La Bella Citta Busan

Have you ever had a meal so fantastic from start to finish that you felt like a changed person?  After the most wonderful weekend checking out new corners of Busan, we were exhausted and disappointed upon discovery that the "Spanish Bistro" about which we had been wondering didn't actually serve food (El Secreto - but it does serve Sam Adams?).  I was covered in sand, blissed out from the sun, and ready for some international cuisine - decidedly not Korean.

When we turned the corner and happened upon what looked to be an enormous French Cafe and a secret garden, we knew we were in for something special.

Photos c/o La Bella Citta - Facebook

We meandered up the stairs and were hit with an absolutely stunning private event space.  Tired Kate took a horrible photo, and will most definitely be back for a special occasion to snap a better shot:

The sunset was approaching and we had been out in the sun with some wonderful new friends all day.  We were beat and just wanted a tasty meal before heading home.  No part of us expected to be treated to lemon/ carrot/ cucumber water and whole grain bread at the table.  Our table had a stunning view of Gwangalli Bridge and a quaint frame being on a side street.

  

The decor itself reminded me quite a bit of Soho House Toronto which I miss desperately.  

It appears they run what's called a "Midnight Party" every Friday and Saturday from 9 PM - 2 AM.  They offer sets of classic cocktails 3 for KRW 21,000 (and I'm not quite certain what you get for KRW 35,000 but there is something else on offer) designed by their delightful mixologist who worked up in Seoul with another bartender from the award-winning "Milk & Honey" (New York - Flatiron District).  

We decided to err on the safe side of what realistically is quite an expensive menu and order the Gorgonzola Gnocchi and the Pork and Stir-fried Vegetable Risotto.  The risotto is deconstructed would have been a wonderful dish of beautifully-cooked and seasoned pork, soy leaves, peppers, and fresh and crispy zucchini.  I wondered why there was cheese on the plate, and why white rice was used rather than an actual risotto.  I think if they changed the name on the dish I would have liked it more because it truly was well-composed.

The gnocchi, on the other hand, was absolutely life-changing.  Both my dining companion and I agreed that we could have indulged in several dishes of this decadent, smooth, rich cream sauce with just enough gorgonzola to have a bold taste, but not so much that it over-powered the delicate, melt in your mouth puffs of potato gnocchi.  It was quite salty, but again - just enough to require more wine, not enough to regret the seasoning.  The cheddar chip on top was incredible as well.  We wanted to order some bread and more sauce with which to enjoy the light and airy view after such a perfect day.

The owner popped over to ask us how we enjoyed our meals.  Talking for a bit we mentioned that we would certainly be back to try more of the Italian fare (there was a 1KG Steak on the menu for KRW 99,000, as well as some delicious-sounding pizzas for under KRW 20,000 so they really did have a variety of offerings).  We hadn't planned on drinking, but when offered a "service" beverage we could hardly say no.  We accepted gratefully and it was decided that we would get a surprise: the bartender's choice - a Caipirinha.

If you've ever had a Caipirinha you'll know that it's a Mojito kicked up and made for the cocktail connoisseur.  Made from Cachaça, a distilled spirit made from sugar cane juice, it's one of the most (if not the most) popular liquor in Brazil.  Billions of Liters of the spirit are made each year but only about 1% is actually distributed outside of the country, so I definitely did a double take when our bartender stated that it was made with the real stuff.  I had enjoyed Caipirinhas last in Trinity-Bellwoods park on a beautiful summer day while eating Nadege macarons and enjoying the fresh air and view of the CN tower.  The taste threw me back to that wonderful day, and while I chatted about the rest of the meticulous cocktail menu with the bartender my dining companion ended up knocking back quite a bit of the drink.  It was pretty clear that he loved it, and I wasn't altogether surprised when I got a text message about it on Monday asking about the ingredients (Cachaça, sugar, lime, ice).

I urge you to join me some Friday or Saturday night for a prix-fixe menu (5 dishes I believe for set prices of KRW 58,000 or KRW 68.000) with a late night garden party pop-up to follow.  I am certain it will be an evening you won't regret or forget.

Makgeolli, Monster Craft, and many good times!

 

Sunday night is Curry night in Hwamyeong-Dong!  Monster Craft Brewing makes a cheep, cheerful, and incredibly delicious Japanese-style curry with your choice of mushrooms, chicken, or pork cutlet with the option to add more meat for KRW 2,500.  I had the mushroom curry and added chicken (their chicken is fantastic on its own or in the curry).

The dinner came with a really tasty soup (broth and green onions), a cabbage salad (which I promtly mixed into the curry for a crunchy texture), and a form of kimchi I was too stuffed to try.  Monster Craft is a great spot to hang out, have a beer, some food, and watch cats go by in the alley (when we went there was a family of calico cats that reminded me of the cat I had growing up - shout out to Angel).  The house beer is KRW 3,500 (about $3.50 - $4 Canadian), and the curry came to maybe KRW 9,000 for a meal I certainly couldn't finish!

After dinner we met up with the boys and went to a Makgeolli bar across the street from where we live.  There's the option to head upstairs (take your shoes off!) or sit at a table with chairs Western-style (we opted for that so we could play some card games).

Our hostess with the most(ess?) showed off the menu, and we ordered Pajeon with Kimchi, Mussels, and what I believed to be Scallops but that may have just been more onion or cabbage.  The Makgeolli (the Korean rice wine pictured above) was blended with some sort of powdered fruit mix.  Since this evening, some coworkers have taken me out for some proper Korean food and different kinds of Makgeolli.  The phrase "do you drink well, Kate?" came out on a few occasions, but I like to think I kept it in check!  

Have you tried Makgeolli?  What kind is your favourite?

Nampo-dong and Jagalchi Market

Last Sunday's start was a bit confusing!   Like the picture above (taken outside exit 4 of Nampo Station), there were many directions we could have taken to meet our friends in the "shopping district" of Busan, Nampo-dong.  I snapped that photo just as we had exited to street level and was excited to see both Vancouver and Toronto represented.

The shopping street is a bit tucked away from the main street (take exit 7 if you choose to go!) so we went to the mall by mistake.  They run a water show so as we entered the mall the William Tell Overture was playing and water was falling from the ceiling.  As we tried on Dior Sunglasses (at a kiosk, no less) the show was approaching its finale.  We couldn't get wifi at first, so we wandered around enjoying the changing LED lights and the Sam Smith-themed apparel.

While the mall was pretty cool (and offers a viewing deck on the 12th floor that we'll need to go back to) we finally got wifi and finally met up with the other two. 

 We immediately headed into a Green Tea shop where there were various Green Tea lattes and Green Tea flavoured foods like the Green Tea pesto grilled cheese I had for lunch.

I'll definitely need to head back - they had some great (and inexpensive) clothes, a huge street-food market, and an Art Box shop (with great household appliances/ cutlery, etc. makeup, and school supplies).  I bought a shirt and a wallet as well as some Hotteok ("Hotteok is a variety of filled Korean pancake, and is a popular street food of Korea. It is usually eaten during the winter season.")

 Busan Tower

Street Performers

 I'll have to head back for Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream!

 Yes - that is a Taekwondo uniform for dogs.

They sometimes spell city names wrong...

After lots of walking around, window shopping, snacking, and sight-seeing we headed back to Hwamyeong visa the Jagalchi Market Subway Station (Jagalchi and Nampo are linked through an underground path).  I'll definitely be back to this area soon!