• Search
  • About
  • blog stories
  • Contact
  • a few of my favorites
  • chicago
  • hawai'i
  • hong kong
  • los angeles
  • manila
  • melbourne
  • new york
  • seoul
  • sydney
  • tokyo
  • vietnam
  • spain
  • portugal
Menu

seoul in the city

Street Address
City, State, Zip
Phone Number

Your Custom Text Here

seoul in the city

  • Search
  • About
  • blog stories
  • Contact
  • a few of my favorites
  • pick your city
    • chicago
    • hawai'i
    • hong kong
    • los angeles
    • manila
    • melbourne
    • new york
    • seoul
    • sydney
    • tokyo
    • vietnam
    • spain
    • portugal

toh lim

April 15, 2012 sarah lee
IMG_6754.JPG

What is one's Korean American experience with Chinese food?  For me (and I'm sure many others may share this experience) it was growing up with Korean/Chinese fusion: jjajangmyun (black bean paste noodles), jjampong (spicy seafood soup) and some form of sweet and sour pork amongst others. Then again, I think this is what's most popular in Korea as well, and many may actually think this is authentic Chinese!

Over the years, I wasn't the biggest fan of Chinese food.  Although I'm still planning on checking out the real deal in China someday.  So when I heard that Michelin Star Chef Cheng Kam Fu from Hong Kong was in town to do a special one week event at Toh Lim Chinese restaurant inside Lotte hotel, it peaked my curiosity. He teamed up with the current Executive Chef You Kahung to do a special 7-course meal for KRW 125,000, that included items such as chicken wings stuff with bird's nest!  Ok, never thought I would put the words 'Chinese + fine dining' in one sentence before. 

IMG_6755.JPG
IMG_6760.JPG
IMG_6768.JPG

Chicken wings stuffed with bird's nest

What I discovered at Toh Lim was a delightful surprise.  Nothing was too heavy, over seasoned, or too sweet. I wasn't crazy about each and every dish, but every dish had a purpose.  A purpose that led to the next course, then the one thereafter.  My guest and I shared the special course by Chef Cheng, as well as a KRW 85,000 7-course meal that is part of their current lunch menu, which was nicely executed.  To be honest, I think I would prefer this course over the special course for various reasons.  For one, they served jjajangmyun noodles! Yes, definitely hit the spot for me. Hahaha. My guest ate like half of my noodle dish:(

At this point, some of you are probably thinking 'why is Sarah raving about Chinese fine dining' when at the end she's content with the black bean noodles?  Oh geez.  I guess even with Chinese fine dining, it's ok to finish off with the comfort foods that we grew to love.  One more thing-I was happy to find out that there was absolutely no msg in their food! After my experience at Toh Lim, I am definitely on board with exploring more of Chinese cuisine.  Hmmm, wonder what's next...

IMG_6772.JPG
IMG_6774.JPG

Braised whole abalone in black bean sauce to the left; Shark fin's soup with crabmeat to the right (this was amazing!).

IMG_6775.JPG
IMG_6779.JPG

Sea cucumber to the left; Stir fried escalopes of beef tenderloin with pepper sauce to the right.

IMG_6788.JPG

Jjajangmyun (black bean noodles)

Toh Lim

1, Jung-gu, Sogong-dong 100-070, Seoul, Korea/ 서울특별시 중구 을지로 100-070 

Inside Lotte Hotel-Myungdong, 37th floor

(+82) 02.317.7101

Subway:

Euljiro 1-ga station, (line #2)

Exit 7 or 8, you will see Lotte hotel to your left

In seoul Tags chinese, fine dining, lotte hotel, seoul, korea
← ghetto gourmet: dining in the rough, part 5afternoon getaway →

chapters

Featured
KimbapLab-16_sm.jpg
Oct 3, 2017
Kimbap Lab Brooklyn
Oct 3, 2017
Oct 3, 2017
Jan 9, 2017
Introducing Kimbap Lab
Jan 9, 2017
Jan 9, 2017
Apr 25, 2016
spain and portugal
Apr 25, 2016
Apr 25, 2016
starchefs international culinary congress
Nov 12, 2015
starchefs international culinary congress
Nov 12, 2015
Nov 12, 2015
hawai'i
Jul 24, 2015
hawai'i
Jul 24, 2015
Jul 24, 2015
Dec 8, 2014
salt & charcoal
Dec 8, 2014
Dec 8, 2014
Nov 15, 2014
the backitchen
Nov 15, 2014
Nov 15, 2014
toronto
Sep 29, 2014
toronto
Sep 29, 2014
Sep 29, 2014
cannes, france
Jun 10, 2014
cannes, france
Jun 10, 2014
Jun 10, 2014
IMG_2552.JPG
Apr 22, 2014
busan once again
Apr 22, 2014
Apr 22, 2014
v5.jpg
Feb 10, 2014
vietnam
Feb 10, 2014
Feb 10, 2014
three.JPG
Dec 26, 2013
the back kitchen-brooklyn
Dec 26, 2013
Dec 26, 2013
hv 10.jpg
Dec 6, 2013
the still life-hudson valley new york
Dec 6, 2013
Dec 6, 2013
IMG_1366.JPG
Oct 27, 2013
going back to the roots-let's start again...
Oct 27, 2013
Oct 27, 2013
salt.JPG
Sep 26, 2013
the untold story of south korea's salt farms
Sep 26, 2013
Sep 26, 2013
IMG_1334.jpg
Aug 26, 2013
*seoul for a moment*
Aug 26, 2013
Aug 26, 2013
countlan magazine feature-korean salted mackerel
Jul 22, 2013
countlan magazine feature-korean salted mackerel
Jul 22, 2013
Jul 22, 2013
IMG_1196.jpg
Jul 8, 2013
take 31 new york
Jul 8, 2013
Jul 8, 2013
IMG_1019.JPG
Jun 18, 2013
hello prospect park
Jun 18, 2013
Jun 18, 2013
Sing. mag.jpg
Apr 3, 2013
singapore food and travel magazine
Apr 3, 2013
Apr 3, 2013
IMG_0503.JPG
Mar 25, 2013
blue hill at stone barns
Mar 25, 2013
Mar 25, 2013
sarah.jpg
Mar 5, 2013
camera shy
Mar 5, 2013
Mar 5, 2013
IMG_0264.JPG
Feb 10, 2013
just a little teaser of what new york food is all about...
Feb 10, 2013
Feb 10, 2013
cafe.jpg
Jan 19, 2013
and so it begins...
Jan 19, 2013
Jan 19, 2013
bt 2.jpg
Jan 3, 2013
farm to table goodness
Jan 3, 2013
Jan 3, 2013
bev5.jpg
Dec 16, 2012
chef beverly kim
Dec 16, 2012
Dec 16, 2012
IMG_9529.JPG
Nov 11, 2012
hong kong in less than 24 hours
Nov 11, 2012
Nov 11, 2012
IMG_9450.JPG
Oct 22, 2012
exit strategy: leaving korea painlessly
Oct 22, 2012
Oct 22, 2012
linus 4.jpeg
Sep 17, 2012
the dirty dirty about the secret love sauce: linus exposed
Sep 17, 2012
Sep 17, 2012
IMG_8690.JPG
Sep 10, 2012
andong
Sep 10, 2012
Sep 10, 2012
You must select a collection to display.

all content copyright © and reserved by seoul in the city 2009-2025