One Michelin-starred Solbam in Seoul is a must visit #seoulrestaurant #seoulfood #seoulfoodie
SOLBAM
It took me a while to find the restaurant. I was sure I had arrived at the right location: Naver can do no wrong! In the end, I figured that I had to enter an office building and take a lift to the second floor (note: in Seoul 1F = ground floor, and 2F = first floor). The frontage is discreet, a door tucked in a corner with a little lit signage. But as soon as I stepped inside, a dark brooding space with a curved ceiling and a fireplace, known as the drawing room, transported me to another world. After some snacks and a browse through the wine list, I was taken to the main dining room, which is sparse and mostly in white to replicate an art gallery.
I sat at a table right next to the open kitchen, the best kind.
Solbam opened in 2021, but it has taken me a while to finally visit. I’d heard of this place maybe one or two years before dining here, but it has taken me some time to work my way through the pack of (very good) Korean fine dining restaurants in Seoul (in fact, I still am). Now that I have eaten here, I can tell you that my expectations were exceeded.
The restaurant is solid, through and through. Reliable. Calm. Elegant. Polished. Refined. Extremely delicious.
I particularly appreciated the detailed wine notes by the somm, who very impressively alternated between English and Korean. For a curious diner like myself, knowing why a wine was selected to complement each dish was rewarding.
@solbam_tj named his restaurant after the pine tree forest in Andong (a region in North Gyeongsang Province) as it “reflects his childhood memories of finding solace, concentration, and peace in the quiet pine forest, symbolising resilience and a reverence for the seasons and nature”.
Dinner: KRW370,000
Michelin stars: 1 (since 2023)
1st visit: Jan 2026
PS: What an experience. And I was only too pleased to share it with @meto.lious 형 and 은숙누나.
#wolf_seoul #wolf_southkorea @Restaurant_Solbam