#aucklandeats: A Bar to Enjoy the Seoul Nightlife

Seoul Night | Shop 1/16-20 Fort Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010

Heart of the City

Seoul Night is located in a pretty alleyway that is Fort Lane, between Fort Street and Customs St in Downtown. Not paying attention, you might walk past its camouflage. If you look closely at a red vending machine in the middle of Fort Lane, you’ll soon realise that it’s the entrance to this secretive Korean bar. The lighting is pretty dark, but the place lights up with its fairy-light-ceiling and neon signs all over. On the walls, it’s pretty handy and entertaining to read tips on the perfect so-maek (soju + maekju (beer)) mix ratio and also the guide to “Korean Age Culture.” 

Instagram | @seoulnightnz

As much as Koreans love their drinks, what they care the most about is the anju. “Anju” is a Korean word for “food with alcohol,” and there are specific anjus that pair perfectly with Korean drinks. For example, soju (Korean spirits) goes best with grilled food like samgyupsal (Korean BBQ pork belly), makguli (Korean rice wine) is BFFs with greasy jeons (Korean pancakes), and maekju (beer) is a soul duo with fried food like fried chicken or chips - heard of chimaek? Seoul Night has a wide selection of both food and drinks, so have a good look at the menu and try to find your own fav combo!

Rather than authentic Korean, Seoul Night’s menus include more fusion and Western dishes to fit a wider palate. But that doesn’t mean they disregard their Korean-ness entirely! Their risottos are Deonjang (Korean-styled fermented soybean) sauce-based, their seafood tomato stew is boiled in Noorongji (Korean-styled crispy rice) soup, etc. etc. For their drink menu, they obviously cover a vast range of Korean drinks from classic, fruit, to premium sojus! What’s even great is that they have house drinks as well, like the house cocktails and soju slushies. I’ve tried the Peach Luna cocktail, which had a nice sweet and fruity kick to it! 

The most loved dish on their menu is the Kumara Pizza, which is an inspired dish from Korean pizza franchises! In Korea, they make even the most western dishes into a Korean-version. Like cheese crusts, you’ll always see the kumara crust option when making an order from your local pizza hut - and this would be the store’s bestseller! Knowing cheese and mashed kumara is a winning combo, the Seoul Night chefs made something special. The kumara paste itself is the dough of the “pizza,” and this sweet base is topped with savouries like cheese, bacon, etc. You’ll scoop up a cheesy mouthful that has the best balance of sweetness to it.

You can’t go wrong with a Tteokbokki at a Korean restaurant! The Spicy Rice Cake is a great sharing dish for anyone who digs some spice. Korean snack bars with tteokbokki would, at all times, have assorted fries right next to them. Dipping the deep fries into the spicy sauce will take flavours to the next level (🦋). The deep fried toppings are like a mini buffet, andI love having soOo many things to pick from haha. 

You’ll probably find glazed fried chicken in a hundred different Korean restaurants, so let me tell you more about the Rosé Chicken Pasta instead. The chicken was soft and juuuicy and it’s such an easy go-to for both Korean and non-Korean parties. On the menu, it has one chilli icon next to it, but trust me, it’s veeery mild (my non-Korean friend said that it was the right amount of spicy for her). The coconut cream wasn’t super creamy, which was a plus for me! The well-balanced cream to tomato ratio made it easy to eat lots of it.

Heart of the City

An authentic Korean bar or restaurant is always pleasing, but Korean fusion food in Auckland is getting better day by day! If you’re catching up with friends on a coming Friday night, why not experience a night in Seoul in Auckland? Click on this link for their full menu, and check their hours below before paying a visit!