[Best hotel] Mugunghwa, a new experience of hansik
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Mugunghwa at the Lotte Hotel Seoul presents traditional Korean dishes in modern ways.
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The renovation and re-opening of the Lotte Hotel Seoul's Korean restaurant Mugunghwa in November 2010 was an exceptional event in the hotel industry, where very few have Korean restaurants.
But the new Mugunghwa, on the 38th floor of the main building, has offered high-end Korean cuisine and a refined dining experience, proving customer demand for authentic Korean cuisine and the possibility of globalizing Korean food, or hansik.
The restaurant serves authentic Korean courses with a modern flair based on the traditional table-setting of Korean noble families. It adapted the traditional food presentation into the Western-style menu, which is comprised of amuse-bouche, cold appetizer, porridge, fish dish, grilled dish and dessert.
Mugunghwa pursues authenticity in cooking methods and ingredients, creating traditional flavors of Seoul and southern provinces with seasonal ingredients. In food presentation, it pursues modernity, with presentation techniques benchmarked from restaurants owned by world star chefs.
The interior is very modern and stylish, with a touch of Orientalism and a spectacular view of downtown Seoul. While the overall decor is modern and trendy, accessories and patterns hold a Korean touch, including mother-of-pearl decorations in the shape of a rose of Sharon, Korean traditional artwork and the use of oriental patterns and materials.
As a contribution to the globalization of hansik, Mugunghwa has worked with wine sommeliers to find wines that can be best paired with Korean dishes that are usually spicy, salty or seasoned. As a result, the restaurant offers a list of 43 wines for a perfect marriage of food and wine.
The restaurant also offers a list of 10 premium traditional teas selected by a Wujeon Tea Master. The tea master assist guests to fully enjoy traditional Korean teas by suggesting the best tea for their menu order. They brew tea at optimal quantity, temperature and time, and serve guests using elegant techniques.
Mugunghwa is composed of a main hall and seven private rooms, accommodating up to 96 guests.