A few weeks ago I was invited to come down and check out Hopscotch. It had been on my list of places to try for some time now, so I of course jumped at the chance. It’s not very often I get to do things Gangnam style!

Hidden in a labyrinth of alleyways, Hopscotch is like a speakeasy from the 1920s. Away from the hustle and bustle of the main roads, you would blink and miss it. If the main door is closed, the little red glowing sign is your only clue to what lurks behind. Upon entering the door you are transported in time, I really did expect girls in flapper dresses to be doing the Charleston.

After taking a seat in one of the cosy corners we were presented with their cramazingly cool menu. They used the covers of old school note books which just exudes a retro feel. It’s all the details like this that really make the place. The owner told me that he and his partner constructed a lot of the bar and furniture themselves as one was skilled at wood work and the other at metal work. Every detail has been thought out meticulously.

Cocktails were ordered of course, it would have been churlish not to. They have a small range of classics, which are perfectly executed. We tried the  New Yorker 16,000, and the Old Fashioned 16,000. Both whisky based and not for the fainthearted. The New Yorker was a nice twist on the whisky sour, The Old Fashioned was a touch too strong for me, but The Fat Boyfriend loved it.

As well as their cocktails they also have a dedicated list of a scotch whiskys and selected craft beers. Hence the name Hopscotch, hop for beer, scotch for whisky. So we also tried a Great white (10,000). There are some darn fancy beers on the menu including one which was voted beer of the year and comes in a wine bottle.

To accompany our drinks we ordered the very popular Duck Frites (9,000). Shoe string fries cooked in duck. I’m always a fan of cooking things in animal fat, even if it’s not particularly healthy, and duck fat is my mums secret ingredient for making the best roast potatoes in the world! You really can’t go wrong with a bowl of these babies.

We also ordered the the Socal Salad (17,000) which consists of pulled chicken, mandarin oranges, apples, pecans, almonds, gorgonzola, cranberries, avocado, romaine lettuce, and citrus dressing. This salad was a true delight, and I would be all kinds of thrilled if I was taking this baby for lunch every day. So many tasty ingredients working together in perfect harmony. Some of the vegetables are even grown on one of the owner’s organic farm, no wonder it’s so good.

After that healthy salad I needed some more deep fried goodies and couldn’t resist the Shroom Fries (10,000). Breaded shitake mushrooms served with garlic aioli, they are similar to the ones I made myself a few weeks ago. These are shaped to resemble potato wedges, and have a nice crispy exterior around the softer inside. Topped with parmesan and dipped into the scrummy garlic mayo they are nice bar snack to nibble on.

For those looking for something a bit more substantial you can try the Brisket Bite (17,000). Smoked brisket pilled on toasted ciabatta, topped with emmental cheese and creamy southern style coleslaw. The bread was lovely as was the brisket. It was indeed a very tasty sandwich but probably not worth the 17,000 price tag. Though if you can afford it, probably not so much of an issue, the big ballers of Gangnam probably scarf down these bad boys like I do 2,000 won double cheese burgers.

To round off our meal, the owner brought us over a dish of frozen grapes, that had been drizzled with balsamic reduction. A sweet and refreshing dessert to finish with. I will have to give these a go at home.

If you are in Gangnam and looking for something a little different, this is an ideal place to bring and impress a date or a cool crowd of friends. The drinks and food are well paired and it’s worth coming for the luxe furnishings alone. Feel free to dress in 20’s attire as you really wouldn’t look out of place. They have also recently opened up a second location in Gwanghwamun too.

Hopscotch is located at B1, 113-20, Nonhyeon-dong, gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea. To get there take a train to Gangnam Gu Cheong Station (Line 7) Come out exit 3 and immediately take a right. Then take your first left. Follow that road along for maybe 50 meters and keep looking to the right. It’s hidden away on a little side street. We found it just by using the GPS on our phone and the address, or just call and they will come out and find you! For more information you can call on 02-511-0145 or check out their facebook page.

Brew 3.14 or Brew Pie is the first restaurant venture of Seoul foodie extraordinaire Daniel Gray. The establishment has a rather clever name, brew is for the beer and pie for the pizzas. The place has been open for about 9 or 10 months now, and I have been meaning to pay a visit for a long time, however my reluctance to leave Itaewon-dong has always triumphed over my go-getter attitude.

Finally I was in the area paying a visit to Bangsan Bakers Mart. Shopping for baked goods always leaves me rather peckish, so I thought it was about high time I checked out Daniels goodies.  The pub is cozy and compact, but we were welcomed as soon as we walked through the door. It has a real local feel about it and despite the fact there’s only seating for about 15, people cram themselves in regardless.

The menu here is short and sweet, with them serving up a handful of pizzas, calzones and fried chicken. With their choice craft beers on tap (7,000 -8,000) it’s a very clever take on the traditional Korean Hof. Beer and chicken is where it’s at with the after work crowd and the modern twist will really appeal to the younger generation as foreign food trends become more popular.

I think we know by now that I’m not much of a craft beer drinker, so I was thrilled they had a range of cocktails served in bags! I opted for the Blue Lemonade (8,000), made from real blue lemons!

After a glance at the menu there  was one pizza that just spoke to me; the Chicken Bechamel (16,000), was calling my name. I’ll take a white pizza over a red one any day of the week especially with a thin crispy crust like this one. With sliced chicken and peppers it was a delight.

We also couldn’t resist the Meat Calzone (8,000). Made with the same great dough as the pizza, the edges were crimped beautifully. Stuffed with cheese and tasty well seasoned ground meat. It was perfectly sized for one. I also adore the cute little stamp they have to brand them.

With a nice pizza and good beer, it’s well worth stopping by if you are in the area and in need of refreshments.  All members of Seoul Eats facebook group get a 5% discount so be sure to mention it. Every little helps!

Brew 3.14 is located at 39, Donhwamun-ro 11na-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul. To get there take a subway to Jongro 3 ga(lines 1, 3, and 5) and come out exit 7. Take a right, then cross the street and take a left after about 100m. Follow that road along for about 50m or so until you reach Hase Bar and you will see it tucked away in a little alleyway to the right. You can call them on 070-4178-3014 or check out their facebook page for more details.

The Pizza Pub is the latest bar to hit Itaewon. Cool and sleek it’s a cut above the usual dive bars that serve self service beers. As well as a huge variety of  cheap bottled beers and ciders they also have great food too, which is why it is my current favourite hangout.

With a name like The Pizza Pub, it would only serve that they are selling lovely home-made pizzas, otherwise they would really have to think about changing the name. The menu is a good mix of classics and more inventive gourmet choices. I was lucky enough to sample quite a few of them. My first choice had to be the BBQ Chicken  (13,500 S/17,000 L). My favourite pizza flavour by far, I can never resist this one on a menu. A good barbecue base with plenty of chicken and a great crust, there were no complaints here.

Next up was White Arugula Pizza (13,500 S/17,000 L). With mozzarella, roast potatoes, bacon, and arugula all on top of a white sauce. Personally I love a white pizza, I’m not dissing the red sauce, I like that too, but I’m always pleased when I see a white one on the menu. This white sauce was especially tasty and everyone loves arugula right? It makes you feel like you are being healthy even though you’re having pizza.

We also had to try the The Meat Empire (15,000 S/19,000 L). What could be better than an empire of meat? With pepperoni, smoked ham, chicken, pulled pork, and bacon. I don’t think any meat lover would be disappointed. I know that The Fat Boyfriend will be desperate to try this one.

As well as all those delicious pizzas there are Chicken Wings, with bones or without (9,000). These are served  with your choice of an array of dipping sauces. I was lucky to be given a taste of all of them. Spicy Mango was one of my favourites along with the Creamy Buffalo, but no one can beat a pot of Ranch.

The host also put a basket of the Fried Kimchi and Pickles (8,000) in front of me. I think  we all are aware of my feelings about kimchi. But I am a polite and charming girl and figured it would be rude not to try it. I picked up a piece and dipped it into the accompanying samjang mayo. I put it into my mouth and chewed and didn’t hate it. I ate a another piece, it was all right. I tried a pickle, it was good. Not bad I thought to myself, but as we waited for our next pizza I ate piece after piece until the basket was empty. Then that night when I was back at home I found myself thinking about it more and more. The next day at work I couldn’t get it off my mind. When my friends suggested a drink I immediately hailed The Pizza Pub as the destination and strode there as fast as I could, ordering myself a basket straight away. It was just as good as I remembered. Is it possible that after 5 long years I could have been converted? No, it’s the deep fried goodness that did it, I’d eat a smelly old sock if you breaded it, deep fried it, and gave me a good dipping sauce. But either way this dish is spectacular and I have no doubt will be the star dish on the menu.

We also had to have a try of the Garlic Sticks (9,000). Garlic bread is the one thing that is missing from virtually every pizza establishment throughout the peninsula. Why I have no idea, since Koreans, love bread, garlic, and cheese, surely it should be right up their street. But for some sad reason it’s never truly made it’s way on to the menus. These garlic sticks have a pizza base and are topped with lashings of garlic butter and cheese served with more melted garlic butter just in case you wanted more.

For those of you more interested in the drinks than the food, they have a tonne of imported largers, beers, and ciders. Big brands and and craft beers can all be found in the fridges. Just help yourself and pay at the till.

The Pizza Pub is located at 2F 131-3 Itaewon, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, 140-858. To get there take a train to Itaewon station (line 6) and come out of exit 3. Turn back on yourself and take a left at the crossroads. Walk straight past Taco Bell and look for the building 2 doors down. The Pizza Pub is on the second floor. For more information you can call them on 010-5295-4551 or check out their facebook page.

I had a good look of the menu and settled upon the Chicken wings, in a barbecue sauce. They were good, the sauce was excellent and hit the spot exactly, even more so since they were a mere 4,000. They will also give you ranch dressing for 500 won!

Now, when I see that food is on offer, I like to buy twice as much. Why couldn’t I behave like a normal person and buy one discount appetizer and save the money, no no no Fatgirl has to eat twice as much, saving nothing at all. So on to my next order. Popcorn chicken, little pieces of chicken breast, breaded in a crazy crispy coating, and came with a side of chips for 5,000. These were really good,  and we ordered quite a few more of these between us.

Another hit was the poutine (4,250). Not remotely authentic, but really really good. Match stick fries, a delicious thick gravy, and cheese. So comforting, even if it was a bit wrong.

We also had a buffulo wings, (4,000) again, great.

The chicken burrito, was also a hit (4,000).

We also tried the deep fried  chili peppers (5,500). Although these were probably our least favourite of all the things we tried.

So next Tuesday I would definitely advise you hit up Hollywood for all the fried goods they are worth. It’s Christmas eve so you don’t even have to go to work the next day. Merry Christmas!

Hollywoood is located at 123-33 Itaewon 1(il)-dong Yongsan-gu Seoul Korea. To get there take a train to Itaewon station (Line 6.) Come out of exit 2 and walk straight for about a minute. Hollywood islocated on the left on the 3rd floor  of the building next to Smoothie king. You can call them on 02-749-1659.

Before I jetted off to Bali I paid a visit to Springs Tap House in lieu of my new job at Chips Maps. Yes, I am finally going to be a published writer!!! For those of you not in the know, Chips maps is a FREE magazine, listing all the wonderful places in the Itaewon area that you can eat and drink. It also has other useful places too, but I think you know where my priorities lie. This month I have written the piece for neighbourhood grub, a star dish that you can get at one of the wonderful eateries in the area that you won’t find anywhere else. So be sure to grab a copy and read all about it. Here is a more comprehensive review of the latest gastro-pub and craft beer joint in our fair area.

When arriving at Springs Tap House I was struck by how fancy the menu was. When walking past It was not what I expected at all. I was thinking it would be just beer and pub food but the menu is far more complex than that and actually offers one of the best gourmet experiences in the area. Hummus pizza, corned beef tongue, and Jeju-do bacon all feature on the unique menu.

My first choice was the Deer Hunter (15,000). A freshly ground venison burger topped with lettuce, red onion and whole grain Dijon mustard housed in a home-made artisan bun.The venison was grilled to perfection, while still being nice and rare in the middle. Just the way I like it. The home-made mustard was also a great accompaniment. There was a little too much lettuce in the burger but it wasn’t much of a chore to take some out. The shoe string fries that accompanied the dish were perfect, they were topped with a rosemary infused salt that was excellent. All in all a good burger. I would be interested to try the beef version next time too.

My second dish of choice Triple Crown Pate (13,000). \Oven baked gruyere and three mushroom pate and a chick pea and cherry tomato tapenade served with toasted bread chips. The presentation of this dish was spectacular. The second the server put the dish on our table my nostrils were filled with the glorious aroma of truffles. It was like a sweet perfume that accompanied our whole meal. Both the pate and the tapenade were delicious and I would certainly order this dish again.

Not surprisingly this gastro-pub has plenty of beer. Original imported beers from Canada all with jaunty names. My favourite being the Fat guy, as he seemed like a man after my own heart.

All in all I was very impressed with Springs  Tap house. The menu was adventurous and well executed. I will certainly be visiting them again soon to try a few more dishes.

Springs Tap house is located in Kyungnidan at 658 Itaewon-dong, Seoul. To get there take a train to Noksapyeong Station (line 6). Walk straight out of exit 2  for about 500 meters until you get to the underground walkway. Go down the stairs, turn right and cross the street (underground) then go up the left-side exit of the underground walkway.
Walk 10 meters and you’ll see The Springs Tap House across the street between Bao and Pier 39. For more information check out their facebook page or call them on  02-759-7732.

I discovered this little gem a couple of months ago now, but have only just got around to sharing it with you. Located at the bottom of Itaewon, Hillside Pub & Bistro has a lovely little patio rooftop which is the perfect place to drink a few too many cocktails on a sunny afternoon.

Drinking can really take it out of you, so to keep up our stamina we decided to try some of the food too. Our first choice was the Bacon Cheese Burger (12,000), Accompanied by potato wedges and coleslaw, this certainly hit the spot.

We also ordered a Chicken Cesar Salad (13,000) in an attempt to be somewhat healthy. A bed of salad leaves with a  large juicy chicken breast, there was plenty to go around. It wasn’t an authentic Cesar salad by any means, but it was nice and well made.

Since I ordered a salad I rewarded myself with an order of onion rings (7,000). These tasted as good as they looked. Nice and crispy with a lovely tartar sauce dip on the side.

The food was all nice enough, and will hit the spot if your hungry and in the mood for pub grub. However the star attraction for me is the drinks. They have a very long list of cocktails which is more than enough to keep me happy. They have my new summer  favourite, the Lynchberg Lemonade, as well as  all the old favourites  like my beloved June Bug. There are  plenty of beers at decent prices to keep the boys happy too.

Hillside Pub & Bistro is located on the hill just overlooking the bottom of Itaewon (Macdonalds end), at 57-28 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. To get there, take a train to  Itaewon Station (line 6) and come out of  exit 1. Walk straight for about four minutes. When you reach KEB bank on your right, you can see a road just past veering up the hill parallel to the main road’s sidewalk. Hillside Pub & Bistro is just at the top of the hill on the right. You can call them  on 070-4136-2208.

A lovely day off last week afforded me to do some of my favourite things, shopping, eating, and drinking in the sun. Whilst indulging in some shopping in Sinsa, we got rather peckish. We spotted this cute little restaurant which looked ideal for a leisurely lunch.

The menu is Italian, consisting of salads, pastas, pizzas, risotto’s and several main dishes. The decor is cute and chic. With the doors opening right out on the street, a conservatory and a small patio outside it’s the perfect lunch spot for a sunny afternoon. There are also several imported bottled beers on the menu, but at 10,000 a pop it’s not the place to get drunk. They did have a pitcher of sangria which I would have liked to have tried, if my financial situation had been better.

After a browse of the menu, we decided upon a Ceasar salad (16,000), as a nod to healthy living. Although there was lettuce, parmesan shavings and chicken, they were missing a few of the key ingredients. There were no croutons or bacon. However, that didn’t really bother me so much, but if you were hankering after a traditional Ceasar salad you might be disappointed. The chicken was warm and marinated well and full of flavour. I did enjoy this salad but it was a little small for two to share.

Since we had been so healthy by ordering a salad, I thought we deserved a treat. So we got a pizza as a reward. They have quite the variety but we settled upon the margarita (15,000). The base was thin and crispy, just the way I like it. It had lots of cheese and pieces of fresh tomato. It certainly hit the spot. I only wish there had been more fresh basil and a little less olive oil on top.

Overall I think its a great spot for lunch if you are in the area. I wouldn’t travel miles to come, but the food is good and a reasonable price given the area. Sognare is located at 546-8, Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. To get there take a train to Sinsa station (line 3). Come out of exit 8 and walk straight until you get to Tous Le Jours and make a left. Keep walking straight along that road until you reach the Diesel store, Sognare is opposite on the right. You can call them on 02-514-3398 for more information.

Seoul is experiencing a major heat wave at the moment. It’s almost hotter than the fiery depths of hell out on those streets. But don’t worry, salvation is here in the form of Kirin Ichiban beer garden! As well as offering up a shady spot for you to rest in whilst supping on a frosty cold beer they have gone one step further, frozen beer! Yes you read it correctly, frozen beer. A cool refreshing beer with a frozen head. It kinda looks like an ice cream but it actually works. The head stays intact while keeping your beer icy cold despite the 30 degree weather. A nice sweet spot nestled in amongst the shops of Sinsa its the perfect place to blow the froth off a few after hitting the shops. They also have a pretty cool deal on right now where you can get a beer, a burger, and fries all for 10,000.

Get there while you can, the Kirin beer garden will only be open until July 2nd!

The Kirin beer garden is located in Sinsa. To get there take a train to Sinsa station (line 3). Come out of exit 8 and walk straight until you get to Tous Le Jours and make a left. Keep walking straight along that road, the beer garden is located on the left side, just after the Fossil Store.

Last week we popped off to see the cherry blossoms in Yeouido park and whilst there we thought a spot of brunch might have been in order. Located in the depths of the brand spanking new IFC mall is Le Brunchic. A restaurant specializing in, you guessed it, Brunch! We arrived on a busy saturday afternoon to be told of course there would be a wait. We  put our names down and went off to do some shopping. Several hundred thousand won and too many shopping bags later we returned and were shown straight to our seats.

The cafe is chic, light, and airy, it would be perfect if it was on a tree-lined street instead of a shopping mall. There are a mixture of booths, tables, and private areas for those on romantic dates. They serve beer and wine but sadly no cocktails.

We perused the menu and selected our dishes. The menu consisted of the usual brunch fare, salads, pasta, benedicts, omelettes, and pancakes. I, of course, chose my favourite Eggs Benedict with spinach and bacon (16,000). The eggs were cooked to perfection, when cut into the yolk just oozed out, and the hollandaise was rich and tasty. I have never had bacon this good in Korea it was just so damn tasty. It had a kind of char-grilled taste which was just so nice. I usually give my bacon away to my boyfriend but he was only given a tiny piece of this.

My boyfriend opted for the Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon (16,000). Once again the eggs were cooked to perfection. The salmon was succulent and the capers gave it a nice balance of flavour.  His only complaint was that there were too many olives in the side salad, but it was a very minor gripe.

I very much enjoyed Le Brunchic and it is the first brunch I have had in a while that can rival the Flying Pan. If they had had a Bloody Mary or a Bellini on the menu it would have been a 10/10 for me. I love going to hang out in Yeouido park now that the weather is nice. Throw in some shopping and brunch and you have my ideal Saturday. Le Brunchic is located in the  IFC Mall in the basement. L334 at 23 Yeouido-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. You can call them on 02-6137-5531. To get there take a train to Yeouido station (lines 5 and 9) and just head for exit 3. Follow the signs to get to the IFC mall.

They also have a branch at 524-35 Sinsa-Dong, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul. The telephone number there is 02-542-1985

Another day, another gastro-pub. Just around the corner from my job is the aptly named  Gastro Pub. We spotted it quite a while ago now but didn’t really think it would be up to much, so we never investigated further. However last night we were released from work rather early. There was time before the bus came so we thought we would take a look at the menu. The place was so much bigger than I had expected and not what I had imagined at all. We’re hardly in a desolate wasteland of restaurants but I certainly wasn’t expecting anything like this.

A big industrial warehouse type space. This restaurant is very deceiving from the outside. A huge long bar greets you as you enter then a large sized restaurant is beyond, with a large terrace at the back which would be perfect for some summertime drinking. An open spaced kitchen fills one long wall. I’ve always admired these, as I like to see what I’m getting. This gastro-pub has more New York feel than English Style homeliness of Reilly’s, but is cool and sleek none the less.

A gastro-pub inspired menu awaits, printed on newspaper style menus that seem to be all the rage these days. A mix of salads, pastas, burgers and grilled meats. They also have various imported beers and a large variety of bottles.Sadly no cocktails were on the menu, but they did have a nice variety of soft drinks and smoothies. Next time I’ll be sure to bring along my trusty hip flask and make some myself. They had a taster of beers. You could choose 5 out 7. This worked really well for us, my boyfriend got to have his real beer and I got my ladies lager. It was only 14,000 for 5 but we went during happy hour and got an extra 20% off which we thought was very reasonable.

On to the food. We chose the fish and chips. I was still in the middle of taking a few pictures when this rocked up at lightning speed. There were 3 pieces on the plate and a mountain of shoe string fries (they were so thin, I probably could have tied my shoes with them). The fish was coated in a light and crispy batter. Coming from the land of fish and chips I like mine nice and thick. I’m not a huge fan of fish so for me the batter is the star attraction. However the fish here was good. The winner on this plate was the home-made tartare sauce, sharp and tasty, I could have eaten twice as much.

I was keen to try the prime burger. I am a burger girl through and through and would probably choose this for my last meal on earth. This one looked pretty damn good when it rocked up, slathered with cheese and caramelized onions but sadly didn’t make me go “Mmm” when I bit into it. It was fine and I certainly could have eaten another one but it didn’t really live up to its 20,000 won price tag. I would rather pay the extra 5,000 and get the burger at Reilly’s, or go to Burger B and eat 2! Another point to mention is that this burger was very rare, the blood was actually seeping out on to  the plate. Personally I like my meat still mooing but I know for a lot of people this can pose a problem, especially since the waiter didn’t ask us how we would like it cooked. The burger too came with a mountain of fries. I loved these chips but after a while I still couldn’t see the mountain going down. They gave a choice while ordering of salad or fries but I think a little of both would have been preferable.

The majority of these dishes available are around the 15,000 – 20,000 mark but they also have a 1kg steak available for 150,000 or a 750g rack of lamb for a mere 120,000.  The people at the next table had the steak and I have to say it was pretty large but I don’t know if I would pay that much for a steak and have to share it. I think this restaurant is more of a Korean style with the larger dishes that are good for sharing. They also had a few desserts on the menu but I couldn’t partake as I had eaten too many chips!

Gastro Pub is located at 810-2 Bangbae-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul. To get there take a train to Naebang station(line number 7) and come out exit 7. Walk straight until you pass the BMW dealership and make a right. Directly in front of you should be Gastro Pub. The nearest bus stop is 22-222. You can call them on 02-537-17222. Or check out their website.