Ilpumhyang 일품향

Most of the staff speak Chinese among themselves at this ethnic-Chinese restaurant near the Chinese Embassy in Myeongdong, which makes it feel like eating abroad. Groups and drinking parties keep the two halls loud, and with parking scarce, public transport is easier. Samseon-jjamppong, seafood noodle soup, sits on a chicken-stock base with the clean heat of Sichuan chilies rather than raw capsaicin, loaded with shrimp, sea snail, squid, baby octopus and even pufferfish. The fried eggplant is off the menu: thin, crisp batter topped with a soy-based sauce and minced meat, best mixed into egg fried rice. Five-spice braised pork with aspic and tangsuyuk made from lean meat round out the drinking dishes.