KOREAN CUISINE AT RESTAURANT CHOI

(1 MINUTE READ)

Soo Choi, owner of Korean bar and restaurant, Choi, shares a motto that I think we could all do with remembering: ‘stay foolish, stay thirsty!’

Tucked away on Fehrbelliner Straße in Prenzlauer Berg, Choi is the perfect place to exercise such mottos. Operating as a restaurant and wine bar for just over a year, Soo brings contemporary Korean cuisine to the neighbourhood.

Twelve seats make up the solid wood table that surrounds the bar, with another two or three tables for couples, creating an intimate yet totally relaxed atmosphere.

The wine list is carefully curated including wines from small-scale, family-run vineyards. Soo worked closely with producers to find the perfect wines to complement the food, with a focus on German, New Zealand and Argentinian wines.

Dishes are served both as à la carte and from set menus. We’d recommend opting for one of their three, eight course menus ; ‘sinseon’, ‘seonbi’ or ‘sura’. These can be made with meat, fish, vegetarian or vegan and comprise of seasonal ingredients that emphasise fresh, crisp flavours.

Each dish that arrives looks like a work of art, and is served on beautiful, antique or contemporary ceramic dishes designed by Korean artists; the mismatch of plates and bowls serves as a reminder of Soo’s ambition to marry contemporary and traditional cuisine.

With the eight course menus, you can enjoy dishes like blanched monk-fish with chilli sauce, squid and pickled radish roll, minced beef with lotus root and shrimp and finish it all off with some creamy black sesame ice cream.

Restaurant Choi strikes a careful balance between fine dining and feeling like you’re having dinner at a friend’s house. It’s obvious how much care has gone into creating a balanced menu that honours traditional elements of Korean cuisine while elevating those dishes with a modern and innovative take.

Remember- arrive foolish, thirsty and hungry!