Seorak

It’s hard to even know where to start with my experience at Seorak. I was at a table of approximately a dozen people and for around two hours, the food and drinks didn’t stop. Every few minutes, someone at the table was sending down another dish for everyone to try. After each bite, someone at the table was picking up the menu to order something else. Even for this write-up, I can only touch on a few of the things we ordered off of the regularly updated menu. So many fascinating and delicious dishes came across our table and everything we ate that night deserves high praise.

Dishes at Seorak are small plates designed to complement the imaginative cocktails. The plates are based on Japanese and Korean cuisine, elevated to a point where they compete with wine and tapas eateries of the highest calibre. But just because the dishes are elevated, that’s doesn’t make them inaccessible to the casual diner. If you know sushi, then nothing at Seorak will seem particularly foreign. It’s the execution of the dishes that pushes Seorak into that elevated spot for me.

The night started off with a round of Soju Bombs all over the table. Picture a combination of a bellini and a bulldog and you’re about half way there. Frozen slushy style base drink with mango, strawberry, or kiwi flavouring and a bottle of soju stuffed into the top. The sweetness isn’t overpowering and the combination of fruit, slushy, and soju actually made for a cocktail with interesting depth.

One of the first dishes to hit our table was the Kimchi Bomb. Breaded arancini and kimchi filled with cheese, deep fried, and served with a honey aioli. The whole idea around this is so inventive and yet none of the flavours included feel like they’ve ever been unaffiliated. The crunch on the outside from the breading contrasts perfectly with the smooth and soft creaminess of the cheese. The bite from the kimchi and the honey aioli on the side creates a perfect sweet and savory combination.

One of my favourite starters whenever I go to a Japanese restaurant is the chicken karaage. When I saw the Chicken Karaage Sliders on the menu, I knew I had to try them. This dish is miles away from your average chicken slider at the pub. The karaage breading and spices are on brilliant display and play beautifully with traditional burger toppings. The real beauty here is the sauce they add on top of the chicken. It’s a little sweet, so it adds a whole new dimension to the savoury prominence you come to expect from chicken karaage.

Our table shared a few traditional sushi dishes and every one of them gave us a glimpse as to what sushi in heaven will taste like. Two in particular were the Tuna Tataki and the Smoked Salmon, which both melted like butter in your mouth. Containing a richness that can only be present when the fish is fresh and handled by a master, the Tuna Tataki and the Smoked Salmon were some of the biggest highlights of our experience at Seorak.

To finish off the night, a few bowls of Shaved Milk were shared among the table. Also known locally as Snowy Dessert, this frozen delight contains ice shavings and condensed milk as the base and topped with either fruit or other sweets. I tried the matcha green tea and cheese cake, featuring big chunks of cheese cake and a sprinkling of matcha green tea flavouring all around and topped with whipped cream. Matcha green tea is amazing on any dessert, but it feels like it was made to be included on the creamy sweetness of shaved milk.

Eating at Seorak was so refreshing because it was so different from the typical restaurant experience. The whole table was talking and laughing and sharing everything that came by. One friend even ordered a bottle of sake and walked around the table pouring shots with each step. We even apologized to our server for being so loud and ordering so much. She assured that us that no apology was needed and that they love having tables like ours.

My friends and I are getting older, we all have careers, commitments and families and it can be hard to get us all in one place like this. I am really happy that we were all able to enjoy Seorak together. We shared food, drinks, and laughs and were fully connected in each other’s company for one awesome evening.