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Joo Ok: A Modern Korean Culinary Journey at The Plaza Hotel, Seoul

Nestled within the prestigious The Plaza Hotel, directly opposite Seoul City Hall, lies Joo Ok, a Michelin 1-star restaurant offering an exquisite modern Korean dining experience. The hotel’s prime location boasts exceptional accessibility via public transport and offers fantastic opportunities for a leisurely stroll before or after your meal. With Deoksugung Palace and Seoul Plaza just steps away, it’s a delightful area to explore, especially popular with office workers enjoying a post-lunch walk.

The Plaza Hotel’s Diverse Culinary Scene

The Plaza Hotel is a hub for fine dining, hosting several notable restaurants:

• Seven Square: A well-regarded buffet known for its focused selection.
• Dowon: A historically famous Chinese restaurant, still serving delicious Chinese cuisine.
• Dear Wild: A Michelin 1-star restaurant led by the chef behind Swannie, located in Seorae Village. (The reviewer notes they haven’t visited this one yet.)
• Joo Ok: Our main focus, a modern Korean restaurant that relocated from Cheongdam-dong to The Plaza Hotel in 2019. It stands proudly among other renowned modern Korean establishments like Mingle’s, Jungsik, and Kwonsooksoo (all Michelin 2-star), sharing a similar price point and a distinct charm.

Joo Ok: A Deep Dive into Modern Korean Cuisine

The Chef’s Philosophy: Handcrafted Flavors

What sets Joo Ok apart is its chef’s dedication to creating fundamental ingredients from scratch. The chef personally crafts various sauces, vinegars, and even perilla oil. This commitment to base flavors is evident in the menu explanations, adding an insightful layer to the dining experience. It’s like visiting an art gallery; knowing the story behind the masterpiece enhances appreciation, and the same goes for food.

Ambiance and Setting

Joo Ok is situated on the 3rd floor of The Plaza Hotel. The interior is elegant, offering plenty of window seats that provide a lovely view of Seoul Plaza. If you’re booking, requesting a window seat is recommended for the pleasant scenery. The restaurant also features semi-private rooms, created by dividing spaces with screens, offering a sense of intimacy without additional charges.

The Lunch Course Experience: A Symphony of Flavors

The lunch course is priced at 90,000 KRW (as of the review date) with one main dish selection. For an additional 30,000 KRW, you can upgrade to grilled sirloin. Let’s explore some of the highlights from the course:

• Welcome Treats: The meal begins with a refreshing sansa hwachae (hawthorn punch) and crispy shrimp mae jak gwa (a traditional fried snack resembling shrimp crackers). A unique welcome drink, an “ade-like” beverage made from the chef’s homemade apple or grape vinegar, offers a balance of tartness and sweetness.
• One-Bite Delights: A beautifully presented domestic Hanwoo gochujang yukhoe (spicy beef tartare) with egg yolk jelly, and a ganjang jjimdak (braised chicken) cromesqui wrapped in perilla leaves, fried to perfection. Both are small, flavorful explosions.
• Seasonal Bounty: Three seasonal wild greens paired with fresh seafood, such as cuttlefish, pen shell clam with asparagus, and charcoal-grilled tuna belly with aster. These offerings beautifully showcase the season’s best ingredients.
• Eel & Makgeolli Bread: A truly innovative dish featuring charcoal-grilled sea eel atop buttered and grilled makgeolli (rice wine) bread. One piece is garnished with chives and sansho pepper, the other with squid ink breadcrumbs. Despite being served chilled, the combination of sweet, savory, and aromatic flavors is delightful.
• Hairtail Tempura: A delicate deep-fried hairtail, deboned and filled with zucchini, served with a memorable shrimp and cabbage sauce. The sauce, rich in umami from shrimp and sweetness from cabbage, perfectly complements the mild fish.
• Joo Ok’s Signature Flavor: A dish celebrating the chef’s homemade perilla oil. Finely chopped abalone and conch are topped with quail egg and a touch of caviar, then drizzled with this uniquely smooth and non-greasy perilla oil. This dish truly stands out as a signature.
• Main Course: The reviewer chose the lamb chop, which is dry-aged for two weeks and charcoal-grilled. The sirloin, available for an additional charge, is also grilled over charcoal with a soy sauce seasoning. Both are cooked to perfection, though the lamb chop offers excellent value without the additional cost.
• Accompanying Rice: A savory bibimbap featuring Hanwoo yukjang (beef stew sauce) to be mixed with rice and side dishes, offering a comforting and flavorful balance to the main meat.
• Desserts: The meal concludes with a delightful milk bingsu (shaved ice) layered with strawberry sorbet and jelly, topped with vanilla anglaise sauce. This rich, milky bingsu is a sweet and refreshing end. Traditional Korean sweets and a choice of tea or coffee complete the experience.

Overall Impression

Joo Ok offers a compelling modern Korean dining experience. While the main course choice without additional cost is primarily lamb, the preceding dishes are varied, flavorful, and beautifully presented. The ambiance is pleasant, and the staff are friendly and attentive. For those who appreciate contemporary Korean cuisine that respectfully reinterprets traditional flavors and techniques, Joo Ok at The Plaza Hotel is a highly recommended destination.

Location: The Plaza Hotel, 3F, 119 Sogong-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea (directly in front of Seoul City Hall)
General Rating: Michelin 1-star restaurant, highly recommended for modern Korean dining.