The Hungry Bunny

I don't like Insadong: it's touristy and gimmicky AF, and lined with price-gouging souvenir shops galore. Think Singapore's Chinatown, but several times larger and with even more artifice. The fact that foreign visitors outnumber locals wandering around Insadong says a lot about its trite attractions. BUT, we heard (from the wonderful concierge at the Four Seasons ) that there was an awesome bibimbap shop, "the best bibimbap in Seoul" they'd said, so we thought to do our "foodie" rep justice and brave the hordes. Located in the bowels of Ssamzie-gil, a distinctive mall right smack in the heart of Insa-dong, Jeonju Traditional Bibimbap Shop is so hidden away (it's located behind a bunch of children's art workshops), you would have to be looking for it to actually find it. There's hardly any foot traffic, but still the restaurant packs a full crowd, largely locals, during lunch. I suppose that's why Seoulites go to Insadong: just to

You know, the best thing about working in the CBD, is the easy access to the mind-boggling variety of dining options. So...lately, we've (slowly but surely) been hitting up the gamut of restaurants in the Telok Ayer/Amoy Street enclave, and Le Binchotan was another restaurant that I finally got to tick off my to-eat list. The late-night speakeasy gastrobar serves French-Japanese cuisine. To wit, the painting at the entrance of Le Binchotan , featuring the Effiel Tower set against the backdrop of a rising sun, is a gorgeously brilliant commission of the restaurant's provisions. Note that while its address stipulates an Amoy Street address, entry is through Gemmill Lane, as with Gemmills and the fabulous Maggie Joan's . The galley of a restaurant was a veritable who's-who of pleb-ville. There was a gaggle of air stewardesses who were determined to make themselves heard over the piped-in background house music, it wasn't even a challenge to hear the entirety of t

I've been eager for Blackwattle to pass its first birthday, so I could try its contemporary Australian offerings. An affiliate of the vaunted Automata in Sydney, it's also under the stable of celebrated hotelier-cum-restaurateur Loh Lik Peng's Unlisted Collection. I've made no bones that I'm a big big fan of Unlisted Collection's ensemble of restaurants, and was hankering to see if it measured up to the hype of its Sydney mothership and the hype of rave opening reviews. Walking in one late night for dinner (or supper depending on who you ask), I was immediately struck by the aesthetics of the swanky restaurant. Swathed in blacks and undulating shades of greys, the design was clean, sleek, and modern. Blackwattle just oozed pure luxury and class, all the while remaining understated. And like its design, the food at Blackwattle was elegant and deft, drawing its influence from the Australian bush. However, it was missing that something-something, that little

Remember how I said before that price usually correlates to how good a Japanese restaurant is? Well, it's obviously not a rule set in stone, and Sushi Mieda , unfortunately, falls into that category of an overpriced and overhyped washout of a dinner. The Singapore outpost, at the revolving OUE Tower at Collyer Quay, is the first overseas venture of the one Michelin-starred, Hokkaido mothership, Mieda. I guess that's the problem inherent of most affiliates of Michelin-awardees, the principal chef who propelled the original to Michelin stardom isn't around here to whip up any Michelin-quality magic. What a pity, because our Mutsukari Kaiseki ($300) dinner actually started out pretty decent...but then devolved into a middling, almost mass-market quality, entirely forgettable meal. Unsurprisingly, the four of us went on out to have prata for supper, right after dinner. The appetizer, a trio of roasted baby yam and eggplant, tempura fish and beancurd jelly was great. Love

Bon Juk is a major household name for porridge, and as ubiquitous a breakfast stop as Ya Kun in Singapore. With dozens of branches spread out all over the city, Bonjuk is insanely popular with Seoulites. The Four Seasons concierge had recommended us the one within strolling distance from the hotel, and so we checked it out one mid-afternoon. Unfortunately, they'd run out of the crab porridge by breakfast time, which was a real pity, because the juks we ended up having were middling and entirely forgettable. The silver lining, and highlight of the meal, turned out to be the jangjorim banchan. The soy braised pulled beef brisket was superb, its salty and slightly sweet flavour added a much-needed spark to the plain, staid gruel. The Beef Bone Porridge (8,500KRW), studded with tiny vegetable cubes of carrots, sliced shitakes and spring onions, was so incredibly light I dumped the whole saucer of jang-jorim into the bowl just so it had some taste. The Mushroom Oyster Porrid

Summer Pavilion is one of our favourite restaurants for Chinese cuisine. Consistently impeccable, the food marries the sophistication of fine dining with the unpretentious comfort of homespun flavours. And, for such an elegant, upscale setting, the vibe is totally unfussy, and utterly unassuming. I mean, the strikingly stunning chinaware is from Richard Ginori, which is like fancy schmansy to the hilt. And while most people have big family dinners here, there are a good number of somewhat-private-ish booth seats perfect for cozing up with a loved one on a date-night. We also like the service here, attentive but unobtrusive, efficient but warm, and unfailingly gracious. With the trifecta of flawless food, beautiful ambience and faultless service, it's little wonder the venerable restaurant has been awarded a Michelin star for both years since the awards was launched in Singapore. A specialty that's a must-try, the Marinated Tea Leaf-Smoked London Duck ($45 for half-por

Porridge, or 'juk' as the Koreans call it, is another thing on my to-eat list whenever we return to Seoul for our yearly visits. And although the Koreans generally eat this for breakfast, I typically eat this for a late lunch or dinner. I'm staunchly in the brinner camp, and also, erm, I'm rarely awake before noon. Migabon is situated just upstairs from Sinseon Seolnongtang (I swear that piece of real estate has the best fengshui), and while it draws a healthy tourist crowd (seeing as it's ranked pretty high on tripadvisor, which may be in part due to its convenient locale in the shopping district of Myeongdong), the porridge here is outstanding. Korean juk is like a cross between Cantonese congee and Japanese zousui. It's loaded with ingredients a-plenty, but thick and smooth and mild. Most would order the abalone version, but I would steer you to the King Crab Porridge (10,000KRW) instead. Barring any seafood allergies, this was far superior a choice t

Two Plus is our other favourite Korean barbecue restaurant in Seoul (the other being Han Wa Dam ). A new-ish contemporary Korean BBQ joint that's recently become popular in Korea, it's got about the same number of branches as Han Wa Dam. A big plus, it's also walkable from the Four Seasons . And like Han Wa Dam, Two Plus specializes in 1++-rated Korean Hanwoo beef. For background: Hanwoo beef, like Japanese wagyu, has different grades: namely 1++, 1+, 1, 2, and 3, in descending order. And therein lies the backstory of the restaurant's moniker, Two Plus , because it exclusively serves 1++ Hanwoo beef that's graded one with two pluses, geddit?? A second plus (pun intended): the prices here are a smidge cheaper than at Han Wa Dam. The Aged Ribeye (44,000KRW for 150gm) balanced heft and fatty sumptuousness. This was simply seasoned with salt and pepper, and char of the coal rounded this off with an intoxicatingly smoky aroma. The Aged Striploin Diamond (