Tag Archives: Tap

Springs Tap House

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Reilly’s Taphouse & Gastro Pub

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Last night we decided to go out for dinner and try the new gastro-pub Reilly’s . I do love a good gastro-pub back home and was very excited about the prospect of having one in Seoul, especially after checking out some of the pictures of the food on their website. As soon as we walked in I felt at home. There was a warm and friendly atmosphere, just like walking into the bar at Cheers.  It’s decorated in true gastro-pub style with a long wooden bar, exposed brick and stylish yet mismatched chairs. With the rustic and modern decor it’s certainly got that country pub feeling, if they had a fireplace they would be set. Designer pubs seem to be all the rage these days but this one has got them all beat. With its cozy and relaxing atmosphere I could certainly see myself sitting here for a full on day time drinking session.

As well as the food they have an impressive number of craft beers and lagers. I’m no expert but they seemed to have quite the range of beers from around the world with the capacity for more. Niall concluded that the prices were also very reasonable. They even have Belgium bombers on the menu, for around 25,000 you can get 750ml of various beers in a giant boot shaped glass, how cool is that?

On to the food. We ordered the scotch eggs (10,000) for our starter. Niall absolutely loves scotch eggs , so he was practically giddy when he saw them on the menu. They are rarely even found outside the UK, so we were very surprised. Every now and then I do make them for Niall myself as a special treat. Personally I wouldn’t eat a scotch egg for all the tea in china, they have always repulsed me to the core. However when these turned up they looked so good I decided to try a little bite. They were exquisite, perhaps because they were hot rather than cold it made the difference but by god they were tasty. The egg inside was gloriously fresh and creamy. The mince was well seasoned and full of flavor and the outside coating was crisp and golden. They also came topped with a tomato sauce that I think worked perfectly. I ended up eating a full one.

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We also ordered the Grail (25,000) a gigantic burger filled with an egg, bacon, pork, onions, cheese and a burger. It came with a choice of sides but I obviously went for the wedges. Although the burger wasn’t as tall as the ones in the promotional pictures it was still rather large. The first bite certainly warranted that Mmmm factor. The burger had a great proportion of ingredients which really complimented each other. The sauce was amazing, I’m not sure where it was in amongst the many layers but suffice to say it rocked. Niall practically inhaled his half. The burger was very good, but was it worth the hefty price-tag? I think it just about was, it is a massive burger and I think you could easily share it between two of you without feeling short-changed. I would be keen to try one or two of the less extravagant burgers on the menu too.

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The last dish we ordered was the braised lamb shank (29,000). I love lamb shank and it was great to see one on a menu. The lamb was cooked perfectly and fell off the bone. It came with sweet potatoes and watercress. Although I liked the actual lamb I would have preferred it with a different sauce or gravy, Niall disagreed though and thought it was fine the way it was. Every item on the menu also comes with a recommended beer pairing which I thought was a nice touch.

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Despite a rather hefty bill of 91,000 I think I will be frequenting Reilly’s on a regular basis. The waitress was friendly and knowledgeable.  They have a great menu with lovely food, for me better than rivals Craftworks, The Wolfhound or Prost. They serve my beloved June Bugs (they are not on the menu but they will make them for you). They also have plenty of beer to keep the menfolk happy. All in all a great pub.

Reillys is located at 3F, 123-32 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan -gu, seoul. Take a train to Itaewon station (Line 6) come out of exit 2 and walk straight for about 100 meters, it’s next to Smoothie King. You can call them on 02-792-6590 or check out their facebook page for more details.

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