29/05/2025
FIRST NIGHT IN SEOUL: I made a beeline for Michelin-recognized A Flower Blossom on the Rice, known for its certified organic ingredients from local and regional producers. The maze-like alleyways were quite a challenge to navigate! My Uber driver got me as close to the restaurant as he was able, then I ran through a steady mist, searching for it on foot. I arrived a little damp on the outside, but my spirits were high! The restaurant offers several set menus as well as a la carte options, all served with a pitcher of warm and earthy barley tea. I’m already loving this amazing city. 🫰🫰🫰
On the table:
* Pepper Japchae, a spicy, stir-fried vegetable dish of beech mushrooms, golden pine mushrooms, fried tofu, green chili and ginger pepper oil, served with a soft Woori bun that can be torn into bite-sized pieces, topped with the japchae and eaten by hand — delicious!
* A snippet of flower wreath mushroom, aka cauliflower mushroom
* A cold salad of julienned spring vegetables, pine nuts and Korean pear, served with tempeh (fermented soy bean)
* Pumpkin soup
* 3 types of jeon (Korean pancake)
* Grass-fed, stir-fried pork with lemon grass shoots
* An array of banchan, including radish kimchi and seaweed kimchi, served with goatsbeard bibimbap and thistle doenjang soup
* Yugwa, a puffed rice snack, along with crunchy seaweed and tofu chips, served with tangerine and carrot juice