Korecan Restaurant — Restaurant in Fatih

Came here during dinner time end of October. Was told to go upstairs by front staff that spoke English. A big tour group 20+ people was finishing their meal. There were also two individual families being served so we didn’t think much of it. Things turned south when no waiter came by to take our order more than 20 minutes after being seated. By then the tour group had left. The waiters that spoke English were nowhere to be found, and a second big tour group started walking in to the third floor. I walked up to the staff work area to inform we were ready to order, but the bus boy didn’t speak English. An elderly Korean man who might be the owner (he was kind of greeting at the entrance when we walked in) came by and he didn’t speak English either, only kept asking “how many”. I was in disbelief - this is a restaurant that receives tourists all the time! I returned to the seat contemplating whether we should leave, then an English speaking waiter suddenly appeared - but he only came by to say “we have a big tour group now so we can’t take your order as the kitchen is busy. You have to wait until they are done.” In all my dining experiences at home or traveling, this is a first! We felt so disrespected as customers. We are a party of two, not like we are ordering 10 dishes. There was a good window between the first group leaving and the second group arriving when they could have taken our order and managed to serve us. Seems like this restaurant has regular tour group business and they don’t care if they lose mine. When we came down to the first level there were regular customers being served at individual tables. That also left us with more questions. Based on the reviews I imagine the food maybe decent, but only if you don’t run into tour groups during dinner time and be turned away after they seated you and...

As I journey through foreign lands, I find myself increasingly nostalgic for the comforting spice of a Korean stew. On my recent visit to Istanbul, I discovered Korecan, a Korean restaurant located right in the heart of this bustling city, among many renowned tourist spots. Eager for the familiar warmth of Korean flavors, I opted for the yukgaejang (spicy beef soup), while my friend chose ramen and two rolls of kimbap.

The dishes came with a few side dishes, including kimchi, a staple of Korean dining. Though the sides were simple and reminded me of a home-cooked Korean meal, they were average in taste. However, I appreciated the effort to offer such familiar accompaniments in a foreign land. My yukgaejang was generous with meat and vegetables, and the taste was commendable. The unfortunate downside was the small earthenware bowl it was served in; the reduced broth made the dish overly salty, which took away from the otherwise pleasant experience.

The ramen, priced at roughly 10,000 KRW, was quite basic, which surprised us as no added elements like egg or vegetables accompanied the noodles. As for the kimbap, it was disappointing. The rice was overly sticky, creating an odd, chewy texture, while the fillings were scant and sparse, reminiscent of budget kimbap from decades ago. Current trends call for a balanced rice-to-filling ratio, both to enhance flavor and visual appeal, but Korecan’s version fell short of this standard.

The restaurant, according to the staff, often hosts group reservations. This focus on larger groups, likely older clientele, seems to have led to a somewhat stagnant menu and atmosphere. While the dishes are passable, Korecan could greatly benefit from refining its flavors and updating its offerings to attract a broader audience. In a city with such diverse culinary competition, a dynamic, ambitious chef could easily set a new standard for Korean cuisine in Istanbul.

In summary, Korecan provides a slice of home in a foreign land but has room for improvement. For now, it serves as a nostalgic yet average experience rather than a culinary standout.

해외를 여행하다 보면 가끔 매콤한 국물이 그리울 때가 있습니다. 이번 이스탄불 방문 중에 관광지 중심에 위치한 한국 식당, 고려정을 찾아가 보았습니다. 한국의 익숙한 맛을 기대하며 저는 육개장을, 대식가인 친구는 라면과 김밥 두 줄을 주문했습니다.

기본으로 나온 반찬은 김치를 포함한 몇 가지 종류였으며, 한국 가정식을 떠올리게 하는 평범한 맛이었습니다. 그러나 타국에서 이러한 반찬을 맛볼 수 있다는 점에서 특별하게 느껴졌습니다. 육개장은 고기와 채소가 듬뿍 들어가 있었고, 맛도 괜찮았습니다. 다만, 뚝배기가 작고 국물이 많이 졸아들었는지 전체적으로 짠맛이 강하게 느껴진 점이 아쉬웠습니다.

라면은 한국 돈으로 약 만 원 정도 되는 가격이었는데, 단순한 라면만 나와서 다소 실망스러웠습니다. 김밥도 기대에 미치지 못했습니다. 밥이 지나치게 찰져서 떡 같은 식감이었고, 속재료는 너무 적어 1990년대 시장에서 볼 수 있었던 싼 김밥 같은 느낌이었습니다. 요즘 김밥은 밥을 얇게 깔고 속재료를 다양하게 넣어 맛과 미적 요소를 살리는 것이 트렌드인데, 그런 점에서 부족함이 느껴졌습니다.

직원에게 들어보니 단체 손님이 자주 예약을 한다고 합니다. 주로 나이드신 분들을 대상으로 운영되는 듯하여 발전하려는 흔적이 보이지 않은 점이 아쉬웠습니다. 만약 영민하고 실력 있는 셰프가 새로 등장한다면, 아마도 경쟁에서 밀리지 않을까 싶습니다.

둘이서 1750리라 정도 냈으니까 대략 7만원 정도 낸 샘인데 약간 비싼 느낌이 들었고 서비스로 주신 포도의 신선도가 너무 떨어져서 손도 대지 않고 나왔는데 저라면 손님에게 저런 제품을 서비스를 주느니 차라리 아무것도 안 주는게 나을것 같다는 생각이 듭니다.

종합적으로, 고려정은 외국에서 한국의 맛을 느낄 수 있는 곳이지만, 개선할 부분이 많은 곳입니다. 현재로서는 향수를 달래는 곳일 뿐, 특별한 미식 경험을...

Spent a week in Istanbul and no joke, all of the restaurants (in the European side at least) seem to have similar grilled meats, tomato/cucumber salad, and various Italian gap fillers for the picky eaters. So we ventured out to find a different place and stumbled upon this cozy Korean restaurant. The owner/chef is a sweet Korean woman and laughed at my butchering of Korean phrases. The two waiter/manager were very polite and one of them spoke excellent English and helped me pick what to eat.

Anyways, to the food, it was a welcome platter of food as an antidote to Turkish food. I can only imagine how difficult it must be to source tofu and pork, but this place has it. The kimchi seems homemade and was very delicious!

The portions (a bibimbap and a kimchi stew) left us with our guts hanging out of our jeans. The price is more than great considering the value I got from the craving I had, and the banchan...