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Mingles: Seoul’s Three-Michelin-Star Experience

Mingles is currently Seoul’s only three-Michelin-starred restaurant. As its name suggests—derived from “mingle”—the restaurant presents cuisine that blends Korean cooking with Western techniques, placing it squarely in the category of innovative Korean dining. Its chef, Kang Min-goo, served as executive chef of Nobu’s Bahamas location in his late twenties, and today runs both Mingles and Hansik Goo.

This was my second visit to Mingles. I first came five years ago for lunch, when the restaurant still held two Michelin stars, and today’s visit was also for lunch. The broad strokes of the cooking style haven’t changed, but there have been quite a few changes in the details—and to me, these changes read as positive.

A variety of striking fish dishes caught my eye, and the Korean touches felt considerably bolder than before. What sets Korean cuisine apart is the way jang—doenjang, ganjang, gochujang—harmonizes with vegetables, and in that respect, Mingles’ food would fit comfortably within the category of Korean cuisine itself. Even I, a Korean who isn’t particularly fond of namul dressed in jang, found the dishes genuinely delicious—which makes me think foreign diners won’t find the flavors too pungent or challenging either.

The Mingling Pot, currently served as the restaurant’s signature dish, leaned more toward familiar flavors than the complexity I’d expected, which was a slight disappointment—though if I weren’t Korean, I suspect I would have rated it much more highly. This isn’t to say the dish isn’t delicious. Mingles has become something close to a finished, fully realized restaurant. Innovation and change are still ongoing, but you no longer see overly experimental dishes. I consider this a strength. Many restaurants chasing a third star take overly adventurous risks in developing their signature dishes, and from a diner’s perspective, tasting those dishes isn’t always an enjoyable experience.

Mingles has a very good collection of wines. There are several “fairly” priced wines in the list, but you have to look hard. There are several pairing courses with different price range. Korean spirits pairing, 4 glass pairing, selected pairing and signature pairing. Regular 4 glass pairing was ~200,000KRW (~135USD) and the signature pairing was ~800,000KRW (~550USD).

One of my friend ordered a regualar 4 glass pairing and received a glass of champagne, a glass of Austrian natural sauvignon blanc, a glass of Meursault village and a glass of Barbaresco. Champagne could be upgraded to a glass of Dom Perignon P2 2008 for 120,000KRW (~80USD).

I saw a bottle of Angelus sitting on the sommelier table with a stopper, so that could be served for signature or selected paring course.

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

Reservation Difficulty: Very difficult.
Reservation opens on the 1st day of every month, for two months ahead (reservation for October opens on 1st of August). The restaurant gets fully booked within a minute.

Cost:
Lunch 320,000 KRW (~210USD)
DInner 420,000KRW (~280USD)

A vibrant assortment of fresh vegetables and fruits arranged in a woven basket, including apples, radishes, carrots, asparagus, various tomatoes, and greens.

Fresh farm to table ingredients

A piece of sushi featuring a translucent fish slice garnished with chives, placed on a small piece of textured bread on a metallic plate.

Aji (Horse Mackerel) toast

Two skewers with slices of cured meat and mango on a bed of crushed ice, served on a round plate.

Hanwoo (Korean Beef) & Mango Bresaola

A plate featuring an artistic presentation of sushi, including a translucent slice of fish, a small piece of dark sushi, and a yellow-accented sushi roll.

Croaker(left) and beef tartare with eel (right)

A gourmet dish featuring a piece of white fish topped with caviar, served in a light orange broth, garnished with herbs on a white plate.

Caviar, cabbage mille-feuille and calamari

A selection of various dried herbs and spices displayed in small glass bowls on a wooden table.

Ingredients for Mingling pot. Dried shrimps, beef briskets, ribs and others

A bowl of clear broth soup containing a soft-boiled egg, seaweed, vegetables, and a piece of tofu on a wooden table.

Mingling Pot dish

A single piece of cooked fish, lightly crusted and served on a plate with a pale liquid sauce and a small green garnish.

Butterfish roast on fish porrige

A gourmet dish featuring a crispy shrimp atop a bed of rice garnished with microgreens and a drizzle of sauce on a white plate.

Shrimp stew on risotto

A gourmet plate featuring three pieces of meat: a cut of pink beef with a creamy sauce, a rolled meat preparation with a slice of butter, and a golden fried ball, garnished with a green leaf.

Hanwoo steak, abalone & pork rolled with beef, fried yam

A textured ceramic plate with a serving of garnished food, featuring crispy elements and sliced fruits arranged artfully.

Assorted Kimchi side

A minimalist gourmet dish featuring a white spherical centerpiece on a bed of small white crystals and garnished with fresh green leaves and a dark sauce.

Sweet Bibimbap (Icecream with barley)

A white dish garnished with thin apple slices and a foam, featuring a bed of crushed ice or granita.

Korean melon & Ice cream

A round plate with a decorative pattern, featuring two gourmet bites: one resembling a small cake topped with an almond slice and the other a macaroon with a textured surface.

Juak, a Korean traditional chewy pastry and a small macaron

A clear glass plate with two orange fruit segments garnished with green, placed on a wooden table next to a small vase with a green plant and a glass of water.

Bloody orange with pepper oil

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