Asian Food Festivals Tantalize Seoulites

Asian food festivals featuring food from Singapore, Malaysia, and India are currenty in full swing at the restaurants of exclusive hotels. Most of the chefs working behind the scenes at these food festivals are professional cooks who prepare their dishes using original recipes. Thus, patrons can get an authentic taste of various South-east Asian countries while staying close to home.

The Sofitel Ambassador, the Novotel Kangnam, and the Novotel Doksan are now co-hosting a 'Singaporean Food Festival.' Singaporean dishes fuse food from various oriental locales and time periods. Approximately 50 different Singaporean dishes, including broiled thornback with chilli sauce, will be available at the food festival. All three hotels are offering bonuses and prizes to participants in the festival including a trip to Singapore. Thus, visiting the festival provides the opportunity to sample some delicious food but also the possibility of visiting Singapore itself.

The 'Malaysian Food Festival' will continue until April 29 at the Universal Buffet Restaurant at the Renaissance Hotel. People can try out 50 kinds of authentic Malaysian food including 'Satee (sweet shishkebabs).' Along with sampling Malaysian food, participants can get a taste of Malaysian fashion. There is an evening dress show put on by Malaysia's top models every night at 8:00 p.m.

Not to be outdone, the Terrace Cafe at the Hyatt Namsan is currently hosting an 'Indian Food Festival.' This festival will continue until May 7. Numerous curry dishes like mutton onion curry along with various Indian meat dishes are being presented.

Meanwhile, Cheehong, the Chinese restaurant in the Ritz Carlton is continuing with its 'Asian Dimsum Festival.' This festival is designed to introduce many popular kinds of dimsum which the chef encountered in his year-long tour of South-east Asia. Dimsum of every variety, including fruit dimsum, Singaporean fish and meat dimsum, Japanese dimsum, kimchi dimsum, and Korean dimsum with soybean paste mixed with red peppers sauce, are waiting for their patrons to try. The Asian Dimsum Festival will continue until May 6.

A 'Thai Food Festival' is also being held at Silkspice, an oriental food restaurant in the LG Kangnam Tower. Patrons can sample about 40 different kinds of Thai food including 'Tomyanggoong (spicy seaweed soup).' On May 2, Mrs. Vannasin, a Thai ambassadress to Korea, will give lessons on how to cook Thai food at home.

by Yu Ji-sang