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Myungbodang: A Michelin-Selected Culinary Experience

Myungbodang is a restaurant included in the Michelin Selection. Its head chef, Hyeonju Lim, trained as Chef de Cuisine (or Head Chef) under César Ramirez at The Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare in New York. She was later recruited as head chef to open Itanic Garden at the Josun Palace Hotel. After leaving Itanic Garden, she took time off before returning to the dining scene with Myungbodang. In its early days, the restaurant found itself entangled in a few unfortunate scandals, but several years on, it has settled into a much more stable footing.

Stylistically, the restaurant leans into Nu-American French. Based on my own impressions combined with a broader survey of reviews, the food bears a striking resemblance—both in style and technique—to that of her mentor, César Ramirez, now chef-owner of César, a two-Michelin-starred restaurant in New York. Compared to other American-trained chefs working in Korea, her mentor’s influence comes through far more distinctly. As the photos that follow will show, the cooking overall leans intense—every dish is built with real force, which can feel like a lot for some diners, while others find real satisfaction in a tasting menu that essentially delivers one main-course-caliber dish after another.

In terms of flavor alone, Myungbodang’s cooking holds its own against Michelin one- or two-star restaurants. By my own standard, it outperformed most two-star restaurants I’ve eaten at. That said, the pricing sits in roughly the same range as a Michelin two-star establishment.

Every seat in the house is at the bar table, which makes it a friendly option for solo diners. The flip side is that it’s not the easiest setting for a private conversation. The kitchen is fully open, so everything happening behind the counter is visible—a plus and a minus in equal measure. Every so often, you’ll catch Chef Lim reprimanding one of the other cooks in real time.

Given that this is a restaurant with its eye on a Michelin star, real thought has clearly gone into the wine list, though it remains steep in price. There are pairing options as well as by-the-glass selections, so it’s possible to keep things lighter with a glass of wine rather than committing to the full pairing.

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

Reservation Difficulty:
Easy. You can make a reservation on your schedule.

Cost:
Lunch 250,000 KRW (~170USD)
Dinner 350,000 KRW (~230USD)
5 glasses pairing 150,000KRW (~100USD)
9 glasses pairing 250,000KRW (~170USD)

A gourmet dish featuring a small round pastry topped with an artful arrangement of green herbs and edible leaves, presented on a textured white plate.

spring herbs

A slice of bread topped with a mixture of cream and herbs, garnished with crispy fried onions, served on a white plate.

shrimp

A small gourmet dish featuring a square piece of bread topped with colorful ingredients and delicate white edible decorations, presented on a minimalist plate.

Uni & Tuna with truffle

Grilled fish fillet served on a white plate, garnished with crispy strands and a small green leaf.

Kasugo-Dai

A gourmet dish featuring a slice of meat atop a vibrant yellow sauce, garnished with a dollop of green sauce, all on a white plate with a floral design.

Spanish mackeral

A gourmet dish featuring a piece of fish served on a creamy sauce, garnished with microgreens and edible flowers, presented on an intricately designed black plate.

Scallop

A plate featuring a piece of fish topped with a layer of spices, resting in a flavorful broth with green herbs, presented in an elegant white dish.

Sablefish

A close-up view of a bowl containing a creamy, frothy coffee drink, resting on a wooden table.

King crab & Caviar Ravioli

A white bowl filled with frothy liquid, possibly a broth or foam, placed on a wooden table.
A small white dish filled with a textured, granular mixture resembling snow or crushed ice, lightly garnished with green and brown specks, resting on a wooden table.

Leek cleanser

A plated dish featuring a piece of meat with a glossy sauce, accompanied by fresh green herbs on a white background.

Striploin

A plated gourmet dish featuring a piece of tender meat topped with fresh greens, accompanied by a sauce and a spherical garnish on a textured plate.

Pork Belly

A round, white dessert with a textured surface, featuring specks of herbs and flowers, served on a white plate.
A rectangular dessert topped with red fruit sauce, served on a white plate.
A plated dessert featuring a glossy yellow orb on a creamy, frothy brown sauce with small bubbles, presented in a white bowl.

Set of Desserts

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