Rice Store 쌀가게 by 홍신애 (Apgujeong, Seoul)

[Update: the restaurant has closed down]

If you are looking for healthy, quality food without sacrificing any taste, you will thoroughly enjoy this quaint restaurant located in the Apgujeong-dong district (also near Garosugil). Operated by a well-known food stylist and chef (Hong, Shin-Ae), the restaurant aims to provide a healthy, home-cooked meal in the form of a set meal. With its inviting, coffee shop-like interior, dining here is a great option for those on a budget (set meal is only 9,900 won) and those wanting something light n healthy.

This restaurant has a few notable characteristics that stood out to me: most of their ingredients are organic and locally sourced, they serve only one set menu that changes daily, they only take 100 customers a day (we were lucky #72, 73), and the kicker: they use a rice milling machine every morning to save valuable nutrients from being lost with regular post-milled rice. It’s wonderful to see a restaurant willing to go the extra mile to provide a healthy, balanced meal to its customers.

Since their meals change daily, it might be best to call ahead and see what they’re serving (perfect for picky eaters like myself). And as I already mentioned, they only serve 100 customers per day, so make sure to get there plenty early before their 8pm closing time.

Food: ★★★★ out of 5 stars

Service: ★★★★½ out of 5 stars

Ambiance: ★★★★½ out of 5 stars

Value: ★★★★½ out of 5 stars