THE PEOPLE'S MONARCH - Royal Brunei Airlines

Of course, how can one discover the essence
of Seoul without its food? There are many
restaurants that offer fusion Korean cuisine,
combining typical fare such as bulgogi (marinated
barbequed beef) with new age mashed potatoes
or tweaking the dotorimuk (acorn jelly) with
seasoned beef and salad. However, it is at Insadong
that one can really appreciate the blend of
east and west that helps Seoul embrace its future
without compromising its heritage. Insa-dong’s
many alleyways hide some of Seoul’s best kept
secrets. Specifi cally, teahouses run from a hanok,
traditional wooden houses with elegant curved
roofs and centuries of history.
Here is where enjoying tea and desserts is a
journey of the senses. At Sin Yetchatjip (Sin Old
Tea House), guests sit amid a luxurious garden
while munching gangjeong (sweet rice crackers)
and sipping insam tea (ginseng tea). Another
teahouse, called the Bird Flying Teashop, is a
quaint cafe with birds fl ying around the room
dimly lit by paper lanterns and surrounded by an
eclectic mix of antiques and curios. The whole
place seems surreal, and the tea is amazing.
Served in ceramic mugs, the tea variants range
form medicinal to herbal, where each brew sees a
colourful display of fl oating roots, fl owers, herbs,
leaves and seeds. Like the taste of the tea, it’s clear
that Seoul’s success is not so much in it reinventing
itself to impress, but re-telling its heritage through
a story that will stand the test of time.
Royal Brunei Airlines operates daily from Bandar Seri Begawan
to Singapore and Hong Kong where there are connecting fl ights
to Seoul.
JULY | AUGUST 2012 67