agaaga - CHOW

Where in Seoul for HIGH END for anything help !

I don't think Bo Innovation necessarily tries to be high end per se. It is a casual arrangement. That's the current global trend.

Again, if you don't like Bo Innovation, don't even think about visiting ELBON. It is a waste of your time. You are entitled to your own opinion but you are not necessarily 'right', neither are others. Eating out is like shopping. Know what you want and select the right place and right menu.

on Apr 09, 2012

agaaga in China & Southeast Asia

Where in Seoul for HIGH END for anything help !

If you don't like Bo Innovation, you shouldn't have tried ELBON. I love Bo Innovation, just like most of my international friends. And we adore ELBON.

on Apr 09, 2012

agaaga in China & Southeast Asia

NY hound visiting San Francisco. Must Try Foods?

Thanks! I will remember that!

on Apr 09, 2012

agaaga in San Francisco Bay Area

NY hound visiting San Francisco. Must Try Foods?

Cynsa, I did some research about Atelier Crenn and it looks really exciting! I reserved a table... Thanks for your great suggestion! :)

on Apr 09, 2012

agaaga in San Francisco Bay Area

NY hound visiting San Francisco. Must Try Foods?

Chowhounders, words can not describe how thankful I am! Thank you all for the great suggestions! Looking forward to my trip to SF! :)

on Apr 09, 2012

agaaga in San Francisco Bay Area

NY hound visiting San Francisco. Must Try Foods?

Hello SF hounders!

I am visiting San Francisco in April, and I am looking for 'must try' restaurants (preferably fine dining).

I will stay only a couple of days so the schedule should be very intensive.

Price is not an issue, and I eat any type of cuisine (be it American, French, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, etc...) I've already reserved a table at Benu.

Any other suggestions?

I would also appreciate any late night, wee hour snacks too!

Thanks! :)

on Mar 28, 2012

agaaga in San Francisco Bay Area

Mable's smokehouse and banquet hall

I went to Mable's smokehouse and was very disappointed. Their meat was way way too dry. And compared to Fette Sau, they didn't have a variety of BBQ sauce. I much much prefer Fette Sau.

on Mar 02, 2012

agaaga in Outer Boroughs

seoul: Philkyungjae & Chung Sikdang ?

I think perhaps it was your first time to try Korean royal cuisine. Philkyungjae serves 100% traditional Korean food following the recipes learned from the last court lady of Chosun Dynasty, as many other leading royal cuisine restaurants in Seoul and if you want something with Western touch, it is not suitable for you. If you did not appreciate the food at Philkyungjae, perhaps you will have similar experiences at other traditional Korean restaurants serving royal cuisine too.

The heating problem arises because, like I said, it is a traditional Korean house which did not use to have the central heating system, although perhaps they need to do some remodeling works to modify or 'modernize' the heating system.

However, it is one thing a person may not appreciate the style of the cuisine and it is quite another to say that the place or the food is decrepit. I just wanted to point it out.

on Dec 26, 2011

agaaga in China & Southeast Asia

seoul: Philkyungjae & Chung Sikdang ?

Philkyungjae is Korean traditional house that is over 500 years old. It was built by a grandson of the fifth son of King Sejong, who created Korean alphabets. How could you call such historic place decrepit? I am sorry but It sounds so ignorant. It sounds like calling antiques outdated or old fashioned.

Its food is fairly decent too, following the traditional Korean palace food format. Korean royal cuisine, unlike the stereotype Korean food which is typically spicy, has very subtle flavors and if they all taste the same to you, I feel sorry about that.

It is not a tourist trap either. Surely there are tourists too, but it is quite popular among local Koreans. By the way, I am a Korean who was born in Korea.

on Dec 25, 2011

agaaga in China & Southeast Asia

Where in Seoul for HIGH END for anything help !

For your reference about ELBON:
http://www.lesinfluences.fr/Le-Chef-Choi-al-dente.html

on Dec 10, 2011

agaaga in China & Southeast Asia

Where in Seoul for HIGH END for anything help !

As a native Korean who has been living most of my life in western countries AND in Hong Kong, I strongly disagree that Congdu is anything to be called good. And I think Elbon is on par with, or even better than Bo Innovation in Hong Kong. I would never call it bad.

on Dec 10, 2011

agaaga in China & Southeast Asia

Dinner at Romera on Opening Night

Here is another extremely unpleasant experience with Romera.

I made a reservation at Romera about two weeks ago. Last week, when I called to confirm my reservation, I explicitly asked whether photo-taking would be allowed as long as it is for personal use only. The lady who answered my call told me to hold on, got back to me in a few minutes and said "It is perfectly alright as long as it's not for any commercial purpose".

So I went to Romera last night a bit earlier than 8:30PM., and I was escorted to the dining room.

The interior was just OK, not really amazing or extravagant. Strange curtains and colorful bottles everywhere.

After I took two shots of photos for their interior before I got seated, one of the managers showed up and said "I am sorry, but the chef does not want you to take photos because he wants our guests to use sensory memory, not the camera."

As chloes pointed out, I also enjoy taking 'flashless' photos at restaurants and reminisce about my past meals. I absolutely repect a restaurant's policy that forbids photo-taking, and there is nothing wrong with that, thus I have no intention to blame them for it at all. They are just not my kind of restaurants and I never go to those places (namely Momofuku Ko, Masa, Chef's Table).

I told the manager that I had explicitly asked in advance whether photo-taking would be allowed and they said YES, and that if they had told me about no photo policy, I wouldn't have made the reservation in the first place.

He then asked me if I remembered the employee's name.
Look, dude. If I called Romera and one of your staff told me photo-taking was OK, I would have assumed that was your policy right? Who could have thought that a restaurant charging you almost the same price as Per Se had neglected to properly educate their employees and embarrass their guest later on?

So I told them I would like to cancel the reservation and leave.
Then you know what the 'manager' said?
"Well, you know about our cancellation policy? We prepared the food for you and we will still have to charge you."

What? I am going to be charged for the meal I never ate, because of the mistake and misrepresentation on your part???

Evenif I had simply left without this kind of bull, I would have been already upset because my entire evening was ruined because of them. Not a word of an apology and a threat to charge me instead?
I was really, really furious. However, being a civilized person (haha) I told him in a cool manner that I forbid them to charge me anything because it was THEIR misrepresentation and said I would take them to the court if they do.

On the way to another restaurant nearby to have my dinner, I called them up and a gentleman answered. I asked for "the manager" and he said he was one of the managers.

I briefly explained the situation and said "When I made the reservation, you did not tell me anything about your cancellation policy either."

Then he said perhaps there was miscommunication here (again???) and that they wouldn't charge me for this.

Fine dining is far more than just food (and from what I hear, their food is not even that great).

Their service is just a disaster.

With the money I saved, I am having wonderful dinner next week at Per Se.

I have been to hundreds, perhaps a thousand Michelin rated restaurants in the world including New York, and this was the most pathetic place of all. Avoid this place.

-----
Romera
355 W 16th St, New York, NY 10011

on Sep 28, 2011

agaaga's Profile

Log In

Sign Up

Choose Newsletters

Newsletter Sign Up

Choose Newsletters