Gaon — Restaurant in Seoul

Elegant oasis of sublime gastronomy - you have to reserve and confirm dining selection and declare any potential allergies in advance. The chef, Kim Byung Gin, has worked at the restaurant (at both it's current and former site) for 15 years and is dedicated to producing top quality, refined Korean cuisine using ingredients sourced from across the country. His palate and dedication are unquestionable and he and his team deliver a sublime flow of courses - the name "Gaon" means "central" and he is fast becoming a central figure in International gastronomy as well as in focusing attention and taste on fine Korean food - the restaurant was awarded 3 Michelin stars in the inaugural guide to Korea for 2017, the only Korean cuisine restaurant to attain such an accolade. Diners sit in private rooms - elegant and understated. The restaurant is owned by a leading producer of crockery and rice-based spirits - both of which can be sampled during the meal. The dishes (literally) are beautiful and often unique. Tactile pottery bowls and delicate porcelain. The food is expensive (KRW 199,000+ per head) and drink pairings (a choice of global fine wines and local rice wines and spirits, served in small measures) are also potentially pricey but make a well balanced and interesting addition to a meal. Service is from a dedicated host - Liezl who looked after us was charming and knowledgeable (she also speaks excellent English and Russian). We loved to beef (exquisite topside) and the crab but no dish disappointed. I grew up in Hong Kong but Gaon served me the best rice I have ever eaten. We drank roasted corn silk tea - wonderful and the individual pots were replenished throughout the meal. Gaon is located on the mezzanine floor of the Horim Arts Centre - it is a little hard to find, but worth it. A sublime and memorable meal, well worth a...

I don't mind spending money on gourmet food or having a moment at fine dining places however it was the first time I spent this much money and got this much disappointed. First of all, the food is mediocre. And most importantly, the staff are not trained at all. For every dish during a 7 course meal, they always cut our conversation being obsessed with explaining the menu and were so busy taking the plates and utensils right away even when one of us is still working on the dish. Towards the end of the course, I found out that the brass cleaner was still on my chopsticks (their utensils are made of brass and I use them at home too, so I know what it is) and it was all over my hands. So I “nicely” told them not to make the same mistake onto other customers (only because I didn’t want to either ruin my weekend or make a scene). But then they put the blame on me for having makeup or using hand lotion before the meal, the reason I got the stain on my hands according to them - which is absolutely RIDICULOUS. The general manager came but he was literally standing still while I was explaining about the situation, said sorry shortly and then ran out of the room. Oh, and of course they charged us full price. I can’t believe this restaurant has had three michelin stars for this long. I’m pretty sure it’s one of their paid ads or...

Booked a reservation for a family with toddler. The food was very traditional with a unique blend of seasonal locally sourced ingredients not found abroad. Many of the dishes had medicinal qualities and flavors. Our toddler loved the separate child meal, which came out immediately upon our seating. However, our service experience from staff and reservationist did not meet expectations for such a highly reputable restaurant. This maybe due to a Korean/English language barrier with our GAON restaurant staff. Both in person dining and written online communication came off impolite and abrasive. Additionally, we had a 18:30 seating and several cocktails were sold out. Ultimately, left disappointed about this dining experience considering it has 3...