South of Seoul's Han River, Gangnam, is an on-trend area for drinks and bar bites. Chock full of fine dining restaurants and wine bars, it’s very hard to choose just one place from the list.
Whether for catching up with a friend, a date with your loved one or even a cordial meal with your colleagues, dining bar Vuur in Gangnam-gu is a place where you can experience good food at the level of fine dining, in a creative atmosphere for more reasonable prices.
Opened last year, Vuur is located near Eonju Station on Seoul Metro Line No. 9.
With the dining bar’s main concept revolving around a "sense of freedom in the middle of the city," its interior and ambiance feel exotic, using materials like a floating black stone hanging from the ceiling and some 100 cacti planted in yellow-orange sand in the middle of the space. But it’s the dishes that really make the place shine.
Looking at the menu, Vuur has a balanced variety of starters, appetizers, main dishes, sides and desserts.
Refreshingly creative, their signature dishes include yuzu mascarpone cheese jamon salad, scallops beurre blanc – in "white butter" in French, perilla oil white ragu pasta, cinnamon soy sauce grilled pork neck and deodeok – lance asiabell root – ice cream.
The true kick of these dishes is that they have included local Korean elements, giving visitors a sense of surprise and joy. Whether you're a skilled chef or not, most agree that a great dish starts from great ingredients, and Vuur’s menu offers a close-to-original taste for each ingredient, blending well with the new interpretation of the final version.
What spices up the experience at Vuur is also their jazz live performances inside the restaurant.
Every Wednesday and Thursday at 8 p.m., talented local jazz vocalists, trios and quartets such as the Martin Jacobsen Trio and the Choi Aim Quartet come to Vuur and offer an unforgettable dining experience with music.
Vuur also runs special programs such as a live flower show by collaborating with florist Kim Da-young, who will show her flower arrangements at Vuur from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. every Monday in September.
Considering the atmosphere and quality, the prices are relatively low for fine dining in the area, with starters ranging from 17,000 won to 34,000 won and main dishes from 42,000 won to 82,000 won.
Vuur is open Monday to Saturday. From Monday to Thursday, it is open from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. On Friday and Saturday, it is open from noon to 11 p.m., with a break from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Valet parking is available at 4,000 won.
Find out more on Vuur's Instagram account, vuur.seoul
