Another gathering at Polpo, right on the heels of the last one. I know I have been going to Polpo a bit too often, but for various reasons I will not be able to go for a while, so I am cramming the visits in. The plan was three gatherings, but the schedules did not line up and we only managed two. On top of that, I do not think I will be calling any impromptu meetups myself for the time being. In other words, this is the last gathering I am organising myself.. for now. It feels oddly solemn, but that is all the more reason to eat hard.

Peanuts

Their sense for bar snacks is something else.

Whiskies on standby, with chocolate

There is not much left in them, so they will all get wiped out tonight.

Bread from Lee Boulanger

Having Lee Boulanger right in front of Polpo is a blessing~

Bagna cauda

It may be the last supper, but I will skip the explanation.

Mussel ajillo

Eat it as a set with the bread and it tastes twice as good.

Eggplant gratin

Delicious whenever I come and have it

Carpaccio

Makes me happy just looking at it.

The Mikkeller beer I brought along, I Hardcore You

The ultimate beer, which I went out of my way to carry back from Japan. I hear it is being imported into Korea this year, so if you are curious, buy it even if it is a little pricey.

Pork jowl (hangjeongsal)

The snacks just keep on coming.

Cilantro salad

Gomchwi (Ligularia leaf) salad

Two kinds of salad come out at once. Polpo is more fun when you have a decent-sized group.

Wine glasses brought over from Japan

They are famous glasses, said to be very thin and to bring out the aroma well. I saw plenty of them in Kappabashi too, but they looked like a hassle to handle so I did not buy any. One of the people there that day donated a bottle of Paleo and brought these along with it. A good experience.

I Hardcore You

Ever since I stumbled on it at Shinanoya in Shinjuku during my trip to Japan last May, it has been a bit of a special beer for me. I suspect it will stay my favourite beer for a good while yet.

Fresh anchovy pasta

They made a special two plates of this, and it was absolutely spectacular. It only seems to appear when they have the ingredients, so I cannot exactly tell you to go there just for this.

Gorgonzola penne

It was reduced a lot more than last time, so it is now perfectly manageable with a fork. That said, the flavour is a little one-note and could use some work.

Pen shell linguine in cream sauce

It was a bit of a shame that the dishes were all of a similar character, but they use seasonal ingredients and, as always, it was delicious. I understand the appetite for good ingredients, but I would like them to work on throwing a few curveballs too. Is it still too much to ask for two different pastas from the same ingredient at once..

Valentine’s chocolates from Piaf

The Valentine’s Day chocolates I had been carefully stashing in the fridge came out a few days before White Day. Chocolate keeps its flavour if you freeze it, so you can hang on to it for a long time.

Roughly the situation

The chocolate was definitely an upgrade on last year’s. Went down beautifully as a whisky snack.

Financiers and tigres

The best financiers and tigres you can taste in Korea. You can tell straight away that they use only top-grade ingredients. With Polpo’s special coffee they shine even more.

Polpo’s dessert level has shot right up to the top tier in Korea. Polpo keeps getting better, and I am even more excited for what comes next. Even if I will not be able to go as often…

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