Solsot Cheongdam • 솔솥 청담점

Solsot Cheongdam (솔솥 청담점) is a chain restaurant that is specialized in “Sotbap” (솥밥) (or“pot rice” in Korean), a Korean traditional dish where short-grain rice is cooked with various ingredients in a heavy pot placed directly on a stove or over an open flame. The dish has been gaining popularity (or at least I’ve seen more and more clips online of restaurants serving Sotbap) in the past couple of years and in my opinion is one of the food trends that’s pretty popular in Korea in recent times (not recent recent, but pretty recent). I still remember a couple of years ago when it started with one or two restaurants that went viral because of their Sotbap menu. But these days, you can find multiple restaurants that have similar concepts in different places in the country. Solsot is one of the bigger franchise in this category with 77 locations all over South Korea. 

I went to the Cheongdam location (솔솥 청담점) on a Friday for lunch with a friend of mine. We arrived at 11:30 am, right before the lunch rush started and managed to get a table right away. The restaurant is not too big with about 24 seatings available around the room. The tables are for mostly for 4 people, but there are about four tables that accommodate party of two. And good thing we came a little early because minutes later, the restaurant was full with people and there’s even a line forming outside. So yes, the place is definitely pretty popular and you might have to wait for a table if you come during lunch or dinner rush. 

The menu here is pretty straight forward with accompanying pictures so you don’t have to guess what you’re getting. Each Sotbap set comes with sides of salad, soup, banchan, dipping sauce and a Yakult drink. 

How To Eat

First, mixed everything inside the pot. Add the sauce too according to your preference and liking. After everything is mixed together, scoop the rice out and place them on the empty plate they gave with your set. If you want to enjoy the Nurungji (or scorched rice), leave the crispy rice that’s sticking to the pot and then pour the hot tea/broth that they gave you inside the white sake bottle shaped container into the pot and put the lid back on top. You can eat this at the end of your meal after you finish your Sotbap.

Overall Comment

One thing I have to say about the flavors, if you’re imagining Sotbap to have a bold flavors (as in South East Asian standard for bold flavors and strong seasonings for example), you might be disappointed when eating it. In general, I think when talking about what considered comfort food in Korea, most of the dishes are very mildly seasoned, especially if you’re comparing it to the flavors one usually finds in South East Asian cooking. Even my Korean friends have told me that SEA foods are generally stronger in seasonings and saltier compared to Korean food (not all, but majority of it). So for the locals, the flavors and seasonings might already hit their level of comfort, but if you are from South East Asia or prefer a strongly seasoned dishes like those found in the SEA countries, Sotbap could taste a tad under seasoned for your taste buds. Just a heads up.

Abalone Sotbap (전복솥밥) ₩18,000 | 8/10

The abalone is fresh and chewy, not tough at all. This Sotbap tastes very earthy especially with the addition of the sesame seeds. For the Abalone Sotbap, it does come with a pack of seaweed sheet on the side. And they recommend you to wrap the rice with the seaweed, dip it into the sauce and eat it in one bite. Eating it this way does add a layer of complexity to the Sotbap and enhance that sea flavor in your bite.

Steak Sotbap (스테이크솥밥) ₩18,000 | 8/10

The steak is nice and tender with pretty generous portion. The egg yolk added an extra creaminess to the Sotbap which I enjoyed. The sauce for the Steak Sotbap is a bit saltier than the Abalone Sotbap’s sauce so I would recommend you to pour it little by little first and taste it in case pouring everything in all together is too salty for you. 

All and all, my friend and I enjoyed our meal. We were pretty stuffed by the end of our lunch (we didn’t even finish all of our rice, just the proteins cause the portion is actually bigger than we thought) and the Sotbap felt like a very healthy meal. If you’re looking for something warm, comforting and nutritious for your body, I think Sotbap is the way to go.

 

Solsot Cheongdam • 솔솥 청담점

Address: 서울 강남구 도산대로53길 16
Telephone: 0507-1334-6806
Hours: Everyday 11:30-21:00 (Last Order 20:30)

Instagram: @solsot_official

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Altdif Dosan Tea Lounge • 알디프 도산 티 라운지

Altdif Dosan Tea Lounge (알디프 도산 티 라운지) is a new tea lounge that just recently opened in Dosan Park (도산공원) neighborhood earlier this year in April. The tea lounge offers a variety of unique tea based menu ranging from milk tea, cream tea, tea cocktails, and tea-based desserts that use Altdif’s wide selection of original house blend tea leaves. 

Altdif itself is a Korean tea brand that’s established in 2016. The name Altdif is derived from the acronym of Art, Life, Tea, Dignity, Diversity, and Freedom which the brand stands for. One of the unique thing about their tea is they pair their original house blend teas with its own theme song and story, encouraging you to enjoy the tea using all of your five senses.

They first opened their tea bar in 2018 in Hongdae (which has just recently closed on July 25) and offered tea course session that’s now available at the Dosan location. The 90-minute tea course explores modern Korean tea ritual, tea mixology technique, tea-brewed dessert, tea cocktail, milk tea and a creative single tea menu that’s already prepared for you to make. The tea course session accommodates up to 6 people per session and available only by reservation through Naver.

I visited Altdif Dosan Tea Lounge (알디프 도산 티 라운지) for the first time earlier this year in May, not too long after they just opened. The cafe itself is located on the second floor of a building, so it’s not too obvious from the street unless you’re looking for their sign. Went on a Thursday afternoon and the place was pretty quiet. The tea lounge itself is pretty spacious with about 30 seatings that are spread around the room. 

As a non-coffee drinker, I immediately got excited as soon as I saw their unique tea-based menu which has options other than the usual matcha latte or hojicha latte. From straight tea, milk tea, tea with coffee and tea with alcohol, I feel like this place is definitely where I can bring all my friends to since there’s at least something that they can order from the menu.

Altdif Dosan Tea Lounge 2024 Spring/Summer Menu (알디프 도산 티 라운지 2024 S/S 메뉴)

(Menu Courtesy of Altdif)

I actually found Altdif in the beginning of my May trip and I’m so glad that I did because I had the chance to go back again for a second visit two weeks later at the end of my trip. Tried a couple of different things and everything was not too sweet (just how I like it) and the flavors of each menu are certainly unique. Here are the things that I tried during my visits:

Dosan Signature Purple Milk Tea 도산 시그니처 퍼플 밀크티 ₩8,000 | 9.5/10

Tea Master’s Recommendation #티마스터추천 (Caffeine Free)
Tea: Space Odditea 스페이스 오디티 • Aroma: Chamomile, Raspberry, Pineapple
Purple signature milk tea with lavender and vanilla flavors.
보랏빛의 시그니처 티에 라벤더와 바닐라를 더하여 차분하면서도 우아한 카페인 프리 밀크티.

Initially, I thought this will taste like taro milk tea just because of the purple color. But surprisingly and interestingly, the strongest flavor for me was actually lavender. But not in a room fragrance kind of way (sometimes lavender flavored food just ended up tasting like fragrance to me, but this one was not). It’s subtle and the combination with vanilla flavor certainly gave it a milkier taste, with a hint of pineapple in the end. The light sweet cream on top was also a nice addition to the drink.

Dosan Signature Black Cream 도산 시그니처 블랙 크림티 ₩8,500 | 8.5/10

Tea Master’s Recommendation #티마스터추천 (High Caffeine)
Tea: Lee’s Breakfast 리스 브렉퍼스트 • Aroma: Empress Tree, Sweet Persimmon, Grain Syrup
Altdif signature cream tea which blends coffee and black tea with savory black cream and persimmon.
커피와 홍차를 블렌딩하고 고소한 블랙 크림과 감태로 감칠맛을 더한 알디프 시그니처 스타일 크림티.

My coffee drinking friend actually ordered this and I tried a couple of sips from her glass. For this one, the coffee flavor hit me first, and then the fragrant black tea. I quite enjoy the sweet and savory cream on top as well. The texture is thicker than the one in the Purple Milk Tea, but still enjoyable and easy enough for me to sip with the liquid part on the bottom. Also, to actually taste the overall flavor of the drink, I think you have to sip the cream and the coffee and black tea blend all at the same time. Even though I don’t drink coffee, I still enjoyed this drink (although now I’m curious to know how it’ll taste without the coffee because black tea with that cream on top doesn’t sound bad at all 😆) . And if you’re curious, my friend (who drinks coffee) gave this drink a 9.5/10. She said it was really good.

Summer Citrus Milk Tea 도산 썸머 시트러스 밀크티 ₩7,500 | 9/10

Ice Only • Caffeine Free
Tea: Habit Plus 더하기 차 • Aroma: Green Tangerine, Orange, Quince
[S/S season only] Caffeine free milk tea with a citrusy flavor of lemon-scented herbs.
[S/S 시즌 한정] 레몬향 허브의 시트러스한 풍미로 상큼하면서도 싱그러운 매력인 카페인 프리 밀크티.

The summer Citrus Milk Tea is one of their seasonal menu and definitely reminded me of a refreshing summer drink. The milk tea is citrusy sweet with a hint of zestiness in it. The sliced orange garnish also goes really well with the drink. The flavor is definitely something that I’ve never tasted before and I quite enjoyed this drink.

Signature pudding plate 시그니처 푸딩 플레이트 ₩12,500 | 10/10

Tea Master’s Recommendation #티마스터추천
Altdif’s signature pudding plate with homemade oolong tea pudding, hojicha pudding, vanilla milk cream, crispy crumble and dried fig.
직접 만든 우롱차 푸딩과 호지차 푸딩, 바닐라 우유 크림, 바삭한 크럼블과 건과일로 다양한 식감과 차의 풍미를 느낄 수 있는 시그니처 푸딩 플레이트.

Their signature pudding plate is really good. I ordered this both times I was there. The pudding texture is closer to a panna cotta, but a little bit creamier. The hojicha and oolong tea flavors on the puddings are really fragrant. Love the sweet crispy crumble and dried fig. Both gave a nice texture contrast to the overall dish. Everything on the plate actually works wonderfully in a bite and I really love this dessert. 

Honestly speaking, there’s not a lot of great tea-focused cafe around Seoul, especially with unique milk tea and tea cocktail menu. Altdif Dosan Tea Lounge is certainly a nice addition to the category, especially with their spacious venue (usually most tea places are small with limited seatings). It has definitely become one of my favorite spot and would totally recommend to check this place out if you’re ever in Dosan Park neighborhood (so it can stay open and I can go visit them again on my next trip 😆).

 

Altdif Dosan Tea Lounge • 알디프 도산 티 라운지

Address: 서울 강남구 선릉로161길 21-4 2층
Telephone: 0507-1389-5034
Hours: Tues-Sun 11:00-21:00 | Closed on Mondays

Instagram: @altdif_dosan

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Centre Cheongdam • 센트레 청담

Centre Cheongdam (센트레 청담) is the Canadian celebrity chef Antonio Park’s first overseas restaurant that’s focusing on Eastern and Western fusion dishes with locally sourced Korean ingredients. Drawing from his mother’s Korean heritage and going back to his root, chef Park opened Centre Cheongdam (센트레 청담) in July 2022, offering American and European-style brunch and dinner menu with an extensive wine list to pair them with.

Surrounded by floor to ceiling glass windows, the interior of the restaurant is reminiscent of dining in a garden with a pleasant and relaxing atmosphere. Keeping true to their garden dining concept, the dishes seem to also draw inspiration from nature and the four seasons, reflected in the way each dish is using various colorful fresh ingredients that are beautifully served on a plate.

My first visit to Centre was nothing but a pleasant experience. Came here for a late lunch with my friend and the place wasn’t all that busy. Maybe it’s because we came way past lunch hour rush on a weekday so there were only a couple of other tables with patrons at the end of their meals. 

After immediately being seated on one of the sofas, we’re handed the menu while our server set up the table for us. We decided on two appetizers and one main course to share and the food came 10 minutes after we placed our order. Pretty swift service. 

Fruit Ricotta (₩23,000) | 9/10

Orange, Grape, Tomato, Blueberry, Strawberry, Pear, Raspberry Compote, Mint Pesto, Dill, Ricotta, Pecan, Radish
오렌지,청포도, 토마토, 블루베리, 딸기, 배, 라즈베리 콤포트, 민트, 딜, 리코타, 레디쉬

The Fruit Ricotta was sweet, sour, fresh and nutty all at the same time. Every single fruit was cut beautifully and the highlight of this dish for me was the raspberry compote. Expecting it to be a little bit on the sour side for my personal preference, I’m pleasantly surprised when I found that it was nothing but. It hit the right amount of sourness and the flavor is very balanced and does not overpower the taste of the fresh fruits but rather a great accompaniment to them. Thoroughly enjoyed this dish as the opening of our meal and I think this dish can also be a great dessert if you want something fresh to end your meal.

Pork Rillette (₩19,000) | 8/10

Pork Rillette, Seasonal Fruit Marmalade, Caper, Cornichon, Pink Peppercorn, Sour Cream, Sour Dough
돼지고기 리예뜨, 계절 과일 마말레이드, 케이퍼, 핑크 페퍼콘, 코니송, 사워 크림, 사워 도우

The Pork Rillette was definitely richer and heavier than our first course. The rillette was smooth and creamy with that typical fatty flavor one usually find in a rillette. The whole dish was brightened up by the marmalade and the peeled oranges that are placed prettily on top of the pork rillette, giving it a nice acidic note to the bite. For this dish, you definitely have to eat everything in one bite to get that balanced flavor.

Lobster Linguine (₩37,000) | 9.5/10

Lobster, Avruga Caviar, Garlic, Onion, Parmesan Regiano, Pepperoncino, Italian Parsley, Clam stock, Chicken Stock
랍스터, 아브루가 캐비어, 마늘, 양파, 파마산 레지아노, 페페론치노, 이탈리안 파슬리, 조개육수, 닭 육수

The Lobster Linguine was my favorite out of all the three dishes we ordered. The pasta was cooked al dente with a moderate amount of well-seasoned broth poured around it. The lobster that’s sitting on top of the pasta was fresh, thick and cooked just right where the meat hit that right firm, springy texture. The caviar and parmesan gave a fun additional hit of flavors in every bite. Overall the dish was light, flavorful and fulfilling at the same time. 

After all the food was served, there are two memorable things that I can say about my dining experience. First, the food was great. Everything was well seasoned, a lot of flavors in each bite and the ingredients were very fresh. Second, I really love the plating, the play on colors and the attention to details they put in every dish. Every plate looks like a well-drawn painting and it definitely excites my taste buds just by looking at the plate before taking a bite into the food. Overall, it was a really nice dining experience for me.

 

Centre Cheongdam • 센트레 청담

Address: 서울 강남구 도산대로49길 9 스타크빌딩 1층 센트레청담
Telephone: +82 507 1372 0559
Hours: Tue-Sun 11:00-22:00 (Break Time 16:00-17:00 | Last Order 15:00 & 21:15)

Instagram: @centre.cheongdam
Centre Website

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FELT Coffee Dosan • 펠트커피 도산공원점

FELT Coffee (펠트커피) announced the opening of their second branch, FELT Coffee Dosan (펠트커피 도산공원점), on May 10, 2019 on their Instagram account. Sharing the space that was designed by WGNB with Juun.J’, a youthful, street culture inspired Korean fashion label that is well-known for its ‘street tailoring’, the building certainly stood out from their surrounding neighbors.

Stepping into the abstract geometrical black concrete building felt like stepping into a piece of art in museum. The first thing that will greeted you is a courtyard with a single tree in a floating pot supported by wire suspensions, giving an illusion that the pot of tree is levitating mid-air. The courtyard is probably the most colorful part of this whole building.

Entering the store/cafe area, you’ll be greeted with a matching all-black interior surrounding the space. On one side is Juun.J’s flagship store area and on the other is where Felt Coffee set up their coffee bar and seatings. The cafe itself is not too big but the triangle shaped high ceiling makes it feels like the cafe is bigger than it actually is. Similar to the pot in the courtyard, there are black electronic modern candle lamps hanging on top of the coffee bar (which honestly reminded me of the floating candles in Hogwart’s great hall) that give an illusion that they’re levitating. The seating arrangement is also a little unusual. Two rows of tables and chairs are set up facing a glass window with the view of the courtyard, giving you a clear view of the levitating pot as well as people who goes in and out of the store. I quite like it actually. It almost feels like sitting at a gallery looking at an art piece and people watching while enjoying your drinks.

Note: These photos were taken before the pandemic.

Since the architecture is very intriguing, I ended up searching for more information about the place and came across an article that talks more about the design concept and thinking behind it.

“The architects express that ‘black is a magical colour’, attracting and absorbing light, hence the design follows the concept of ‘dark matter’. The architects fused a triangle, circle, and square to form one abstract, geometrical building, bound by its uniform black concrete facades. The ambiguous shape generates curiosity from passersby, and intentionally sticks out amongst manicured Dosan Park surrounds in Seoul’s upmarket Gangnam district.

Interiors also feature a blacked-out, monochromatic colour scheme. Felt Coffee is housed within a narrow strip beneath the pitched roof structure. A skylight traces the top edge, allowing a sliver of natural light to illuminate the café below. The coffee shop faces a central open courtyard, at the centre of which a singular potted tree is suspended above a pit of volcanic rocks.

Courtyard facing windows allow for a little more light, however the entirely matte black interiors give a predominantly sultry vibe. Although perhaps not what you’d choose for your go-to friendly neighbourhood coffee spot, the overall impact is undeniably intriguing.”

—yellowtrace.com.au
(Click to read the full article & for more photos)

 

FELT Coffee Dosan • 펠트커피 도산공원점

Address: 서울 강남구 언주로164길 23
Telephone: 070-7756-3145
Hours: Everyday 11:00 - 21:00

Instagram: @felt_seoul

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