In southern Seoul, the dining options expand
Those venues have not only brought in well-known global food chains, but also acquired other popular local restaurants based in other parts of Seoul.
Followed by the recent openings in Seoul of a variety of dessert cafes, such as Lady M from the United States or Pierre Herme from France, Lotte Mall - the largest of the three - aligned its food scene with the trend.
It introduces a cafe filled with seashell-shaped sweets from Belgian chocolate maker Guillian.
At the Guillian Chocolate Cafe, patrons can enjoy a multitude of confections, as well as a few savory dishes to fill up their stomachs.
This is the first time the chocolate brand has opened a sit-down eatery in Korea.
Lotte also features the first Hard Rock Cafe in Korea, which is known for its casual atmosphere and music. Chinese restaurant PF Chang’s has also opened its first branch here, and also set up its second at nearby Coex Mall.
But there’s more to explore in this mall that boasts nearly 1,000 shops. For Gangnam residents who rarely make their way up to the Hongdae area, the northwestern region of Seoul known for its diverse food scene, Lotte mall has practically brought those options to their doorsteps.
Hong Ground, one of its themed food courts, has many of the popular eateries from northwestern Seoul, including Kokoro Bento and Abiko.
For older folks who want to relive their youth, Lotte set up Seoul Seoul 3080 - in which it recreated the streets of Jongno, in central Seoul, from the 1930s and Myeongdong from the 1960s to the 1980s.
It’s one of the more enticing photo zones for visitors, along with the Van Gogh Museum Cafe, where diners can appreciate the masterpieces of the legendary Impressionist painter while savoring their pastries.
“Considering our location, we needed to attract visitors by presenting brands that they rarely see elsewhere so that they are curious to come in,” said Yun Yea-yang, the leader of the Parnas Mall team.
The mall is the underground arcade of the Grand Intercontinental Hotel Seoul.
“Because the customers are looking for more quality products, we have decided to renovate our arcade into a mall so that we can cater to many different levels of consumers.”
Parnas brought in Konoya, one of the trendiest curry udon franchises in Japan. Its curry dishes are creamier and more buttery than those found elsewhere in Korea and the restaurant has since had people lining up.
During lunch and dinner time, customers typically must wait at least 20 minutes to be seated.
Considering its proximity to the Megabox movie complex in Coex Mall, it also opened a premium pop-corn store, KuKuRuZa, part of a chain that originated in Seattle. Caramel popcorn with a hint of espresso and a cheese and mushroom option are the most unique flavors offered there.
Parnas also has a Gontran Cherrier, a French pastry shop, which has expanded its business in Korea. This is the first time the shop has opened an outlet at a large-scale mall outside Gangnam’s residential areas. New York-style Dean and Deluca has also opened a cafe near the entrance to Samseong Station, on line No. 2.
Nearby Coex Mall has also invited a number of local eateries. Add Bing, a shaved ice cafe, rose to popularity in Garosugil in Sinsa-dong, and Le Saigon, a Vietnamese restaurant from Itaewon, central Seoul, have found a second home here in the newly renovated convention center.
Coex also opened the Turkish restaurant Kervan in an office-heavy area where it’s hard to find some exotic cuisines.
For office workers wanting a quick bite or take-out, a Mamas sandwich shop stands near the entrance to Bongeun Temple.
To stay competitive, Hyundai Department Store also renovated its underground market area, which is connected to Parnas Mall and Coex Mall.
BY LEE SUN-MIN [summerlee@joongang.co.kr]
For more information about Lotte World Mall, go to www.lwt.co.kr.
For more about Parnas Mall, go to www.parnasmall.com or call (02) 559-7089; and for Coex Mall, go to www.coexmall.com
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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