Last Updated on January 7, 2022 by Nancie
Last Saturday evening I dined at Balwoo Gongyang, a Michelin 1-Star restaurant in downtown Seoul. In an added twist, it is the only Michelin star restaurant serving beautifully prepared and delicately flavoured temple cuisine. Welcome to week 321 (23/3/2017) of Travel Photo Thursday. My apologies for not being around much. This semester is a particularly busy one for me, so my blogging time is severely limited at the moment. Join me as I entice your taste buds with our multi-course tasting menu.
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Seoul: Where to Eat in Seoul
Dinner service at Balwoo Gongyang offers three tasting menus ranging in price from 45,000 Won to 95,000 Won. The last one must be ordered a day in advance, since, according to their website, many of the ingredients are relatively rare. In our group, we all opted for the 45,000 Won menu. The menus and ingredients reflect the seasons. The current tasting menus are utilizing spring ingredients.
We began with Suljuksim(Amuse-bouche), a cherry tomato marinated in fermented Bokbunja sauce(Korean wild raspberry). According to the restaurant’s website:
“First dish is to moist one’s dried mouth and help to enhance the digestion as old Koreans eat water-gimchi or a dip of long-preserved soy sauce. Suljuksim can be interpreted as two different meanings; one is to moist the mouth, and the other to moist the spoon.”
We were given very explicit instructions from our lovely server that we must bite into the tomato with our mouths closed. I was expecting tart, but instead, the flavour was a distinct tangy pop. The suljuksim was served with Ssukkong-juk (Porridge with mugwort and bean) and Spring Mulkimchi (watery Kimchi). Both the cherry tomato (which is marinated in five-year-old bokbunja (vinegar), and the Kimchi had a pleasant texture and were cool to the palette. I found the porridge too gritty and on the bland side.
“Juk(porridge) has been served as an early breakfast for the Buddhist practitioners. According to the Four Part Vinaya, book of precepts, eating juk has five advantages such as resolving hunger, quenching thirst, helping digestive problem, preventing stroke and normalizing bowel movement.”
Next, was the Sangmi(Salad or Cold Preparation)
“Taste in Buddhism is classified into 10 different categories. Among them, sangmi means to feel the taste and smell. Thus sangmi is the course to excite the appetite through taste and smell.”
The salad on the left is a green root harvested on Ullengdo Island. The taste is mellow, and sesame seed enhances the flavour. This root is not pictured on the restaurant’s website, so I am not sure of the name. The middle dish is Bomnamul-japchae, stir-fried sweet potato noodles with spring vegetables. On the far right is Cheongpomuk, mung bean jelly with spring vegetable. All three were pleasant, and being a huge sesame seed fan, my favourite was the green root with the sesame.
The Sangmi was followed by the next two courses served together. The Dammi(Starter or Hot Preparation) which included Beoseot-gangjeong(Deep fried mushrooms with special Gochujang sauce),Yeongeun-chojeolim(Pickled lotus root), Wooung(Burdock) mixed with Gochujang sauce, Nokdu-jeon(Mung bean pancake), Bomkkot-jeon(Spring flower pancake). The Seongso(Noodle) which included Pyogobeoseot-naengmyeon (Cold noodle with spicy shiitake mushroom & pear sauce), Dubu-gui (Grilled bean curd)
and Temple mandu (Temple recipe vegetable dumpling).
“Dammi is the taste of chewing or taste by food texture. Dammi is the dish of unique texture and recipe, from which one can enjoy the chewing texture of food.”
“Seongso is another name for noodle in Buddhism, which means the dish that makes even the practitioners smile. This course includes tofu, pan-fried cake, and dumpling as well as noodle that makes the practitioners who don’t usually devour smile.”
This was my favourite course of the evening. The deep-fried shiitake mushrooms were perfectly cooked and could have passed for a meat dish. The noodles were not the most elegant to eat, but they too were a pleasant tease on the taste buds. The mandu and the nokdu-jeon (pancake0 were cooked to perfection. The spring flower pancake (Bomkkot-jeon) added a hint of sweetness to the course.
The Sangmi and Dammi courses were the prelude to the main course, Youmi. We enjoyed two kinds of temple kimchi, two types of Bomnamul(spring vegetable), Jangajji(Fermented pickle), Yeonipbap(Steamed rice wrapped in lotus leaf), and Doenjang-jjigae(Soybean paste stew).
“Youmi is the taste that helps to recover from illness. Youmi consists of dishes such as rice, condiments, and soup that ease daily physical fatigue and mental stress of the people today.”
The sticky rice was cooked to perfection. The crust formed while cooking it in the lotus leaves gave it a nice crunch. This was my favourite of the course. The Kimchi was also crunchy, flavorful, and not spicy. The spring vegetable on the right was probably the bitterest tasting food I have ever eaten. My taste buds were shocked, and not in a nice way. You are warned!
Our lovely tasting menu ended on a sweet note with the Ipgasim(Dessert) course.
“Rounding the meal up is the ipgasim or dessert. It is prepared with ingredients and recipes that clean the remaining taste in the mouth and help to enhance digestion.”
The Sikhye(sweet rice punch) provided a taste of sweet and the Ssuk gaetteok(Mugwort rice cake) balanced that sweetness perfectly.
Our group of five enjoyed the experience. We even added a bit of wine to the occasion. Although, Balwoo Gongyang does not sell alcohol diners are welcome to bring their own wine, for a modest corkage fee.
Balwoo Gongyang
Balwoo Gongyang is open for lunch and dinner six days a week (closed Sunday), starting from 11:30 am. Their website doesn’t give a closing time, but the staff started to hustle us out around 8:30 pm. We would have like to have stayed a little longer over our wine. If the restaurant wants to attract visitors from other countries, it would be a good idea to be a little more flexible when asking people to leave. The staff speaks English. However, they are shy about using the language, so you may have to be a bit insistent. Menus are available in English, Japanese and Chinese. For reservations, phone 02-733-2081, or via email. The set menus are well priced and include the VAT. Corkage is 20,000 for four diners.
The restaurant can be reached via subway line 3, exit 6, across from Joygesa Temple. When you enter the building walk straight through and take the elevator to the 5th floor.
You can check out Guide Michelin for a complete list of Michelin Star restaurants in Korea.
Have you ever eaten temple food or dined at a Michelin star restaurant? Let us know in the comments.
Please welcome our co-hosts this week: Jan from Budget Travel Talk Ruth from Tanama Tales Rachel from Rachel’s Ruminations
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51 responses to “Balwoo Gongyang: A Michelin 1-Star Restaurant in Seoul”
This looks so interesting! Adding it to the list!
Hi, Jill. Well worth it!
My favorite restaurants allow you to bring wine and then charge only a modest corkage fee. Once again, I shouldn’t have read one of your ‘food’ posts when hungry. . .my mouth is salivating and my stomach grumbling.
Hi, Jackie. Yes, it was nice to be able to take wine. I hope you ate something nice after reading this. 🙂
That sticky rice does look tasty. I liked the sound of your favourite, the Dammi course and laughed out loud about the bitter vegetable dish. I love Shitake mushrooms so that would be a favourite of mine too. Yep I love sesame seeds also. Maybe we’re twins? The whole evening seemed like an adventure of the taste buds. There’s nothing more annoying that getting rushed out of a restaurant – especially at 8.30 p.m.!
Hi, Jan! We could be twins, at the very least food twins 🙂 We were too happy with being rushed out the door. I know it’s a Korean thing. They tend to eat and leave. I can’t tell you how many times when I’ve been out with Koreans and they are getting up to leave, and I haven’t finished my meal!
We have a new Korean restaurant opened up not far from where we live. We went with friends and had no idea what we were ordering. I should have had you with me! Or sent you the menu for your recommendations before hand!
Hi, Jill. I hope you enjoyed your meal. 🙂
That just made me really hungry. They all look delicious and healthy. I’ve never eaten temple food or eaten at a Michelin restaurant. Glad you were able to enjoy this meal.
Hi, Mary. It was both, and also my first time to eat at a Michelin restaurant.
Nancy, I have not eaten at a Michelin restaurant and I have not tried temple food. I will say you had a great feast in this place! What I like about Asian food (and I think Koreans are experts on this) is the variety of ingredients (and modes of preparation) used in dishes. And, since I am not from that part of the world, a lot of things take me by surprise while I am tasting. Having a server to help you out with the tasting experince is nice.
Hi, Ruth. It was nice having the server talk about each of the courses. Quite often (even after all these years) I encounter food on the table that I’m not sure about. Korean restaurants offer so many different side dishes with the main course. This was my first time at a Michelin restaurant, and I hope I get to do it again.
You really did get a taste of everything at this restaurant. I like to try different foods and would certainly love this place. I’d prefer to try different foods in a restaurant rather than on the streets. :P)
Love the pop of vegetable colors in your photos and can only imagine some of the wonderful flavors in this tasting menu. The kimchi and sticky rice sound great but I’d heed your advice to skip the very bitter, unidentified vegetable. I had to laugh as I tried to imagine your face, Nancie!
Hi, Anita! I know my face said it all. I am not a fan of bitter!!
I don’t think that I’ve ever dined at a Michelin starred restaurant. That price seems very affordable for a standout meal. Although I’ve had Korean food numerous times, I think only the japchae and the kimchi sound familiar to me. It all looks delicious, and your descriptions have me imagining the taste and texture of each. (Strangely, I was eating a BBQ rib while reading this. Actually eating one food while imagining another is messing with my brain.)
Hi, Michele. I thought the price was exceptionally reasonable. I wasn’t familiar with a lot of these items either. I can only imagine reading about one food and eating another. haha
I have to admit I love dining at Michelin star restaurants, they are like chefs, artists and chemist rolled into one creative person! Your article shows that they have definitely deserved their star. Delicious!
The photos of the food are so cool and they make me wanna eat something.
Hope to visit and try this cuisine soon.
This looks so delicious! I’ve not yet been to South Korea, but I’m totally sold on this restaurant. Korean food is full of flavour, yet delicate too. A really lovely post.
Omg the food looks so yummy!!! Lol watching this post was hard for me because I’m fasting haha!! GReat post
I’ve been dreaming of going to South Korea especially for the food. This place looks amazing. Korean cuisine has always been so intriguing to me.
mmmmmm it all looks so yummy!!!!
It was excellent. We all enjoyed the evening.
I’ve been to a few Michelin Star Restaurants and it’s almost not even about eating, it’s about the entire experience (like you’ve shown us here). It’s so unique. The food yes, it’s good (might not be the best you’ve ever had) but the story behind the food makes it that much more delicious.
Hi GiGi. I totally agree. We learned so much about the food that evening.
This looks nnniiccceeeeeee…. you’ve made me love South Korea more!
It was lovely. If you visit Seoul, be sure to have lunch or dinner at Balwoo Gongyang.
I love this kind of food. I live in the States so I don’t know how authentic it is compared to Korea. It is delicious nonetheless. I am about to jump into the computer and take a bite.
Hi Julie. I guess the authenticity of Korean food in the States would depend on the restaurant. Many Koreans do come to North America and open restaurants.
This all looks so yummy! I love trying out new cuisines!
Hi Heather. It was fabulous. I enjoyed each and every course.
These dishes look delicious. They are really Oriental. It would be great if you could go to seoul and enjoy the food.
Nice !
This restaurant is in Seoul. It’s a Michelin 1 star serving temple cuisine and I did enjoy this food when I was living in Seoul.
I love Korean food, especially their cold preparation – Sangmi. I was always very excited t learn about their sangmi and it also opens up my appetite for the main course. Nancie, your post has made me wanted to try some Korean cuisine and I miss Korea!
Hi! This was a lovely meal. If I was in Seoul now, I would go in to try their summer offering. As I mentioned in the post, the ingredients change with the season.
I currently live in South Korea and I’ve never eaten here before. I’ve also never eaten at a Michelin rated restaurant. I’ll have to check it out!
Cool photo:) I am planning to go to There next year! Might plant to go this restaurant ! Thanks for your tips
Looks so amazing! I just ate at my first Michelin star restaurant last month but gonna add this one to my list too. I love sticky rice 🙂
So much yummy food. I love going on vacation and trying new things to eat!
This food looks amazing and the veggies look SO fresh!!! Amazing! I will have to try it.
I have never been in there but I hope someday to visit that place and exploring their beautiful spots and trying their different taste of food.
I do not have a very mature palate apparently because this food doesn’t look appealing at all. I’m sure it’s good, but it looks very different.
Everything looks so good! But I might be biased because I am crazy for Korean food.
Sounds like you had a great time in Korea! The foods look so yummy, and I hope that someday I could visit there. Anyway, Great post and Thank you for sharing!
I have never been to a Michelin restaurant before, but the food looked interesting to say the least. I’ll have to try it out sometime. Thanks for sharing.
This food looks so delicious. Your pictures are great. We would love to try this ourselves.
This food looks delicious. It certainly sounds like it was well worth visiting.
I love Korean food. I love Japchae and Samgyupsal! Yum Yum indeed!
The food looks all so great. It seems like a great place to visit for food lovers for sure. I enjoyed your post!
Korean food always entices me. Looks so attractive, healthy and yummy! Thanks for sharing this route!