The 7th annual Italian Food Festival, hosted by The Italian Chamber of Commerce in Korea (ITCCK), will take place between May 1- May 31 this year.
The opening ceremony, which took place on May 1 at the Park Hyatt, featured over a dozen authentic Italian restaurants that showcased dishes from different regions all across Italy. A couple of us at 10 Magazine had the opportunity to go to the event and try some of these out for our readers.
Here’s a sneak peek of what you can expect at the Italian Food Festival throughout the month of May.
Alla Torre | Mapo-gu, Seoul
Background: Alla Torre is one of the oldest Italian restaurants in Seoul. Established in 2001, the restaurant is located in the artistic district of Hongik University. Chef Franco proposes a fine-dining Italian menu with a modern presentation and an extensive wine list. The restaurant uses seasonal ingredients to creates dishes that are always of the best quality. The dishes are inspired by the Umbria region in the middle of Italy.
Verdict: The dish proposed by Alla Torre was simple but delicious: bread croutons with chicken liver paté and norcia black truffles. We kept wanting to reach for more.
Vera Pizza & Pasta Napoli | Yongsan-gu, Seoul
Background: Vera Pizza & Pasta Napoli is famous for its authentic Italian pizzas. Vera’s chefs create exquisite, home-style food with flavors from Campania, a region in the south of Italy. The restaurant’s name, ‘Vera’, means real and points to the philosophy of the chefs and owners of Vera, who only want to serve authentic Napoli pizza so that everybody can experience a true taste of Italy.
Verdict: Vera showcased a light dish made with fresh vegetables at the ceremony. Each bite we took was fresh and delicious.
Atrio | Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul
Background: Atrio makes it a priority to ensure that its customers experience only the best and most authentic Italian food. This classy restaurant has brought Italy to the heart of Seoul by ways of both food and atmosphere. To ensure its authenticity, Atrio uses only the freshest ingredients to create its home-style Italian dishes. Its dishes are inspired by a region in Italy called Le Marche.
Verdict: Atrio served Stockfish Tortello with a side of cherry tomatoes. The pasta was cooked to perfection and the dish bursted with flavors.
Cornerstone | Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Background: Inspired by flavors originating from Piemonte, a region in the north of Italy, Cornerstone serves its customers authentic, home-style Italian dishes made with the freshest seasonal ingredients. The restaurant offers a variety of Italian boutique wines, premium sodas, and craft beers on its menu.
Verdict: Cornerstone served an amazing bite-sized dish called Truffle Veal Tartare at the event. The dish was perfection: each ingredient possessed its own distinct flavor that perfectly combined together in each bite.
Ristorante Eo | Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Background: Ristorante Eo is a modernized Italian Restaurant that opened in 2006. The Chef Yoongun Eo studied Italian cuisine in Italy for 7 years before opening his restaurant, and creates dishes using only the high quality ingredients. The restaurant’s menu changes constantly and relies heavily on seasonal ingredients. The dishes at Ristorante Eo are inspired by the Liguria region in the north of Italy.
Verdict: Ristorante Eo proposed a delicious Beef Sirloin with aromatic herbes pesto sauce. The aromatic herb sauce paired perfectly with the sirloin, and made us want to go back for seconds.
Kitchen485 | Mapo-gu Seoul
Background: Kitchen 485, located in Hongdae, specializes in Neapolitan pizza and fresh pasta. The restaurant is managed by Chef Tae and proposes different menus that change every season. Kitchen 485’s dishes are inspired by the Emilia Romagna region in the northeast of Italy.
Verdict: Kitchen 485 served an aromatic pasta dish, Tagliatelle with Classic Bolognese Ragu, that packed tons of flavour in each bite.
Pizza Muzzo | Yongsan-gu, Seoul
Background: Pizza Muzzo, located in the heart of Itaewon, is a casual Italian Pizzeria. The restaurant serves fresh pastas, pizza, and appetizers. Chef Vittorio Cocchi uses only the finest ingredients that bring out fresh local flavors. Pizza Muzzo’s interior is inspired by the industrial movement and railways station of Europe, and its dishes are inspired by the Puglia region in the south of Italy.
Verdict: Section A & Pizza Muzzo proposed a perfectly balanced dish of both salty and sweet flavours that let us end the night with a sweet note.
More Information About The 2018 Italian Food Festival:
The Italian Food Festival will take place during the entire month of May at individual Italian restaurants around Seoul! Until May 31, stop by any of these 14 restaurants to try out the special “Italian Food Festival menus”:
- Alla Torre
- Atrio
- Brera
- Cornerstone
- Eataly
- Harmonium
- Il Chiasso
- Kitchen485
- La Tana
- Peninsula
- Ristorante Eo
- Vera Pizza & Pasta Napoli
- Section a
- Pizza Muzzo
Article written by: Sarah Park and Émilie Saunier