Jungsik was probably the most anticipated meal for my entire trip. Planning started one month in advance as I had to secure the reservation via Catchtable. Initially I thought I wouldn’t get it cos there was some technical errors but thankfully, I managed to in the end so I was relieved. And the anticipation ran high when the manager from Muoki told me Jungsik is really good, so my excitement was palpable. I went for lunch cos it was cheaper. Priced at KRW98k for the basic choice menu, you can choose to top up if you had preferred something else from the menu. Else I thought the price was pretty reasonable for a 2-star Michelin restaurant

Love the space and the interior which was so classy

When I was writing down my particulars for contact tracing, I was amused to see the rows before me were all from Singapore. Even the local sitting next to my table had the same thoughts as he voiced out loud. lol

Service was very attentive and the staffs made sure you had an enjoyable experience here

When this came, I had a shock. The manager told me this was their version of banchan and I was like so much..? The friend commented and asked is this refillable? HA

Toasted Brioche with Yukhoe marinated in Truffle and Cheese

There was a nice buttery fragrance when you bit into the brioche. The yukhoe was nicely done, the sweetness lingered with an air of truffle and finished it off with a tad of acidity to keep the whole dish balanced

Steamed Egg with Mushrooms

Never tasted a broth like this. It was simple but full of umami in it

Sliced Fish with Pickles

Lost the name of the fish but the sashimi-like texture was really fresh and I love how they topped it off with the crunchy pickles

Fried Oyster with Seaweed in Squid Ink Sauce and Anchovy Sauce

I thought I had heard wrongly when they mentioned this was oyster

But wow, the flavours were amazing. The softness and sweetness of the oyster with a nice crisp texture that was executed on point without being too oily. Impressive

Finishing it off with the last banchan – A sorbet that came in the form of marinated pickles and apples to cleanse the palate. I immediately understood why they gave this once I had a spoonful of it. It really cleansed off the heaviness of the oyster and got your palate ready for the appetiser that was yet to come

I also went with the 3-glass wine pairing (KRW55k) which they gave me 2 whites and 1 red cos I mentioned I didn’t like champagne. And I must say, this white went with the appetiser really well

Appetiser: Octopus 

Seared, paired with locally-sourced chorizo

I was advised to try some of the chorizo first, then to eat it together with the octopus. It was an interesting combination. The chorizo itself was a little spicy but yet not too overwhelming so when you paired it with the octopus, it was a nice contrast of flavours. Love the sear on the seafood itself for which you can taste the crunchiness of the skin. And I must say, that was quite a big piece of octopus

Rice: Sea Urchin (+10k)

Uni with seaweed rice and crispy millet. One word for it: Outstanding

Probably the best dish in my opinion. Jungsik’s take on bibimbap, the millet elevated the whole dish and I love how the flavours just come together like fireworks in your mouth. I would have this anytime, period

Second wine to go with the fish course

Sea: Branzino

I’m always on the sideline for fish dish cos one either could go very well or just underperformed. I was glad this was the former. A kind of seabass on the bed of scallops with a side of zucchini, the fish was cooked very well. Soft, crispy and a little oily to round it off, the fish was smooth to touch. You can taste the freshness of the zucchini and the fragrance of the garlic in the broth mixed with the scallops. And the broth itself was a worthy mention

Have a sip of wine. You can now taste the sweetness of the wine after having a bite of the fish. The wine pairing was excellent  

When they brought out the knife box, you knew what was going to come next. I love this kind of fun, even though it might seem like it was just allowing diners to choose their steak knife, but moments like these were the minor details that made the dining experience fun 

And I got mine made from walnut tree 🙂

Last wine pairing for the steak

The amount they gave here was more manageable though I definitely don’t mind a little more :p

Land: Hanwoo (+25k)

Served with Pickled Brinjal, Mushroom Puree (with Pine Nuts), Chilli Leaves

Whenever I had a good piece of steak, I felt like the cow didn’t die in vain. lol. I could understand why Koreans love their hanwoo beef. It was amazing. The cook and the sear on it, simply wow

But what was also worth mentioning was the pickled brinjal and the texture of the vegetables that went really well as a whole. It was simply a good dish as my eyes widened with each bite

Sweet: Dolhareaubang

With inspiration from Jeju and as the restaurant’s signature dessert, I was recommended to give this a try. It was a really cute piece of art that included green tea mousse, sesame sponge and milk icecream

And it was a good way to end the meal. The softness of the sponge cake with sesame flavours balanced with a nice smooth green tea mousse and milk icecream 

And the meal concluded with Sweet Potato Macaron and Espresso Chocolate as Petite 4

Unfortunately, the petite 4 let them down. The macaron crust was a little too hard and I couldn’t tell any form of sweet potato in it. The espresso chocolate well, simply tasted like chocolate without espresso. It was hmm, not the perfect way to end a meal I must say

In my opinion, I think Jungsik is worth the time, calories and money. Perhaps if they could perfect the Petite 4, who knows if there’s a chance for them to get the 3rd star. The finesse and execution of their food was on point and coupled with good service, I really enjoyed my meal here. My cousin told me she came here few years ago and could still remember how amazing it was. I told her it is still spectacular now. lol. It was definitely one for the memories

Jungsik

11 Seolleung-ro 158-gil, Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea