A delicious experience at No. 15 of The World’s 50 Best Asia 2023: Restaurant Mosu (14. December 2023)
Given the Mosu is on the 50 Best of the World Asia list, I had to give it a try. Frankly, the prices are definitely on the more expensive side of things with the “Tasting Menu” accounting for 370’000 KRW and the full “Wine Pairing” for 250’000 KRW. Hence, I was a bit skeptical if it was gonna fulfil its promises and at first, when I read the menu, I wasn’t so sure.
However, the dinner started with “small bites”, or more concretely with a shot of “herbs, jasmine, alcohol” – and it was definitely nice and refreshing to get started.
Then, it was time for the first bite, i.e., “salmon roe, seaweed cup, potato mash”, and while it was simple, it was enjoyable, but then again, at this point in time, nothing too special.
The “vegetables juice” was a good part of the next course, mainly the …
… “truffle tarte with squid ink and Hanwoo beef tartare”. Frankly, I liked the bite a lot, but I would have said that the black truffle slices should have been replaced by fewer white truffle slices, as it would have, in my opinion, increased the flavour profile of the bite.
What absolutely took me by surprise was the “grilled vegetable (carrot, tomato, eggplant) with olive oil gel” as they made a perfect bite on a stick. Each of the veggies had its own intensity, its own texture and it was like a candied piece of vegetable, but instead of sugar, olive oil was used. Absolutely mouth-watering!
The last small bite was an “abalone taco with yuba and lemon”. I have semi good memories of abalone (from that one time in Shanghai), but this bite was actually enjoyable. Sure, not the most enjoyable ever, but once you dripple a bit of lemon juice on it, it becomes a tasty bite.
What I liked about the wine pairing in general was the high quality of the wines. There was not one single wine, which was rated badly. I mean, I get it that it’s all personal gusto of course, but the sommelier really enjoyed her job, and was very willing to share her experience by offering a few more wines outside of the menu. I mean, that is what true fun and passion for wine is – absolutely loved it. As part of this, she also showed the “rice wine” (prepared by a mother-in-law) …
… which was then subsequently served in a little pot. And it was so smooth and rich, which is not something I had expected of rice wine, respectively, I haven’t experienced in any previous rice wine try.
Then it was time for the first course, which was a “toasted sesame tofu”, which was interesting. I like the gooiness of the dough and the stuffing of the dumpling. It was a nice dish.
What absolutely blew my mind was the “sourdough bread ice cream with olive oil and balsamico”. Something I had not expected at all. The taste of sourdough perfectly captured in ice cream, without having a crumbley texture, but yet fully embracing the flavour combination of bread with olive oil and balsamico. Truly, one of the most delicious surprises that evening. Would definitely go back for that any time.
Next in line was the “grilled tilefish in capsicum”, which was – compared to the previous dish – not very exciting. The fish had too much of a seafood taste for me, and the capsicum base was definitely good, but it lacked a bit of flavour.
The “clam chowder custard” was not what I had expected. As it wasn’t really like a chowder, respectively, like any of the chowders I have tried so far. It reminded me more of mashed potatoes with caviar, which is definitely something a lot of starred restaurants manage to prepare. It was nice in terms of taste, but it was nothing overly exciting either.
I like that they kind of show you the whole dish before they slice it and put it on your plate. The “burdock”, some kind of cake, looked interesting, but also a bit burned.
However, the “burdock with skin juice” turned out to be delicious. I cannot quite point out what the ingredients were, but I can definitely tell you that it was tasty and had a sticky texture, a slightly burned taste (but in a pleasant way) and went well with the juice. So, another good dish.
The “ember toasted acorn noodle” was very different than I had expected. And, to me, there was way too much truffle on this dish. However, this time, the black truffle worked, because the dish was served warm. In terms of naming, the whole thing was a bit confusing, as it didn’t have much to do with noodles.
The “hanwoo & brassica” as a main course was nice. While I did appreciate the general size of the dishes, respectively the fact that they are all in all quite small, I must admit that I would have loved two slices of meat as a main. The combination of the flavours for this particular course was nice – the meat was tender, but, personally, it lacked a bit of this grill flavour, which just makes everything better.
After the savoury dishes, it was time for a series of sweets starting with “sorbet with apple and Korean white strawberry”, and while it was not only served in an interesting way, it was also quite delicious and refreshing.
The “rice cake …”
“… with peachy kambudscha” was nice. Personally, since I’m not too big a fan of the ‘mochi texture’, it wasn’t my favourite sweet, but overall the combination of the two worked.
Next in line was a “seaweed shoe” (although, I’m pretty sure it’s not actually spelled ‘shoe’) and while I had not really foreseen that seaweed could be a nice part in a dessert, it actually worked quite well.
Then, the most confusing of all was served. And not only the most confusing, but also a superbly delicious dish. The “caramel ice cream, onion crumble, and green onion powder” was a combination I had definitely not foreseen. I mean, who would combine onions in a dessert, and especially with ice cream. But let me tell you, it really really worked out amazingly. The glazed onions with the sweetness of the caramel were amazing. And the green onion powder on top also worked outstandingly. So, another absolutely amazing dish based on ice cream.
Last but not least, it was time for a “Yaqua Korean cookie with a double espresso”, which marked a great ending to an outstanding dinner.
What I liked a lot was the fact that the kitchen was open, i.e., you could watch the kitchen crew prepare your dishes, which is something I always enjoy. Secondly, the service was more than amazing. They were extremely attentive, and despite the fact that I drink quite a lot of water, and quite quickly, the small glass never emptied, as there was always someone who would refill my glass. On top of that, the sommelier, already mentioned above, really did an outstanding job on all levels.
What I loved was the wrapper of the menu saying “Innocent grapes died for you” – which is really a new take on ‘plant cruelty’ ;-)
Last but not least, it’s worth mentioning that the wine pairing was really outstanding. I would not say that every single wine was mind-blowing, but the majority of the wines were not only tasty by themselves, but also really worked well together with the actual dishes – so, the pairing worked.
All in all, I would say the Mosu is a place, which provides you with an amazing food experience. Lovely interior, a lot of space, dedicated, fun, and superbly professional service (including and especially the sommelier) and overall good to delicious dishes with a few surprises in terms of flavour combination, I would not have expected. However, be aware that you do a full down payment of the cost of the menu if you reserve from abroad, plus, there are very few tables, so, you have to be quick in booking when the reservation window opens.
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Contact Details:
Restaurant Mosu
Yongsan-gu, Itaewon-ro 55ga-gil, 45 2층
Seoul (KR)
Tel.: +82 27 93 59 95
E-Mail: info@mosuseoul.com
Homepage: http://www.mosuseoul.com
About the Author: Sven
I started the blog in October 2009, while living in Milan which I definitely consider to be one of the food capitals of the world. I was in touch with food since my early childhood (as my father is a former chef). Whenever I can, I travel the world to discover new places, to meet people but mostly to try local dishes and to find hidden gems! If you know a place worth going, please drop a line to: info@thediningexperience.org.
Currently, I am a member of the following food-related associations: Chevalier @Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Zurich-Ville; Membre Gourmet Dégustateur @Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs [OMGD]; Gesellschafter @Goldener Fisch and Member @Slowfood Convivium Zurich City. 
