Eatanic Garden (Seoul, SOUTH KOREA) ★★★★☆

Ever since little nugget was introduced to the Korean TV show 'Please Take Care of My Refrigerator' (also known as 'Chef & My Fridge'), he’s been completely hooked. At the same time, Handsome Executive Chef Son Jong-won (孫鍾元) from Eatanic Garden who's part of the show, has quietly become his hero. So when he found out that we’d be visiting Seoul in July, he immediately asked if he could dine at the chef’s two Michelin-starred restaurant. Wanting to offer him a deeper insight into the Korean culinary heritage, I finally decided to give him the chance to experience Chef Son’s refined, modern interpretation of Korean cuisine.

It was my second visit to the restaurant in less than 10 months but instead of the chef's table, we were seated in the main dining room this time. Not the same vibe and likely a different experience I would imagine.

Our welcome drink was again birch tree water. This tasted a little like chamomile.

Chamwe melon – Styled to resemble a fried egg, this dish was actually a savory silken tofu made from in-season Korean melon. It came with diced melon, toasted melon seeds, and a chilled melon juice finished with olive oil. A very refreshing start.

Jujeonburi – As usual, there are three small nibbles to kick off the meal here. From left to right........

🐠 Yugwa – Topped with a raw fish that had been cured in doenjang, then wrapped in a pickled wild garlic leaf marinated in Korean soy sauce.

🍃 Perilla leaf bugak – Crispy perilla leaf coated with glutinous rice paste and stuffed with diced Alaskan shrimps before being deep-fried. Very fragrant and I thought the tastiest of the three.

🥖 Gangjeong – A savory twist on the traditional Korean confectionery made from deep-fried rice puff. This was a refined version made with clam sauce, wrapped in seaweed, and finished with a touch of chili sauce. Crunchy, sticky, and full of umami.

Mushroom japchae – One of Chef Son's most iconic bites. I had this last time as well with the charcoal grilled mushrooms on the outside so some nice smoky flavors.

As we enjoyed the starters, the sun began to set behind the main dining room offering a beautiful backdrop to our meal.

Tomato – Visually stunning. The top layer featured paper-thin strips of tomato, cuttlefish, crab roe, and paprika jelly. I thought I heard croaker fish as well.

Underneath it all was snow crab meat dressed with pine nut sauce, punctuated by crunchy spring onions. This was really mouthwatering. For me, the best dish tonight.

Soy Bean – At first glance a carbon copy of the seafood soup I had last time, with caviar, gold leaves and the disc of egg white on top.

But this time, underneath was a medley of diced spring onions, cuttlefish, radish, and crunchy scallop skirt. Smoky notes from the ingredients added an extra layer of flavor to the already comforting soup.

Zucchini, zucchini flower – A chilled square pyeonsu dumpling stuffed with minced Hanwoo beef and zucchini, was paired with a zucchini flower dumpling filled with shrimp and shrimp mousse. Both dumplings were served in a delicate broth simmered with dried shrimp, clams, and Hanwoo brisket.

Summer peppers, hairtail – Pan-fried hairtail in a reduction of fish jus, fermented chili pepper juice, and pickled chili leaves. This sauce really delivered a lovely spicy kick, with a gentle numbing effect on the tongue.

Samgyetang – I had this dish during my last visit as well. The chicken skin was just as thin and crispy as I remembered. Inside, glutinous rice stuffed with ginseng, chestnut, and ginkgo nuts. The chicken roll was rested on a bed of diced kimchi, adding crunch and acidity to balance the richness of the dish.

As usual, this came with a side of sea cucumber and octopus porridge, and an intensely rich ginseng chicken tea.

Hanwoo – Slices of Hanwoo ribeye marinated in doenjang and chargrilled delivering beautifully caramelized edges with a satisfying char. They were served with earthy root vegetables and cucumber. This was a better meat course than the one I had previously.

By the time dessert was about to arrive, the sky had turned a deep evening blue.

We were first presented with a small fruit salad as a palate cleanser. This featured a slice of local peach served with a sweet-tart sauce made from watermelon, plums, and more peaches. 🍑🍑

Gaesung yakgwa – A traditional Korean "cookie". Sticky, chewy, packed with sweetness.

It was followed by a bowl of bingsu (shaved ice) with white bean paste. Hidden inside was ice cream made with makgeolli or Korean rice wine. This was surprisingly refreshing.

Little nugget hasn't seen Chef Son's mother-of-pearl box before and he was so impressed!

Omijacha – This was infused with honey and ginseng. Nourishing and warming.

Apricot wooheng tteok and white chocolate bon bon stuffed with pine nuts. I probably missed a couple of these mignardises while I was snapping my photos.

While we were all thoroughly impressed with the meal, little nugget was slightly disappointed not to meet his idol, Chef Son, in person. Still, it was a night to remember — an amazing experience of modern Korean cuisine, and a memory made for us as a family.

Food Rating: 7.6/10

Price: ₩₩₩₩

Address: 36/F Josun Palace Hotel, 231 Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Closest Metro Station: Yeoksam

Tel: +82 02 727-7610

Website: https://jpg.josunhotel.com/dining/EatanicGarden.do

Opening Hours: 12:30pm - 2:30pm, 6:00pm - 10:00pm (Wed - Sun)

S. Pellegrino Asia's 50 Best Restaurants: 25th (2025)