My friend G introduced me to Summer who's a food and travel writer based in Seoul, and we met up at her restaurant Onyva in Gangnam District one night while I was in town for work. Many describes Gangham District lined with multi-level designer boutiques as "Beverly Hills" of Seoul, with the main throughfare Apgujeong bearing the nickname of "Rodeo Street". Onyva was located just one block behind the busiest section of the street, which turned nice and quiet at night when the shops are closed.
There's a speakeasy vibe of the place with the unassuming entrance with just a small sign and a dimly lit flight of stairs leading down to the basement where the restaurant is located. The restaurant was surprisingly spacious, with the long L-shaped counter and open kitchen being the centerpiece of all. Food menu was simple with a la carte choices or the easiest yet, Menu Carte Blanche which let the chef decides what to serve - I went with the latter obviously, curious to know what Chef Park Jin Yong was going to bring me.
Mixing traditional Korean ingredients and cooking with contemporary western style have been a common theme among the new generation of local chefs who started to make a name of themselves in local scene and aboard. In that aspect I wouldn't say what Onyva offers is something groundbreaking, but I think the team did one step further than most in originality and creativity.
Starting with a couple seafood appetizers, first the oyster with citrus granita and then crab with assorted root vegetables and soybean paste. Root vegetables played a prominent role in Korean cuisines and in this dish, several of them - lotus roots, burdock, artichokes - were showcased here with various textures and flavors. The soybean paste and lemon cream brought a hint of umami and acidity to this overall interesting dish to start my dinner. I also enjoyed the buckwheat galette that was served next, with the pancake seared with caramelized onions, smoked eel and ginger as filling.
The seafood theme continued to run through my next 2 courses. The colorful presentation of red, white and green showed up first, with thin slice of tuna belly paired with thin layer of ham and beets on top and served with a Korean herb sauce underneath and clotted cheese on the side. The smoked beet was the dominant flavor but it's refreshing with layers of ingredients and a hint of toasted pine nuts. Next was poached monkfish fillet served with various forms of citrus fruits, and on the side was monkfish liver terrine with cabbage. I like the fatty fish well balanced by the acidity with rather straight-forward, natural flavor.
Main course was chicken with breast and thigh and wings served with local wild mushrooms and Vin Jaune beurre blanc sauce. The chicken thigh was slow-cooked to perfect texture and skin crisped up on the pan just before it's plated and served. It's cooked in French style in every sense but with a distinct Korean influence. I would describe the dessert as being the most "Korean" course of the evening with interesting flavor profile, with a small scoop of perilla seed icecream served with perilla oil, buckwheat crisps, seaweed powder and drizzles of perilla oil served in a small bowl. The spoonful of soft and smooth texture combined well with the exotic yet impressive mix of flavor said to be inspired by the traditional Korean dish of Makguksu.
Onyva also have an impressive wine selection, something they were known for especially among those in the circle. Summer - who's also the sommelier at the restaurant - generously poured me a few interesting choices to go with my dishes. The riesling with its sharp acidity and raciness worked well with the oyster dish to start. The soft red Bordeaux from the Right Bank was a peculiar pairing for the few seafood dishes but I thought it worked well with its fruitiness. The Jura Vin Janue was a no-brainer pairing for the chicken and the vintage madeira was lovely with the desserts and petit fours, which was the chocolate and orange confit. That's just half of what I drank that night with more to come at Zest, an uber-popular and famous bar just a few blocks down the road.
Turned out the meal was one of the memorable ones I had in Seoul and what a hidden gem I was introduced to.
When? January 17 2024
Where? Onyva, 15, Dosan-daero 75 gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Menu Highlights? Buckwheat Galette with Smoked Eel
Drinks?
2021 Dreissigacker Estate Riesling Trocken, Rheinhessen, Germany
2019 Chateau Vieux Chantecaille, St. Emilion
2020 Domaine Guy & Yvan Dufouleur Bourgogne Hauts-Cotes de Nuits "Demoiselle Huguette"
2014 Domaine Maire & Fils Vin Janue Arbois
2002 D'Oliveiras Colheita Malvasia Madeira
Web: www.onyva.kr
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