With the year ending and the holiday season in full swing, my friends and I decided to treat ourselves to a special dining experience. We had been steadily saving money in our shared dining fund, and after much deliberation, we finally settled on Mingles (Cheongdam, Seoul).

Mingles is a Michelin 2-star restaurant and the only Korean restaurant ranked among the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, a true culinary gem.

 

 

Menu

Dinner Course  (340,000 won)

 

Wine Pairing (Signature 280,000 won)

Curious about the difference between the four-glass pairing and the signature pairing, I asked our server. They explained that the signature pairing includes traditional Korean liquors and dessert wines, nine glasses in total. Without hesitation, I chose the signature pairing.

The first pairing was sparkling wine, with three options to choose from. The middle option (champagne) required an extra charge of 40,000 won. The rightmost champagne had an additional charge of 100,000 won.

I opted for the middle one, which turned out to be a fantastic choice.

 

Warm Potato Injeolmi

The first bite-sized dish was potato Injeolmi (Korean rice cake). It was served warm, which made it even more delicious. It was interesting to see Tteok (rice cake) as an opening dish rather than as a dessert.

 

Carrot Soup with Uni & Cheese

Next came a carrot soup, topped with uni (sea urchin) and cheese inside. The natural sweetness of the carrot paired beautifully with the tangy cheese and the rich, buttery uni.

 

Persimmon with Hanwoo Jamón

Instead of traditional pork jamón, Mingles served a house-made Hanwoo jamón on top of fresh persimmon.

 

Fresh Ingredients

The staff presented a beautifully arranged selection of ingredients, which looked so perfect that I initially thought they were plastic models but they were real!

 

Squid with Gochujang Sauce

The squid dish featured a gochujang-based sauce that added a bold, slightly spicy flavor.

 

Mackerel Sashimi

Mackerel is one of my favorite fish, and this dish did not disappoint.

 

Hanwoo Yukhoe & Eel with Spicy Gochujang Sauce

At first glance, I couldn’t tell where the Yukhoe (beef tartare) was, it was hidden inside! The spicy gochujang sauce had a balance of sweet and spicy flavors that hit perfectly.

 

Geumtae (golden tilefish) Wrapped in Seaweed

The fish was deep-fried and wrapped in seaweed. As expected, crispy and rich in flavor.

 

Second Wine Pairing 

 

Shrimp with Turnip & Steamed Rice Cake

This dish used to be served with brioche, but it has been changed to Jeungpyeon (steamed rice cake). Honestly, I think the switch is much better, the texture was perfect.

 

Third Pairing - Traditional Korean Liquor

 

Mingling Pot

Mingles' "Mingling Pot" is best described as a Korean take on the luxurious Chinese soup, Buddha Jumps Over the Wall.

 

White Wine

 

Fish with Crispy Puffed Rice & Caviar

Beneath the crispy fish was a porridge-like base made from fish floss. When combined with caviar, the unami flavor was even more intense.

 

Another Traditional Korean Liquor

 

King Crab, Caviar & Sticky Rice Risotto

Instead of an al dente texture, it was cooked slightly longer, which made sense in the context of a Korean dish. The flavors were outstanding.

 

Red Wine

 

Chicken

The chicken was prepared in two different styles and served with Jangajji (pickled burdock root), a delightful pairing.

 

Main Course: Lamb Rack

The original main course was Hanwoo (Korean beef) steak, but I had heard rave reviews about Mingles' lamb and decided to switch to lamb rack.

It was unbelievably tender and juicy. A side of Sundae (Korean blood sausage) was also served, but it was completely overshadowed by the delicious lamb.

 

Janchi Guksu

I couldn’t leave without trying Mingles' famous Janchi Guksu (noodles), which came topped with crispy fried hairtail.

 

Dessert Wine

 

Coffee / Tea

For tea, I opted for Artichoke tea, which had a subtly earthy and nutty aroma.

 

Dessert Bibimbap

Unlike traditional gochujang bibimbap, this dessert version featured a delicate mix of soy sauce and sesame oil flavors.

 

Final Pairing

 

Mingles' Signature "Jang Trio" Dessert

This dessert highlights Korea’s three signature fermented sauces; gochujang, doenjang, and ganjang. 

 

Final Tea & Petit Fours

A delightful selection of traditional Korean sweets was served with our final tea.

 

This dinner at Mingles was truly unforgettable. Every dish was wonderful and the pairings were exceptional.

Of course, it’s not a place I can visit frequently due to the price, but for a special occasion like year-end celebrations, it was absolutely worth it. If I get the chance, I would love to return.

 

Address : 2F, 19 Dosan-daero 67-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Seoul OPEN GOOGLE MAP

Phone : +82-2-515-7306

Operation Hours : Tuesday-Saturday : 12:00 - 22:00 (Break time : 15:00 - 18:00)

Instagram : Check out more photos

Reservation : Click here for reservation

 

Source : https://blog.naver.com/am_0343_/223723634408

Writer : am_0343_

Special thanks to am_0343_

 

Mingles seoul 2star michelin korean fine dining