Borgo Hannam (보르고 한남): Italian Replanted in Seoul
For my visit to Korea, I knew Annie would take me to the best Korean restaurants. Little did I know, Annie would also introduce me to some incredible Italian restaurants and wine bars. After two weeks in quarantine, Italian food was an unusual but expected craving given all the great pasta we have in New York.
Borgo Hannam is owned and managed by Stefano di Salvo, an Italian chef with experience leading mega kitchens in some of Korea’s top tier hotels, including Park Hyatt Seoul and Dongdaemun JW Marriot. The restaurant is located in Hannam, one of Seoul’s most valuable neighborhoods. Hannam is quiet despite being just next-door to Itaewon’s wild spirit. It’s no surprise that this is where di Salvo decided to set up shop.
Even without knowing the word “Borgo” actually meant “village” in Italian, our first impression was that this was di Salvo’s home away from home. The walls were lined with homemade bottles of limoncello and other Italian spirits. There’s even a curing cabinet filled with salami, jamon, and homemade pickles. This sanctuary was not only a home for Italian flavors but also unique culinary accessories, including a Berkel charcuterie slicer (with the fly wheel) that was imported directly from Italy. These machines can cost around 7,000 USD or more, depending on the model.
The menu is extensive and conducive to sharing. We weren’t disappointed with their selection of antipasti (appetizers), cold cuts, cheese boards, pizzas, and pasta. As if the menu weren’t enough, there were even a few daily specials. Annie and I ordered a few items and you can read more about each dish below.
Overall, we had a blast. The wine was good. The food was great. And, eating with Annie is the best as usual.
Note: Our server recommended the “Tonnato”, which is Thinly Sliced Roasted Hanwoo (Korean Beef) served cold then topped with Caperberry and Italian Tuna Mayonnaise. We didn’t order this but upon further research, I noticed this is one of the more popular plates here. It could be worth a try if you’re interested.
Cuisine: Italian
Average Price per Person: $85 USD (including a bottle of wine)
Address:
3rd Floor, 684-62 Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea
3rd Floor, 684-62 한남동 용산구 서울특별시
Recommended:
Trifola with Black Truffle Cream, Mushrooms, Mascarpone, Mozzarella di Bufala, and Rucula
Orata: Sea Bream Crudo, Lime, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Young Leaves, Edible Flowers
The entrance to Borgo Hannam is hidden in plain sight. Annie and I walked up and down the block several times trying to find the restaurant. Eventually, we found a tiny mailbox with the restaurant’s name. Since the Borgo Hannam is located on the 3rd floor, we knew we might have to take the adjacent staircase.
After all those stairs got me winded, we made it to the restaurant. Borgo Hannam has a warm, contemporary setting even though the décor is kind of plain. The atmosphere is lively but relaxed.
Courtesy of Borgo Hannam, the meal starts with three kinds of bread, olives, and two Fried Peppers Filled with White Fish and Olive Mayonnaise.
The Fried Peppers were really great
One of Annie’s many talents is ordering food and booze for the table.
During our visit, one of the daily specials was Fried Zucchini Flowers Stuffed with Ricotta. As soon as we heard that, we couldn’t resist ordering it.
The Zucchini Flowers were lightly fried and stuffed generously with Ricotta, which was semi-sweet, fluffy, and creamy. It also came with Basil Pesto and Edible Flowers.
To start, we also ordered the Orata, or Sea Bream Crudo. Naturally, the fish was cured with Lime and Extra Virgin Olive Oil. The Sea Bream sat above some crushed ice and was topped with Young Leaves and Edible Flowers.
It was ultra refreshing given the heat of Korea in the summer.
[23,000 Won]
The star of the show was definitely the “Trifola”. It smelled magical thanks to the Black Truffle Cream. The Trifola was also topped with Mushrooms, Mascarpone, Mozzarella di Bufala, and Rucula (Arugula).
The crust was nicely baked (not too firm and fluffy). I think the cream made the center of the pizza a little too flimsy. Nevertheless, it was delicious and we were really happy to see this kind of pizza in Seoul. We even had the leftovers for our morning hangover cure.
[28,000 Won]
How could we visit an Italian restaurant without trying their pasta? We ordered the Spaghettini, which was paired with Garlic, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Peperoncino (Hot Chili Peppers), Anchovy, and Cauliflowers.
To make things more interesting, we also had Bottarga shaved on top of the pasta. Bottarga is an Italian delicacy made from salted and cured fish roe. It tastes savory, salty, rich, and slightly fishy.
[26,000 Won]