It’s the moment when ginseng of the land meets sea cucumber of the sea. Mugunghwa, a Korean restaurant with the longest history among those at five-star hotels, features “Braised Sea Cucumber with Ginseng in Black Garlic Sauce.” Sea cucumber is so rich in nutrients that its Korean name literally means “ginseng of the sea.” This prized ingredient goes through long hours of cooking with care. First, soak dried sea cucumbers in a hot broth made using short-necked clams and various herbal ingredients for over four hours to add flavor. Stuff the inside of sea cucumbers with small octopus, shrimp, ginseng, and beef, and cook with steam from the boiling broth with refined rice wine in it. That’s not the end. Garnish with a black garlic sauce simmered for two hours after mixing in bone broth slow-cooked for 24 hours, shiitake mushroom, and apple. Following the recipe, you will be able to preserve the flavor, scent and texture of sea cucumber and supplement sweetness with the special sauce. Some say, in this day and age, there’s no need for these energizing foods. However eating a meal that someone has prepared with great care can remind you of the joy of eating despite the scorching temperature. The sea cucumber dish is part of a course meal at Restaurant Mugunghwa. For a separate order, it costs 50,000 won.

Address Main Tower 38F, LOTTE HOTEL SEOUL, 30 Eulji-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul
Phone +82-2-317-7061
Homepage Mugunghwa

Cold noodle is a perfect seasonal food for summer, and seasonal foods are nutritious. Chinese restaurant Toh Lim resumed selling “Cold Noodles of Chinese Style with Seafood,” one of their top summer cuisines. Chinese-style noodles feature colorful garnishes and the traditional Chinese soup. Its broth is made by boiling for over six hours, an old hen, duck, chicken feet, Chinese-style Jin Hua ham, and a shark fin, seasoned with black vinegar and seafood soy sauce. It has a thick, slightly sour taste. The broth should be stored in small amounts in the freezer. Add the slightly-thawed broth to the noodles washed with cold water. Black vinegar has a sterilizing effect, preventing a stomachache for those who are not good at eating cold food. For garnish, we put abalone from Wando, sea cucumber from Jeju, and Chinese pork belly. We also provide spicy wasabi or a savory peanut sauce for those who want. Chinese-style noodles are only available until the end of August. The price is 38,000 won.

Address Main Tower 37F, LOTTE HOTEL SEOUL, 30 Eulji-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul
Phone +82-2-317-7101
Homepage Toh Lim

In discussing the energy-boosting food, eels cannot be missed. Rich in protein, vitamins A, B, and E, calcium and many other nutrients, eel is known to help prevent lifestyle diseases, revitalize, and slow down aging. Japanese restaurant Momoyama features “Eel Hot Stone Pot Rice,” available as a seasonal menu till the end of August. The Momoyama version of the dish starts by putting kelp in the rice water and adding lotus root to cook rice. The rice itself will taste great. Then add Japanese-style teriyaki sauce that is salty and sweet to coat the grilled eel before putting the fish on the rice. It’s a combination of Japanese “hitsumabushi” and Korean “hot stone pot rice,” and as it’s a rare find, it’s that much more special. Now a bite of the eel glazed with teriyaki sauce with a scoop of rice will immediately recharge your body that has been weakened during a heatwave. Momoyama’s summer special course with the eel/rice combo comprises seasonal sashimi, sea eel tofu, steamed abalone, and chilled Korean beef shabu shabu. It’s priced at 190,000 won.

Address Main Tower 38F, LOTTE HOTEL SEOUL, 30 Eulji-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul
Phone +82-2-317-7031
Homepage Momoyama

Oxtail has been a popular healthy food since a long time ago. Having a good amount of minerals and protein, oxtail boosts the energy level effectively and has been recommended for people with diabetes or anemia. As an ox shakes its tail frequently to chase flies away in summer, the meat has an excellent texture and gets used for delicacies. La Seine is an upscale buffet offering more than 200 types of dishes, cooked on site by chefs specializing in various fields including Korean, Japanese, Western cuisine and noodles. For a special summer treat, La Seine offers “Oriental Braised Oxtail” recommendable to men and women of all ages. Braised oxtail using all sorts of spices is made more healthy with the addition of ginkgo nut, jujube, and 4-year-old fresh ginseng. The soy sauce-based seasoning adds to the flavor and hours of cooking gives the meat a soft yet chewy texture. It’s perfect for a snack to enjoy with medicinal drinks for adults, but also great for kids. For weekday lunch hours, it’s 98,000 won and for dinners and weekends, 118,000 won.

Address Main Tower 1F, LOTTE HOTEL SEOUL, 30 Eulji-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul
Phone +82-2-317-7171
Homepage La Seine