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Gigas: Exclusive Seasonal Dishes and Organic Ingredients

The restaurant is a one-Michelin-star establishment located near Seoul Station. It sits inside an alley, so it can take a bit of effort to find. The floors below house an art gallery and a gift shop. Inside, Gigas is decorated to feel as natural as possible, with any artificial touches kept to a minimum, and through the windows you can see a leafy, tree-lined walking path. The space is spacious, making for a wonderfully comfortable dining experience.

Chef Jung Ha-wan served as Kreativ-Chef at La Vie, Germany’s three-Michelin-starred restaurant, and also built his career at a variety of restaurants, including Mugaritz in the Basque Country. The restaurant he opened in Korea, Gigas, is a rare establishment in Korea. It champions authentic Mediterranean cuisine. Similar to Mediterranean and Nordic restaurants across Europe, 95% of its produce is organically grown and harvested directly on the chef’s family farm, with the remaining 5% sourced directly from carefully selected organic producers. As a result, the restaurant’s use of diverse, vibrant vegetables is particularly striking.

Among the dishes, the teardrop bean was especially satisfying — according to the restaurant, it’s only available from spring through early summer. Staff sort the harvested beans by dropping them through a straw-like funnel, and only beans small enough to pass through that funnel make it onto the tasting menu. After summer, the beans grow too large, making them unusable for the dish.

If you’re not from a European country, or if you’re a visitor from elsewhere without a fixed mindset that you absolutely must eat something distinctly Korean, I’d strongly recommend a visit to this restaurant.

The restaurant has good selection of wines. Like other Korean fine dining restaurants, the price is generally highly marked. However, their pairing wines were quite interesting. The restaurant also has various wines available by the glass. I had a glass of Radikon Sivi. I also found a bottle of Nana-tsu-mori at a very good price.

Reservation :
https://www.catchtable.net/explore/shop/gigas

Reservation Difficulty :
You can book on your desired schedule

Cost :
Short course 260,000KRW (~180USD)
Full course 290,000KRW (~195USD)
BYOB 100,000 KRW ( ~65USD)
Wine Pairing 250,000~280,000KRW (~190USD)

A creative presentation of three culinary items displayed on textured stone-like surfaces. The first item features a green round shape topped with yellow flowers, the second item is a small rectangular piece with green and white layers, and the third item resembles a natural bowl containing orange flowers.

Amuse bouche: Nasturtium, small raddish and shrimp

A beautifully plated dish featuring a variety of colorful vegetables, edible flowers, and a drizzle of sauce, served in a unique textured bowl.

Lobster, lemon herbs and carrot

A beautifully arranged dish featuring rolled, pink ingredients topped with small yellow flowers, served on a glossy white plate with a circular pool of yellow sauce.

Calamari, mushroom and dill

A plate with a creamy sauce, topped with bright green peas and vibrant green puree, set against a textured gray background.

Teardrop peas, hand sorted and only small size peas are used

A slice of freshly baked bread with a golden, crispy crust on a white decorative plate, set against a textured gray surface.

Bread

A round black bowl filled with frothy orange liquid, placed on a textured gray surface.

Mandarin orange & carrot

A gourmet dish presented on an elegant plate, featuring pieces of delicate fish and vegetables in a creamy sauce, garnished with light foam and a sprinkle of spice.

Butterfish & Jalapeno

A gourmet dish featuring a portion of tender meat garnished with diced onions, accompanied by a slice of herb-topped bread and three colorful sauces: yellow, green, and a creamy mixture, all presented on an artistic plate.

7 days aged Hanwoo (Korean Beef) striploin steak

A gourmet dish served on a textured green plate, featuring a piece of seared meat, a sauce, cooked broccoli, a dollop of brown puree, and a white rectangular food item.

21 days aged duck breast

A white, scalloped bowl containing a frothy creamy dish, garnished with colorful diced vegetables.

Ginger and tropical fruit sorbet

A decorative plate with a slice of dessert featuring a smooth texture and golden accents.

Fourme d’Ambert semifreddo

A decorative bowl filled with a colorful dessert featuring strawberry slices, green peas, and sorbet in a red syrup.

Strawberry, yogurt and larger size teardrop peas

Wine of the Day

A close-up view of a glass of red wine on a countertop, with a bottle labeled 'RADIO' in the background, surrounded by a lemon and green peas, and a view of trees outside a window.

Radikon Sivi Venezia Giulia IGT

Italian orange wine from Friuli-Venezia-Giulia, made 100% from Pinot gris. Destemmed and naturally fermented in oak vets with skin contact. The color is deep amber with blood orange and pomegranate nose. Has bright acidity with phenolic bitterness. Had some brett notes, which I’m not sure is intended.

A bottle of 2024 Pinot Noir wine from Napa-Tsu-Mori next to a glass decanter filled with red wine, placed on a stone countertop with a view of greenery and buildings in the background.

Domaine Takahiko Nana-Tsu-Mori 2024

Another trendy wine from Hokkaido Japan. This is a “Leroy style natural” low intervention wine. The winemaker minimizes the use of oak, therefore plenty of red fruit nose with well balanced acidity.

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