Epicure (http://club.cyworld.com/clubV1/Home.cy/54111558), the Cyworld gourmet club and the only one I am active in, held a long-overdue meetup at Bistro Polpo. Quite some time had passed since the opening-celebration meetup and the menu had changed a lot, so with plenty of people wanting to go back, I took charge of organizing it.
Tonight’s donated wine
A Beaujolais (Juliénas) made from Gamay, with quite a Pinot Noir feel to it and a rich aroma. A decent wine.
Chestnuts as an appetizer
The place was slammed with customers that night and our order got delayed, but they brought out boiled chestnuts, which really helped with the wait. Quietly delicious.
Polpo’s wine
An Italian wine from a region called Friuli Colli Orientali. A tasty wine with a distinctive flavor.
Braised tripe
Cooked soft with none of that offal smell, a dish anyone can enjoy. Hardly anywhere in Korea serves trippa of this quality, so I always end up ordering it at Polpo.
Tomato caprese
Along with a hearty dish like the braised tripe, we ordered something refreshing too.
Mussel ajillo
Mussel ajillo with a slight kick of spice that makes it so appealing. It went perfectly with the bread from Lee Boulanger.
Hanwoo beef carpaccio
This seems to have become Polpo’s signature dish. Considering the quality of the beef, it rivals most steakhouses. Well seasoned too, so it is perfect with wine. Polpo is worth a visit just for the Hanwoo carpaccio alone.
Octopus and avocado
We ordered one of each to try as many dishes as possible, so it was a lot of food for our group. The octopus and avocado is another of Polpo’s signature dishes.
Cilantro salad
The cilantro salad is another very Polpo-like dish. Hardly any restaurant in town serves a salad like this.
Grilled pork neck with shiitake mushrooms
The pork was very fresh, and the seasonal shiitake were in superb condition.
Oyster and green laver pasta
Oyster season has finally begun, and I could not be happier. The pasta was cooked well enough to rival Trattoria Molto.
Bolognese
We ordered a tomato-sauce pasta as well. With so many dishes already on the table, I worried whether we could finish it all, but it vanished in no time. As always, good food never goes to waste at a gourmet meetup.
Cheese plate
We drank the Yoichi 20 Year whisky I brought along, and they served this to go with it. A restaurant this well prepared with nibbles would be perfect for a light second round around Gangnam.
Bread from Lee Boulanger, served as dessert
Someone had also brought Royce’ almond chocolates that night, so dessert was well covered. Lee Boulanger’s pound-cake-like bread with a cup of coffee hand-dripped by the chef himself makes for a perfect finish.
I think Polpo’s charm is the parade of bold, vivid dishes that runs from the very start of the meal to the end. The character is so strong that some people may not take to it, but those who like it will fall for Polpo in no time.
P.S. A quick plug. Epicure, the gourmet club I am active in, is holding its 10th anniversary meetup on the evening of Monday, November 24. The club has been so quiet lately that some people still do not seem to know about it, so if you have time, please check the club’s meetup board. (Non-members can sign up right away and attend too.) I did sign up myself, but the venue is in Gangbuk, so I doubt I can make it on time.
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