Brera Restaurant, Seoul — Restaurant in Seoul

I had the Paccheri alla Calabrese and the pizza Giovanni. First the pasta. The sauce was extremely salty to the point where I felt uncomfortable even the day after. The sauce was also rather dry and the pasta was undercooked and decidedly not ‘al dente’. These two flaws would be due to the chef not mastering the proper technique of finishing the undercooked pasta in the sauce adding cooking water until the pasta is in fact al dente and the sauce smooth. The “homemade sausage” in the dish did not feel like a sausage and had both the texture and flavour of a meatball made on coarsely ground meat. Reading Brera’s comments to other reviews making the same remarks, it feels like Brera wants to make a point that they cook the pasta authentically Italian ‘al dente’, but they don’t; the pasta is undercooked. The pizza Giovani was crispy, but the cheese was tasteless and far too much, the prosciutto tasted stale and the tomatoes were common sweet Korean cherry tomatoes. It did not make for a good combination. There are very tasty local fresh tomatoes in season as I write this review, so there is no excuse for using unpalatable tomatoes. If the restaurant isn’t able to source delicious tomatoes, perhaps it should take the pizza off the menu then, rather than serve subpar fare. For a pizzeria to be even mentioned in the Michelin guide it should offer something truly extraordinary. Perhaps Brera stood out 7 years ago, but Korea has moved on since, and there are now many Italian restaurants and pizzerias around that serve food at the same level, or higher. However, there are also many terrible places around, placing Brera at an average spot. Hence 3...

The food tastes great, the portions are generous, the food prices and options are good, the wine prices and options are good. The atmosphere is pleasant enough.

The only thing we would change is the level of service. The staff are friendly, but we had to ask for everything, from start to finish. Most of the time the staff only came to our table if we called them or raised our hand, even to clear dishes. Couples at other tables had to do the same thing. No one was watching the floor to see what customers needed. It was even difficult to make eye contact because they were always facing the counter, talking to each other, or behind the bar and rarely looking up

ready to order....raise your hand, another glass of wine...raise your hand, need a spoon...raise your hand...clear the first round of dishes....raise your hand...need condiments....raise your hand....another glass of wine please....raise your hand...would like to have the main dishes....raise your hand....need coffee....raise your hand....would like desert as well....raise your hand ("sorry folks, no desert was made today").

So, I am not sure what to say about Brera overall. We enjoyed the food, but we felt like we had to take care of ourselves the whole time, so we couldn't fully relax, which felt unusual compared to how much...

If one were compelled, by international standards, to seek out an Italian restaurant that is truly and demonstrably awful in every respect, this would be the place to go. (And, for that very reason, one need not bother visiting.) 👽 The food is genuinely dreadful and bizarrely unappetizing. Was what I ordered and ate even really Aglio e Olio? 😱 And how could the Bruschetta possibly be so lacking in appeal? 😩🙂‍↔️ Its undeserved reputation is clearly a function of operating within a Seoul environment that, while aspiring to appear 'international and contemporary,' is, in reality, quite the opposite. You can take my word for it.

• About two hours after I posted this review, the restaurant responded with a comment saying they would issue a refund if I would 'upload picture(s) of the food you ate.' They want me to upload pictures of those wretched dishes I ate? Who would commit such a foolish act? Who habitually photographs food that tastes bad? 🙄 This restaurant is truly... doing the absolute worst thing possible to me right now, a blunder perfectly suited to the level of their cuisine! 💀

Honestly, this restaurant is an absolute insult to Italian cuisine and Italian...