Louis Cinq is a restaurant that opened on Apgujeong Rodeo Street around the end of last year, I think. Maybe because they did their blogger marketing well, it’s gotten pretty good exposure for a place that’s only just opened. I went there this day for a special get-together.
The lighting.
The photos didn’t come out great.. but roughly speaking the interior has this casual, modern vibe. It’s right in the middle of Rodeo Street, so it’s easy to get to. (If you live in Gangnam-gu, that is..) It’s also open late, so I figured it’ll become a place the locals use often rather than one people travel far to seek out.
Today’s wine.
A wine my friend brought. Both my friend and I tend to carry wine to pretty much every get-together these days; our hobby is collecting wine, so we have no choice if we’re going to drink through it. You have to drink what’s at home before you can buy new bottles. Every now and then I should also order off the restaurant’s list, but I’m so busy that my chances to go out and drink keep shrinking, and it’s tough.
The table
Simple. There are plenty of write-ups about this place on other blogs, so I don’t have much to add. That said, the owner-chef is a young, good-looking guy who opened his own place right after coming back from studying abroad, so his family must be fairly well-off.. I’m jealous, I humbly confess.
Amuse-bouche
Something along the lines of tapas. The chef apparently spent time in Spain too. I like the stylish presentation, but there’s nothing special about the ingredients. Seeing how well it works as a drinking snack, the pub concept seems to be spot on.
A white wine
We have to open at least one bottle from the house too. A decent wine for the price. The more you chase the ultimate taste, the pricier wine gets, so at restaurants I just drink thinking I’m lucky if it’s cheap and decent.
Boqueria 2
A plate topped with baby squid, egg, and jamón. I think it’s a good idea to aim for harmony by putting together completely different ingredients, seafood, egg and cured meat, but the egg bursts and floods everything like water, and the roasted flavor of the jamón and squid gets buried under it. Maybe try using a slightly smaller egg.. Some people rave about this dish as if they’d never had a fried egg in their lives, but I guess it’s a matter of taste.
Escargot
It’s well seasoned, so it feels less like a meal and more like an upscale bar snack. The kind of place you’d come to for a second round, I’d say..
Potato and squid
The ingredients are cheap, but it looks stylish and doesn’t taste bad at all. Probably because they cook it with care.
Fish dish
They said they bought in whatever fish looked good that day and cooked it. I don’t remember the name, but both the cooking and the flavor were good.
Peppercorn steak
Nicely cooked. Nothing lacking in portion or flavor. The meat is on the lean side, which is just right with a heavy wine. If it’s fatty, you’re better off with beer than wine.
Bread
I’m not sure whether this is the right point for it to come out. Doesn’t bread usually come first? I guess it’s this restaurant’s concept..
Risotto
Tasty. It’s thick and rich, so it holds up as a drinking snack too.
Dessert
They said it’s their signature dish, and it wasn’t bad. You crack the outer shell and eat it.
Soufflé
This one was really delicious. They said they use their own recipe, and it’s the best soufflé I’ve had in Korea. It beat Pierre Gagnaire, so if you’re a soufflé fan, go and try it..
If you live in the neighborhood, I think it’s a good place to drop into as a sort of Western-style izakaya. The desserts are pretty good too, but going just for dessert is a bit of a stretch. Picking at this and that will fill you up, but the seasoning is strong, so you’ll probably end up ordering quite a lot of wine. When you set a budget, you’ll need to factor in the extra that comes with it. If you don’t live around here.. getting there and back is a hassle, so I can’t really recommend it that strongly.