To me, Seoul is currently one of the most exciting, youthful, and energetic cities this side of the world.
Think: the creative cataclysm of Japan in the 90’s, the nuance of New York City all the time, and the interplaying sprawl-density of… let’s say Athens (sort of). I mean, Seoul is huge - and we really felt that as a result of our very ambitious, yet loosely organized itinerary.
It feels like Seoul is really going through a moment right now. It’s grasp on the current landscape of pop culture is undeniable, however it’s really the stuff that is adjacent to the mainstream, the counter-culture, that deserves more scrutiny.
That being said, let’s get into the nitty gritty glizzy 🌭. Here’s a snapshot of our trip to Seoul, a brisk 30 hours filled with amazing wine, honest, innovative food, and wandering around some very interesting spaces.
Friday, 19:00
LMAO, did you really think you could get a cab at this hour from Gangnam to Itaewon. Come on son. Oh well, you live and you learn. On a whim I decided to book a table at wildduck & canteen the day of. Nothing crazy, no 3-year waitlist, no “we’ll release 100 tables at the stroke of midnight every 3rd Friday of the month” - just straight up DM’ed them and secured a spot. Love it.
We pulled up and got seated. Menu was succinct, short and sweet - it was giving fresh produce, whatever was good on that day, decided to make a menu out of it.
We opted to start with some freshly baked bread and butter and some prosciutto and melon. Something light to accompany a nice bottle of Le Coste, Litrozzo. The staff warned me, “hey, just to let you know it’s a liter”. I said, say less brother.
The wine essentially drank itself. It was a wonderful accompaniment to the pared back atmosphere of the bistro. Think, The Spotted Pig (the ambience, not the staff) in the west village before its eventual demise. Come to think of it, if The Spotted Pig still existed it would have definitely serve natural wine. The space at wildduck & canteen was decorated with all sorts of small knick knacks from its storied past. Framed Umbro football kits of previous collaborations between the bistro and the sports brand hung on the walls, as if someone’s number was being retired. A photo of Michael Jackson ❓ plastered on a column with slightly peeling plaster below waist height near the entrance. A candle stick jammed into a bottle of wine gathering molten wax for what seemed like 2 decades on the bar area. It’s all these little details that make the space so special.
A little sipping, a little chewing, and a little talking later - we arrived at the more substantial dishes. I’m talking a beef tar tar with a cute pil pil sauce, pork shoulder with green pepper puree, and a jokbal croquette. Everything was on point, genuinely not on some rose-tinted glasses type POV. The food was honest and made with love. It felt like home cooked food but elevated to a certain level. The staff were helpful but not overbearing and possessed a sort of laissez-faire attitude.
I think it’s the coalescence of these elements that make up the beauty and charm that lines the walls of these small bistros. These spaces are bursting with character and personal history, and it genuinely feels like you’re walking into someone’s home - they just happen to have an insane wine cellar.
20:15
Ooof. Need to go for a wee. I walk downstairs and behind a locked metal door, I hear an individual playing the drums. Bro was genuinely going absolutely ballistic on the 1s and 2s. It felt like, behind this metal door that was bolted shut, was the drummer from The Talking Heads rehearsing for the Korean leg of their world tour. I genuinely thought I was hallucinating or something.
Post wee, it was time to go dummy. I walked over to where the Off Menu items were. In the fridge lay some absolute gems but I was focused on one in particular. A Matassa, Olla Rouge 2019. I went: “Hey, uhhh can I get uhhh one of those?”. A resounding pop as the wine was opened. First sniff: Woah, farmy. Twirl it around, sniff: Still farmy.
A strong nose that some would describe as a strong foot funk. A real barnyard barnacle. At first sip it hit me with a nice earthy acidity followed with notes of strawberry, raspberry, and blackberry. A Grenache with reverberant vibrancy, as one would expect from Matassa. During our enjoying of the wine, I was pleased to hear this particular Aphex Twin song playing ever so faintly on the sound system at a pleasant volume.
20:45
It was time to rip it to Hongdae for further debauchery.
23:00
How did we end up back in Gangnam? I love how places open so late here. Yes, I consider 23:00 as late. Next up was Kompakt Record Bar. Note, there are 3 different Kompakt(s) all within a 100 feet from each other. One is a merch shop/cafe, the other two are record bars.
The drinks were strong, the lighting was perfect, and you know the music was tight. That seems to be the common theme here. Not much else has to be said about this place, just that it’s imperative that you visit if you’re in the area.
To be honest this was when my memory gets blurry. We were with Friends From Seoul™️ and you KNOW they be drinkin drinkin. Korean drinking culture is really different. There’s a reason why Korean soju is the #1 most consistently consumed spirit in the world.
1:00
This did not bode well for my stomach or my mental. The night somehow ended with me having 2 pre-made hard boiled eggs in my pockets and carrying 3 bottles of cold brew.
Stay tuned for Pt. 2…