I heard a good restaurant had opened in Yeoksam, so I went to try it.
Chaconne
Apparently the name comes not from Vitali’s or Bach’s Chaconne but from Yiruma’s Chaconne.. so there is nothing solemn about the food, but then again, maybe not being solemn is exactly what makes it better..
A seat like this
Not all that flashy, but the mood is nicely done. The service is solid too. They are starting out in Yeoksam, but if things go well I suspect they will move to Cheongdam, and apparently the reservations are already almost all filled..
The whiskies
They hold quite a lot of rare whisky.. talking with the sommelier later, it turned out he is a rare whisky collector..
The bar
Nicely put together.
The interior
Modest. Not particularly flashy, but I think this kind of unassuming atmosphere is better when you are eating.
Starting with champagne
It was good.
Shiitake tart
An amuse-bouche that goes well with champagne. The level is high from this very first bite. Honestly, before you get into talk about ingredients, food has to taste good, and this place clearly feels focused on flavor. On the other hand, since the concept here is omakase, rather than a fixed menu the dishes seem to keep changing. Which is actually better, really.
Monkfish soup
Warm, with a deep monkfish flavor. It felt like real focus on taste rather than clever tricks.
An appetizer of sea urchin on truffle
This was good too.
Bread
Decent enough.
Crab meat
Crab meat someone else has picked out for you is bound to taste good.
Bourgogne Aligote
This was good too.
Beef tripe with gorgonzola
Funky and chewy, it goes really well with red wine. It feels like a long time since I last had tripe at a fine dining place. I would like to see this sort of attempt a bit more often..
Spanish mackerel
Spanish mackerel is weak in flavor on its own, but paired with a sauce it turns delicious.
Gigondas
I enjoyed drinking this one too..
Jeju pork jowl steak
Far tastier than most Hanwoo steaks. The citrus sauce served alongside, and the winter spinach seasoned with shiitake and garlic, make the meat taste even better. I had grown a bit tired of Hanwoo, so I am glad they tried something new like this.
Basque cheesecake made with four kinds of cheese
A rich flavor that pairs well with whisky or cognac.
Cognac and whisky
The sommelier recommended them so I gave them a try, but they were just so-so..
Black Bowmore
They pulled a bottle out of the collection and poured some for us, and apparently it goes for over 100 million won. All you can really do is note that such a thing exists and move on..
Ice cream with olive and Maldon salt
This one, well.. the moment I took a bite, no, the moment I simply looked at it, I could tell it was influenced by Quintessence. I doubt there is anywhere else in Korea capable of gastronomy at this level. If you can get in, I really do recommend going.
Herbal tea and petits fours
Among the fine dining places I have been to recently, this was close to the top in terms of satisfaction. When you hear the chef has worked at Mosu Hong Kong and at Quintessence, well.. is there anything more to say.. If it gets even more popular you may not be able to get a table, so it is probably best to visit sooner rather than later.
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