By Kwon Mee-yoo, Korea Times
Staff ReporterA bistro with a yellow signboard and blue door, located in an alley near Hongik University, attracts hungry passers-by. With a sign saying “75015,” this French bistro features genuine French taste and bistro culture.
The name of the restaurant comes from the postal code of a region in Paris, France where Le Cordon Bleu is located. Le Cordon Bleu is a famed cooking school where the chef of 75015 learned the culinary art.
There are 15 kinds of dishes on 75015’s menu. Four types of galette and four selections of quiche on the “plat” (meal) menu plus three choices of crepe, tart and one of pudding in the desert section. A special desert chocolate fondant with vanilla ice cream is also available.
We ordered chicken galette and salmon quiche from the meal section. Galette is a kind of buckwheat French crepe garnished with fillings and quiche is a baked dish with egg and milk filling in a pastry crust.
The chicken galette (10,500 won) was garnished with chicken breast, onion, mushroom and cream sauce on buckwheat crepe. Though the chicken breast was a little tough, it went well with the crepe and sauce. Salad, potato and garlic bread are served with the galette. Other than chicken galette, the bistro serves galettes with ingredients such as potato, ham, cheese, egg and more.
Salmon quiche (10,800 won) is a savory treat. The salmon was tasty with a touch of onion and spinach, while the crust enclosing the quiche was crunchy and the egg filling was soft and creamy. Seafood, mushroom and bacon quiche are also available.
For dessert, we chose apple crepe (7,500 won) and chocolate fondant (6,000 won) to satisfy our “sweet tooth.”
Three pieces of thin crepes were served with caramelized apple, raisins and vanilla ice cream. Unlike the galette, this crepe with sweet filling was enough for sugar craving desert lovers.
The chocolate fondant was also satisfactory. The fondant cake has a moist texture and rich chocolate flavor. Two scoops of vanilla ice cream are served with the cake.
Tart is another specialty of 75015. Pumpkin tart, blueberry tart and other seasonal fruit tarts sit in a showcase and tempt visitors to the bistro.
A variety of coffees and Mariage Freres tea’s are also available, as well as refreshing sodas and juices.
Prices for meals range from 8,500-10,800 won and deserts cost from 4,500-7,500 won. During brunch hour, or from 12-2 p.m., a cup of coffee or a piece of tart is free with an order of dishes like galette or quiche.
The restaurant is located in Hongdae (Hongik University) area, near exit 4 of Hongik University station on subway line 2. Call (02) 333-1113 for detailed information.
meeyoo@koreatimes.co.kr
By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Korea Times Staff ReporterOrange King in Seattle, Washington, is well known for its hamburgers, barbeque and teriyaki. Now, its signature dishes are available here in Seoul.
Owner D.H. Han enjoyed going to Orange King when he was a student at the University of Washington in Seattle in the 1980s. He liked it so much that he decided to bring the Orange King franchise to Seoul.
Ten months ago, Orange King opened at its current spot next to the Soon Chun Hyang Hospital in Hannam-dong. From the outside, it seems like a fairly ordinary restaurant with a terrace, but inside the restaurant has a surprisingly stylish interior.
Orange King has a nice, cozy atmosphere that encourages people to sit back and relax. There are framed, colorful prints of Seattle’s best-known landmarks like Pike Place Market and Space Needle on the walls reminding customers that Orange King originated from Seattle.
Orange King’s menu features appetizers, barbeque, hamburgers, teriyaki, pasta, steak, salads and wine. Appetizers include white wine sauteed mussels, Seattle clam chowder and a variety of salads.
There is a lot of focus on the famous Orange King burgers. The deluxe burger is 4,500 won, but with French fries and soda, it’s 7,000 won. There is also a chicken barbeque burger, teriyaki burger and the popular double deluxe burger (6,500 won for burger and 9,500 won for set).
Barbequed ribs, teriyaki chicken and beef dishes are some of the best-selling dishes at Orange King.
The lunch menu, served between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., includes pasta, teriyaki and steak dishes at reasonable prices. Prices range from 5,500 for Oriental chicken salad, 9,000 won for barbequed ribs, 9,000 won for beef teriyaki and 8,500 won for spaghetti pomodoro.
We ordered the rib-eye steak (15,000 won) and the creamy chicken parmigiana (10,000 won) lunch set, which is served with salad and soda.
A good-sized rib-eye steak was served with grilled mushrooms, eggplant and baby potatoes. It was cooked well, but the steak sauce was somewhat weak. On the other hand, the creamy chicken parmigiana was flavorful, although the sauce texture may be too creamy for some people.
On some evenings, singers and musicians entertain diners during their meals. While the kitchen closes at 9:30 p.m., Orange King has an evening menu, which includes burgers, available between 9:30 p.m. and 1 a.m.
Incidentally, Orange King uses Korean beef for its rib-eye steak, and Australian beef for its hamburgers.
Orange King is located just past Soon Chun Hyang Hospital in Hannam-dong. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Call (02) 749-5515.
