gu, SEOUL, ROK
Tel +82.2.317.7181, 7182

Seoul Village 2009

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