Blind date lunch course comparison, perilla oil noodles: Bistro Chai

I was looking for a place with a great atmosphere that also serves great food, so this time I visited Bistro Chai Plus. It's near Naebang Station, and the moment you step in, the wine display area already feels upscale.

The overall vibe is calm and sophisticated, so it seemed like a great fit for occasions where atmosphere matters, like dates or blind dates. It felt especially good for quiet conversation over a meal, so anyone looking for a blind date spot near Seorae Village would probably like it too. There are also private rooms, so it seemed fine for family meals or gatherings as well~

Bistro Chai Plus location and parking

• Location: 51 Seocho-daero 27-gil, 2F, Seocho-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• 330m from Naebang Station Exit 7
• Free parking available 🚗

The building exterior had a clean, modern feel from the outside. It's less a typical restaurant and more a dining space for enjoying course meals with wine.

From the wine racks to the private rooms: the store's atmosphere

Walking inside, wine is displayed in great variety on both sides. Bottles line the shelves densely, and there's quite a selection, so it was fun just to look around.

If you want to pair wine with your meal, this space would suit that perfectly. If you're looking for a Western dining restaurant in Bangbae-dong, I think you'd like this kind of atmosphere.

Past the wine display, further inside, stairs lead to the dining area. It's decorated mainly in black tones with soft lighting, giving off a calm overall feel.

Every seat is in a private room. The hallway is neatly kept too, with soft lighting glowing near the floor, giving off a hotel-dining kind of feel. Having a space like this is also a plus when looking for a blind date spot or an important meeting place in Seorae Village.

It wasn't too bright or noisy, so it was great for eating slowly while chatting. It seemed like a perfect fit for anyone near Naebang Station looking for course dining where atmosphere matters too.

There's a large window by the window seats that lets in natural light and shows the green scenery outside. Despite the dark-toned interior, the sunlight coming through the window actually made the atmosphere even better.

The tables further inside are in warm wood tones with long curtains draped over them, giving a slightly cozier feel. Overall the atmosphere is upscale but not stiff or intimidating, which I liked. It seemed like a good spot not just for dates but for meals with parents too.

On one side, there were beautifully packaged products displayed alongside the wine. There were even celebrity autographs!! Each one is displayed on a lit shelf, which made the atmosphere feel even more upscale.

Near the stairs, the Bistro Chai Plus logo is displayed prominently. The unique marble-textured wall, the lighting, and the black frames all blend well together, making the space itself feel stylish. It's a pretty spot for photos, so there's fun in looking at the interior too, not just the food.

I was shown to this room. There was a separate space to hang coats too, which was nice~ Cups and spoons were already set.

Lunch and dinner courses, and ongoing events

They have both lunch and dinner courses.

For wedding-invitation gatherings of 6 or more, they give a free bottle of rosé wine, plus a free corkage event, and a meal voucher giveaway~ For the review event, they give one glass of house wine!

Difference between the Lunch 4.8 and 5.8 courses

Here's the lunch menu we ordered from that day. Both courses have the same items up front, but differ in the main dish — the 4.8 course comes with grilled sablefish, while the 5.8 course comes with lamb chops. Both courses go from starters all the way to dessert with a solid lineup.

First, the LUNCH 4.8 course

Ricotta salad

The first thing served was the ricotta salad. It's a salad with handmade ricotta cheese, fresh apple, and cinnamon dressing. Fitting for the first dish, it was overall fresh and light.

The crunchy texture of the fresh vegetables and apple blended smoothly with the soft ricotta cheese, and the cinnamon dressing added a subtle aroma that whetted the appetite. Even with cheese in it, it didn't feel heavy, so it was a perfect start to the course.

Seasonal soup

What came out that day was a white soup made with broccoli and cauliflower. Usually when I think of broccoli soup, I picture green, so it was a little surprising to see white!

The taste was smooth and creamy, with a subtle flavor of vegetables coming through. It wasn't harsh or salty, so it was light and easy to eat without feeling heavy.

Black sesame gangjeong

Next came the black sesame gangjeong (sweet crispy chicken), which was a distinctive dish to me personally.

It's fried chicken thigh meat topped with a special sauce and black sesame, and the crispy batter combined with the nutty black sesame flavor gave it a different feel from typical chicken dishes I've had. It was nutty yet subtly sweet, with a crispy texture, so I enjoyed it a lot.

Perilla oil buckwheat noodles

And then, the dish I really enjoyed — perilla oil buckwheat noodles!

It's buckwheat noodles with perilla oil, topped with baby greens and cucumber, and you could really taste the nutty aroma of the perilla oil. The clean flavor of the buckwheat noodles, the nuttiness of the perilla oil, and the freshness of the baby greens went well together, and the crunchy cucumber added great texture too.

My mom tried it and said it was the best perilla oil buckwheat noodles she's ever had haha. This dish really stuck with me too. It wasn't a bold or strong flavor, but it kept coming to mind afterward.

Grilled sablefish (4.8 course main)

The main of the 4.8 course is grilled sablefish.

The sablefish flesh itself was moist and tender, and marinated in doenjang (fermented soybean paste), it had a subtle savory depth to it. The fish wasn't dry at all and had a soft, flaky texture that was easy to eat, and the capers scattered throughout added a salty, fresh accent.

Personally, if you like fish dishes, I think the 4.8 course would be plenty satisfying. If you're looking for course dining near Naebang Station, the lineup is quite solid, so satisfaction should be high.

LUNCH 5.8 course

The 5.8 course also starts off the same way. You go through the ricotta salad, seasonal soup, black sesame gangjeong, and perilla oil buckwheat noodles before moving to the main.

Lamb chops (5.8 course main)

The main of the 5.8 course is lamb chops. It's a French rack grilled on a hot stone plate with melted Isigny butter. Because it's grilled on a hot stone, you really get the full flavor of the meat itself.

The distinctive smell of lamb wasn't too strong, and it had a nutty flavor with juices still intact, plus a nice tender chew. The Isigny butter especially added to the richness, giving it a more nutty, fuller flavor than plain lamb chops would have.

There's also mushroom and squash in it~

You can pair it however suits your taste~ It's a completely different charm from the sablefish, so I'm glad we ordered both courses together and shared them.

Dessert

We finished with dessert. What came out that day was patbingsu (shaved ice with red bean), and apparently they make the red bean paste in-house.

Because the red bean paste is homemade, it wasn't just sweet — the nutty, clean flavor of the red bean itself came through. It was a great dessert to end the meal cleanly.

How was it as a blind date or family meal spot?

Bistro Chai Plus was a place where the food was delicious, but the atmosphere of the space was just as satisfying. So I think it would be a good pick for anyone looking for a blind date spot near Seorae Village. It's not too casual, but also not overly formal, so it seemed like a good choice for a first meeting or date spot.

It's also good for a special family meal, and just as fitting for a quiet date, a blind date, or an important appointment. Overall I could feel the care put into each dish, and the flavors were satisfying too~ It's a place worth remembering for taking care of both atmosphere and food. 💛

Business hours

• Daily 11:30–22:00
• Break time 14:00–17:30
• Last order 20:00