9 Christmas dinners in Seoul

If you don’t want to get stuck eating moksal again this Christmas, book a seat at one of the following places. Prices and times have been provided by the respective establishments and are subject to change. Call ahead.

OKitchen

Where: Itaewon

Price: 62,000 won

Contact: (02) 797-6420

Chef Susumu Yonaguni grows many of his own vegetables for his award-winning Itaewon restaurant. The renowned tasting menu here and always starts with a fish plate made up of nine artfully created pieces of sashimi. OKitchen will have a special Christmas Eve version of its 8-course tasting menu. Specific menu items are yet to be decided.

Kitchen at Walker Hill

Where: Gwangjang-dong

Price: 150,000 won

Contact: (02) 465-2222

This chic restaurant overlooking the Han River will have a special Christmas Eve menu of wagyu beef, lobster risotto and French chocolate barona.

Yaletown

Where: Sinchon

Price: 30,000 won

Contact: (02) 333-1604

Canadian sports bar Yaletown will have an all-you-can-eat buffet on Christmas night with turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, macaroni and cheese, beer and wine.

J.W. Marriott

Where: Banpo-dong

Price: 295,000 – 350,000 won

Contact: (02) 6282-6738

If you don’t want to go out for Christmas dinner, J.W. Marriott is offering turkey sets to-go. You can get a six-kilogram or eight-kilogram turkey with giblet gravy, cranberry sauce, green beans, glazed carrots, roasted pumpkin, cornbread stuffing, and mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes.

The King’s at Grand Ambassador

Where: Jangchung-dong

Price: 58,000 – 65,000 won

Contact: (02) 2270-3121

The King’s is serving a French-themed Christmas menu through December. Dishes include turkey and foie  gras chestnut terrine, duck in orange sauce, blue cheese with scallops and roasted chicken with cider.

Taipan at Millenium Seoul Hilton

Where: Namsan

Price: TBD

Contact: (02) 317-3012

Celebrate Christmas ten days early, Chinese-style, at the 18th Imperial Feast on December 15. Nine courses will be served along with wine and “Chinese liquors.” The other restaurants at the Millenium Hilton will also be serving holiday meals. Call for more information.

Novotel Ambassador Seoul

Where: Gangnam

Price: 90,000

Contact: (02) 531-6477

This French hotel will have a special Christmas seafood buffet with wine. Last year the menu included 11 kinds of sashimi.

Big Rock

Where: Gangnam

Price: 40,000 won

Contact: (02) 539-6650

Big Rock is offering a 40,000 won all-you-can-eat buffet on Dec. 24 from 6 p.m. The menu includes: deep fried turkey, home-made stuffing, dry aged roast beef 
with country styled gravy, orange honey glazed pork belly, home-made apple pie, and more. Book a reservation by e-mailing info@bigrockbeer.co.kr — a place will be reserved after a bank transfer is made. Price incldes one drink.

Costco

Where: Throughout Seoul

Price: Variable

Contact: (02) 2679-1234

If you feel like cooking Christmas dinner yourself, Costco is one of the few places in Seoul that sells whole turkeys and hams. Turkeys aren’t cheap but shouldn’t be more than 100,000 won. A 1-kilo ham sells for about 10,000 won. And of course, Costco has many things to supplement the main courses, including pre-made pumpkin pies.