Mozzie (CLOSED)

A seemingly floating beer tap, the first of its kind in Korea, hangs from a 12-meter-long bar. The rest of the interior is just as sleek. The feeling is dark, modern and cool, yet cozy. This is precisely the vibe that native New Zealander Simon Walsh was trying to create when he, along with his partners, turned vision into reality with the opening of Mozzie last November at the I.T.W. Hotel in Itaewon. It’s the kind of place you can come for the food and then stay for drinks without feeling the need to move elsewhere. According to Simon, Mozzie specializes in Kiwi and Aussie comfort food favorites, and the name is a reference to the Maori people who live in Australia (Maori+Aussie). Look around and you'll see that careful attention was paid to every detail, right down to the napkins, silverware and names of each menu item. The extensive menu includes everything from salads and burgers to meat entrees (lamb shanks, pork chops, beef ribeye, etc.), seafood entrees (salmon and mussels) and classics like fish and chips and shepherd’s pie. The biggest surprise for me, however, is the inclusion of several curries, a tribute to the well-trained Pakistani chefs running the kitchen. There's something for everyone. Deciding what to eat is no easy task. Your best bet is to start with a meat or seafood entree and narrow it down from there. While you might be tempted to try one of the other menu options, stay strong. (You can always come back to try them later.) The portion sizes are very large and you won't be needing appetizers, sides, a main and dessert, at least not unless there’s a group of you. For my first meal, I went with the Captain Cooker Chops—a dish that includes grilled pork chops, mashed potatoes, peas, gravy and applesauce. The pork chops are nicely grilled and the plate tastes exactly the way you hope it would. The gravy is extremely savory and ties the whole dish together. Another great dish for the winter is their shepherd’s pie (Red Sky at Night, Shepherd’s Pie Delight). The mince in this dish, a mix of lamb and beef is well seasoned and topped with creamy mashed potatoes. Nothing, not even the rack of lamb or beef ribeye, is over 32,000 won. It’s been a while since I’ve felt so excited about an entire menu, and with prices this reasonable, it’s easy to understand the temptation to keep ordering. By James Yu