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Michelin-Star SAN: A Gem in Gangnam’s Fine Dining Scene

Located in Gangnam, SAN received a Michelin star about a year and a half after opening in 2024, and it is now one of the most talked-about names on Seoul’s fine dining scene. Chef Cho Seung-hyun trained at some of the world’s most celebrated restaurants, including The French Laundry and Benu in the U.S. and La Maison Troisgros in France, where he spent an extended period as Chef de Cuisine at Benu, supporting Chef Corey Lee.

SAN bills itself as innovative Korean dining, and having experienced it firsthand as a guest, the food genuinely lives up to that billing. Using ingredients sourced from all corners of Korea, the kitchen applies a French touch to distinctly Korean cooking. It’s a style well-suited to the Korean fine dining movement that’s currently rising on the global stage. In my personal assessment, SAN stands out as one of the finest examples within this category.

“Korean diners hold Korean cuisine to an especially high bar, since it’s inevitably measured against both the inexpensive-yet-outstanding local spots found in every neighborhood and the master craftspeople still preserving traditional Korean cooking. Even against that standard, I found SAN’s food deeply satisfying. And for anyone who doesn’t eat Korean food on a daily basis, I suspect the impression would be even more impressive.

As with many East Asian fine dining restaurants, the wine list here is decent, but the markups are steep. The sommelier is highly experienced and serves each wine in peak condition. Every so often, there are excellent bottles at good prices that aren’t on the printed list — the Koji et Jae Hwa and Cécile Tremblay I drank that night were both cases in point. It’s worth quietly asking the sommelier what’s available.

Reservation:
https://www.catchtable.net/shop/san

Reservation difficulty : Difficult
Reservations open on the 15th of every month at 10am KST. Seats book up within a minute, so you’ll need to be fast.

Cost : Dinner : 350,000KRW (~240USD)

A gourmet dish served in a white bowl, featuring a poached egg, a dollop of sauce, pieces of crab meat, and a bright orange yolk placed on a circular plate.

Caviar with snow crab

A gourmet dish featuring a glossy piece of protein drizzled with sauce, accompanied by neatly arranged strips of colorful vegetables and garnishes on a white plate.

Shrimp & Naengchae (cold vegetables)

A gourmet dish featuring a small piece of seasoned fish topped with green herbs, presented on a minimalist white plate.

Crispy fried tilefish

A bowl containing thin white noodles arranged in a floral pattern, submerged in a light, clear broth with a touch of green and an edible flower for garnish.

Chrysanthemum Tofu Flower soup

A small round delicacy, resembling a ball, placed in the center of a white plate, surrounded by a dark sauce.

Soondae(Korean pork sausage) Bibimbap

A beautifully arranged seafood dish in a textured, clear bowl featuring various types of raw fish, garnished with herbs and a decorative element.

Mulhwe (Fresh sashimi in cool soup): shima-aji, fluke, lobster, squid

Gourmet dish featuring a piece of fish garnished with thinly sliced white onions, herbs, and colorful sauce on a white plate.

Butter poached butterfish

A gourmet plate featuring a piece of braised meat, accompanied by a green vegetable, a dollop of sauce, and roll of pasta on a white plate.

Braised fresh abalone

A gourmet dish featuring a perfectly cooked piece of beef, accompanied by various garnishes including a yellow sauce, grilled vegetables, and a green herb sauce, served on a white plate.

Beef steak

A gourmet dish featuring thin yellow noodle-like strands in a clear broth, topped with caviar and green herbs, accompanied by a side of pickled cucumber and a small serving of sauce.

Gukbab (Pork broth soup)

A dish surrounded by swirling mist, with decorative elements on top, and wine glasses visible in the background.

Hwachae (Korean cocktail fruits)

A slice of chocolate cake on a white plate.

Cake

A round, shallow bowl containing a smooth, dark textured substance resembling a fine powder or paste.

Toasted rice icecream

A white bowl containing a gelatinous dessert with a red center, surrounded by a clear liquid and a drizzle of yellow sauce.

Marinated tomato

A close-up view of a round, baked dish placed on a white plate, with a golden-brown crust and visible ingredients resembling a savory meatloaf, surrounded by various dining items on a simple table setting.

Fruit bun

Wines of the night

Two wine bottles displayed on a black counter with a silver wine bucket in the background. The left bottle is labeled 'La Violette 2022' and the right bottle is labeled 'Bourgogne 2023'. Two corks are placed in front of the bottles.

Domaine Koji et Jae Hwa Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Nuits ‘La Violette’ Pinot Gris 2022

Notes of green fruits and some spice. Could barely sense of oak use. Very nice and crisp acidity. One of the best Pinot Gris I’ve tasted. Of course one of the most expensive Pinot Gris as well.

Cecile Tremblay Bourgogne Cote D’Or Rouge 2023

Cécile’s wines are getting better every year. Red fruit balanced with smokiness. Relatively high in alcohol for red Burgundy at 13.5%, the wine carries a medium body wrapped in a silky, refined texture. Her adoption of “trendy” whole cluster fermentation and biodynamic viticulture reflects a departure from Burgundy’s conventional style.

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