Restaurant also known as MDND. An all-vegan restaurant that serves Korean 'local greens' in their most natural form in innovative ways. Chef Lynn is a qualified chef in plant-based cuisine and follows a spiritual path. Address: 서울 서초구 효령로 316-1. Reservations via https://catchtable.co.kr/mdnd2020 Open Tue-Sun 12:00pm-2:30pm, 6:00pm-9:30pm. Closed Mon.
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316-1, Hyoryeong-ro, Seocho-gu, Seoul, South Korea, 06721
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Last update on 18 Dec 2021 by Millennial_Dining
Update business info -
Added by Millennial_Dining on 08 Jul 2020
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7 Reviews
First Review by veglover89
mrdogfood
Points +361
Creative, tasty, yet quite expensive as others have mentioned - Edit
Really beautiful, thoughtful dishes with interesting ingredients. I was a little disappointed to see they used beyond meat instead of pushing their creativity here with a whole food. I enjoyed all the omakase dishes, particularly the beetroot ravioli. The sourdough used for the pizza dough was delicious and they could turn that into a great bread for the table. There were a few times I wanted to sop up the extra sauce on my plate and wish I had bread :)
Read moreGuest
yumchadong
Points +5547
Huge disappointment - Edit
The omakase menu was very uninspiring. Courses ranged from too salty to too oily, and too sweet. No exiting flavors or textures, no freshness. Exorbitant prices. The staff’s effort in pushing us to buy overpriced drinks was annoying. In all honesty, I did not enjoy any of the 9 courses and I wish I could erase this meal from my memory.
Read moreGuest
bongbong733
Points +14279
Disappointed twice. - Edit
Without doubt, the food here tastes amazing. Expensive or novel ingredients (or at least ingredients uncommon in Korea) are arranged in artful and flavorful dishes. Plus, the plating is creative and aesthetically on a high level.
Read moreBetween Friday and Sunday, you can order individual dishes à la carte for around 35.000 KRW, which feature e.g. soy meat, pasta and pizza. Any other day and on weekends, there is a full course meal, which costs 150.000 KRW per person, and includes diverse dishes from the regular menu. Making a reservation ahead of time is required in either case. In general, portion size is quite small.
The beverage menu consists of natural wines, non-alcoholic "cocktails" (kombucha?) and exclusive teas. By now, you have to order one drink per person and drinks start at 20.000 KRW for a small glass.
Interior design and decoration of the restaurant are unconventional and artistic: Modern chic with natural elements, e.g. dried flowers, wood, rock and shells. When I visited after a year, however, the decoration looked dusty and shabby.
Since food is prepared inside the same room as the dining hall, the smell of cooking or roasting food constantly permeates the room, hinting at what's currently going on in the kitchen section.
The restaurant is located on the 3rd floor. There is only a subtle sign on the ground, and an LED sign high up behind the window, so you have to know where you're going to find it.
The first time we visited, there were several (!) mishaps, which conflicted with the high price here. To make up for it, we received wine on the house, but ironically we didn't enjoy the taste of their natural wines... After all, it was not the experience we had anticipated.
The second time, there were mishaps again (e.g. smell of burned food) and service was rather unfriendly. Since they now require ordering one drink per person, you end up spending at least 110.000 KRW for two people, but both of us left the restaurant hungry.
In summary, it is a restaurant that serves good plant-based food, but it is not as excellent as it should be. Dining with imperfections.
Updated from previous review on 2021-12-20
Pros: taste good, interesting atmosphere & setting
Cons: overpriced, obligation to order drinks, flaws in execution of concept, small portions (food and drinks)
Sarilein
Oh wow 👀😑
Read moreGuest
RichardD.Min
Points +71
My new favorite spot! - Edit
My new favorite spot and run by owner
Read morePros: Exotic favors and picked from farmer, 6 hours making some foods and run by owner, Nice atmosphere and tons of vegan options
Guest
tesssss
Points +5878
maddeningly expensive - Edit
this place is so good that it’s such a shame it’s so expensive.
Read morethe service is also really overbearing, and the woman kept talking within inches of our food with her mask falling off her face. i was getting a bit grossed out.
you HAVE to buy a drink here, despite the dishes already being so expensive.
the pizza was not my style and the cheese on it was wayyy too sweet and kind of gross. the rest of everything we ate was amazing, especially the fresh baked scone.
after going there the last time, the owner of this restaurant proclaimed on instagram they are no longer calling themselves “vegan” and that you can suggest for vegan options. because vegan people are so picky they were saying? not sure. apparently they are still fully vegan anyway but i have no idea so would be better to confirm. this kind of rubs me the wrong way.. i don’t know if i will be going back.
Cons: expensive
Guest
frazum
Points +1120
Sensual experience - Edit
For those who are familiar with olfactory research, it is known that smell is not stored by itself in the brain, but rather stored in conjunction with other experiences that are connected with time the smell is perceived. Or, if you are familiar with this book called Flavour by Bob Holmes (a very recommended reading for book lovers), you maybe familiar with the tricks company, restaurants, etc do to enhance food products to increase its psychological perceptivity. The point I am trying to make is that food is, as we all know it, very sensual thing, We utilize all 5 senses to enjoy food, as eaters, and to an extent, memories, especially for those who prepare them.
Read moreMuch have been put in preparing the dishes in MDND and it showed in the creative and innovative menu offerings (doesn't "Better than sex" or "sex and steak" menu sound intriguing to you?). Rather than offering a run-of-the-mill veganized regular foods, Chef Lynn Ahn (of former Soseek) created dishes with creative and bold flavors, such as doenjang in the ice cream, soy sauce in the chocolate cake, etc. Though I didn't try the set menu, from the explanation of chef's mom, I can tell that much thought has been put in the wine pairing of the menu offerings.
If you are up for a new dining experience or celebrating a special occasion. I highly recommend this place.
Updated from previous review on 2020-11-30
Cons: somewhat pricey
Guest
veglover89
Points +748
Great! - Edit
I had the three course menu. The “egg” appetizer was so tasty! They must have used black salt to give it a true egg flavor. The rose pizza and chocolate tart were also great!
Read moreGuest
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