The pleasant surprise in finding fresh venues in a familiar place, then discovering that it far exceeds my expectation—it’s truly exhilarating. Koroviar, located on the main street of Hannam-dong yet hidden with its achromatic exterior, is a case is in point. As an Italian fine dining restaurant owned by gallerist Choi Hye-jeong, it is the only place in Korea that offers the highest quality caviar paired with highest quality wine. Sounds ambitious? The restaurant is the only one in the country that receives Almas Caviar, the most expensive caviar in the world, directly from a caviar farm in Chungju.
What else is special about it aside from the quality ingredients? Chef An Gyeong-seok at Koroviar who is experienced in one, two and three Michelin starred restaurants in Italy creates his own seafood dishes using a variety of seasonal ingredients of Korea. The tasting menu incorporates 4 (or 6, depending on the season) different dinner courses made with fresh ingredients that vary every day along with 2 ounces of highest quality caviar. Sounds posh, right? The price is indeed high, with the 4 course tasting menu priced at 240,000 won. But fear not—the Italian menus priced at a more affordable price range are available here as well. The lunch menu which includes an aperitivo and (usually 3 types of) amuse-bouches is an example. Course A with today’s pasta, dessert and coffee (or tea) is priced at 35,000 won, while the special dinner course is priced at 120,000 won—not bad for a fine dining menu.
Despite the amazing quality and skills presented by the chefs, the restaurant is not well known yet. And you know what that means: a great spot for small business luncheons and meetings. The atmosphere is modern, with simple decoration and art works curated by the owner Choi.
The name of the restaurant is a combination of the Russian word which means a “king,” and “caviar” which without a doubt qualifies as a king’s meal. All of this is just a few steps away in the neighborhood, served on a plate as mouth-watering pasta or on a spoon as the highest quality caviar.