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4 Hidden Gems in Seoul

  

 Chicken Revolution

Chicken Revolution specializes in chicken dishes and they have a funky vintage inspired interior design. The name is a nod to the restaurant's mascot, an animated chicken drawn to resemble Che Guevara. Posters of the chicken hang on the walls and they're captioned with the words, "a chicken for everyone." Opened and operated by Kim Sujin, the chicken-centered menu has some classic Korean dishes and some items that are unique to Chicken Revolution. The classic Korean dish, jjim dak (braised spicy chicken with vegetables), comes in several iterations, and diners may also enjoy the spicy butter chicken and the garlic chicken dishes. The servers are energetic and attentive, so visitors are sure to have a positive and tasty dining experience at Chicken Revolution.




     

 Iron Man No. 28

Iron Man No. 28 is a charming wine bar and restaurant with a quirky decor. One wall of the bar is kept blank for video projection and the other walls have artwork and neon signs. Iron Man No. 28 is cozy and small in scale with just three tables and some bar seating. Though the restaurant is small, it doesn't feel cramped and the size lends the place a romantic atmosphere. Visitors may notice a huge circle of Edam cheese near the doorway; that cheese is used in one of the restaurant's best dishes. Diners should try the pork belly topped with Edam cheese served in a cast iron skillet. It pairs beautifully with all of the wines on offer. 




     

 Du Hwa Dang

Du Hwa Dang is a dessert cafe located in a house that dates back to the 1920s. The house was once home to a Japanese national. Entering the cafe feels like stepping back in time as the decor is a throwback to the 1920s and 1930s. Fans of the period movies "Age of Shadows" or "The Handmaiden" will feel at home here as the movies served as design inspirations. Du Hwa Dang's chef and owner Kim Songyi attended college in Switzerland; then spent her time living in 10 different countries all over the world. When she returned to Korea, she became enthralled with Korean cuisine, and with the soybean in particular. As a result, Kim decided to open a Western-style dessert cafe using an essential element of Korean cuisine, the soybean. Though labor-intensive, Kim makes makes everything from scratch, and she starts by boiling the soybeans herself. All of the menu items are made with soy instead of dairy, so vegans and lactose intolerant patrons can rest easy when ordering. Du Hwa Dang is an enchanting combination of the old and the new; of East and West.




     

 Bar Backroom

Bar Backroom is a speakeasy-style bar located within a photo gallery. Patrons can follow a wooden sign into the gallery and in the rear, behind a false wall is a large, imposing solid wood bar and shelves full of different spirits and liqueurs. Kim Gijeong founded both the photo gallery and Bar Backroom. Before opening Bar Backroom, he spent several years working as both a photographer and a bartender in order to make a living and to live life on his own terms. The false wall that divides the bar and gallery can be rolled away to create an extra large open space and Kim often holds events here. Visitors can enjoy a range of cultural events here, from movie screenings, to traditional music performances.