Birthday Dinner at Chez Simon: An Exquisite French Experience in Itaewon
Hello everyone! Today, I'm sharing my experience visiting Chez Simon, a French restaurant in Itaewon, for my birthday!!
Parking
The restaurant is said to have parking behind the building, but since it was the weekend, we parked at the Itaewon 2-dong Public Parking Lot nearby, just in case there were no spots!
The parking lot was quite large with multiple levels. It wasn't super spacious since it was the weekend, but we were able to find a spot without too much trouble!
It cost ₩3,000 per hour, and we parked for about 2 hours. Luckily, we received a discount for driving a low-emission vehicle, so the parking fee wasn't bad at all! 😉
Finally, we entered! We were guided to our seats, where the menu for today's course was already waiting for us.
Since it's a course menu restaurant, only the drink menu was available. (We're not big drinkers, so we opted for sparkling water and Coke Zero... hehe)
Bread Service
The bread service... ✨
As soon as the bread was served, my mouth started watering, and I wanted to devour it immediately! But there's a story behind it.
(It was my birthday that day, so my boyfriend secretly bought a cake for me! I love melon, so he bought the melon cake that was available at Tous Les Jours at the time. He put it in the back seat of my car while I didn't notice.
Then, while waiting for the bread and chatting with my boyfriend, we talked about birthday cakes – and what if he bought a melon cake? That's when I realized it was in the back of the car! It was mid-August, so it was incredibly hot...
And the thought of leaving a whipped cream cake with fruit IN THE CAR?!!! 😱😱 So my boyfriend quickly ran back to the parking lot to get it...)
Anyway, after waiting for my companion to return from the parking lot, I ate the bread after it had cooled down a bit. But the butter was so delicious that it was gone in no time... lol
My companion told me to stop eating so I wouldn't get too full, but I couldn't stop! 🤣
Herb, Abalone
I love seafood, so I was really looking forward to the appetizers.
What looked like orange parchment paper was actually a very thin and crispy tart, topped with herb cream and sliced abalone. It was so crispy, refreshing, and the abalone had a great sea scent... it was incredibly delicious!
The tart was crispy and delicious like pasta, but it was too small, which was a shame... hehe
Squid Tomato
I had never thought of combining squid and tomatoes before.
But as soon as I ate it, the scent of the squid and a slight smoky flavor? And the popping lime? After eating this, I thought, wow, is this fine dining? 😂
It was a bit complex, but delicious... like that...
Scallop Corn Hazelnut
Personally, this was my favorite. Scallops/corn/hazelnut... it's just a collection of my favorite things.
But combining all of them? How?
I was so excited about this menu even before I ate it! 😍
And as soon as I ate it... I shouted, "This is number one!" 😂
Sweet and soft... just... I can't even describe how delicious it was. I scraped the plate clean! 😍
Lobster Bisque Celeriac
This menu was good, but it wasn't my absolute favorite.
The celeriac was surprisingly soft, allowing me to enjoy the fragrant flavor of the lobster. 😊
Grouper Sake Beurre Blanc
I was told that this menu used sake to enhance the aroma of the Grouper.
I like to eat fish raw, but I don't like grilled fish. So, I had never bought it separately, but it was surprisingly soft, and the sauce was delicious, so I enjoyed it.
My companion said this menu was number one!
Korean Beef Tenderloin Steak
What more can I say... the steak was really delicious! 😂
The mushrooms that were grilled together, the meat's doneness, and the mustard seeds were all harmoniously delicious.
I don't remember the name well, but the potato puree next to the mushrooms was so soft and made the meat even more delicious.
Green Apple Lemon Verbena
The refreshing lemon and the crumble underneath were a great way to end the meal. 😊
And the financier that they prepared for my birthday... ✨
They knew it was my birthday and even prepared a financier with a candle! I blew out the candle, dipped it in the lettered caramel sauce, and finished the dessert perfectly! Hehe
(I was really touched... 😭😭😭😭😭)
I was so excited that I forgot to take pictures of the restaurant interior or the view.
Namsan view + very friendly staff + clean bathroom with even towels prepared.
Everything was perfect at the restaurant! 😍
I might not visit often due to the price, but it would be great for special occasions! 🥰🥰🥰🥰
Lastly, a sunset photo I took on the way out ✨
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