Bangbae-dong Western dining, sablefish and wine: Bistro Chai Plus

I found this place while looking up Western dining restaurants in Bangbae-dong lately. I was searching for Western dining in Seocho and this one caught my eye — I went in hoping for something more unusual than just steak. It had been on my Naebang Station restaurant list for a while, and I finally booked it on a friend's recommendation.

Bistro Chai Plus location, hours and parking

It's located at 850-11 Bangbae-dong, Seocho-gu, and it's open from 11:30am to 10pm. There's a break time from 2pm to 5:30pm, so you need to avoid that window. Last order is at 8pm, so if you go too late you might not be able to order.

Among Western dining restaurants in Bangbae-dong, this one seemed to be one of the most private. It has parking for up to 16 cars, and it even offers free valet.

There's a wine shop on the first floor of the same building, which made it easy to pair a glass of wine with dinner. It was also fun browsing the 1,000 varieties of wine on offer.

Private dining: every seat in its own room

The first thing that caught my eye when I walked in was that the whole space was divided into private rooms.

Among Western dining restaurants in Seocho, I found it hard to think of another place with this level of personal space.

The atmosphere was almost steakhouse-level, which surprised me a bit. True to its reputation as a Bangbae-dong Western dining restaurant, the vibe was definitely a cut above.

As a Naebang Station restaurant with a reputation to live up to, you could feel the attention to detail everywhere. The weather was great that day, and the view was fantastic too.

What comes in the Dinner II course?

That day I ordered the Dinner II course. True to a Seocho Western dining course, the lineup was pretty substantial, and I enjoyed every single dish. It's an especially good course if you love steak or meat dishes — if you're looking for a Naebang Station restaurant, definitely go try this.

Two amuse-bouches

Two kinds of amuse-bouche woke up my appetite.

The one on the left had sea urchin mousse topped with caviar, giving off a strong ocean flavor, while the one on the right had shine muscat grapes and fruit jelly mixed with cream underneath — refreshing and appetite-stirring.

Cauliflower seasonal soup

The seasonal soup was cauliflower simmered with prosciutto on top — you'd bite into pieces of prosciutto and cauliflower throughout, and the umami was genuinely surprising. I completely cleaned my bowl. Apparently it got such a good reaction they're developing a meal kit version of it.

Ricotta salad

Eating the ricotta salad, I realized this wasn't just a ricotta salad. The mild ricotta cheese, sweet crunchy apple, and nutty crunchy walnuts all came together for a rich flavor — my hand kept going back for more.

Seared scallops with asparagus

The seared scallops with asparagus came with a sherry vinegar dressing — eating the chewy scallops together with the well-grilled asparagus gave a great depth of flavor.

Casarecce ragu pasta

The ragu pasta made with casarecce noodles had the ragu sauce well soaked into the pasta right from the first bite.

There was plenty of meat in it too, so it was genuinely delicious. The acidity from the cherry tomatoes balanced really well with the ragu.

Herb chicken

The herb chicken felt somewhat like yurinchi (crispy chicken with a tangy sauce) but with barely any chili. It came with chewy chicken breast, cucumber and Korean melon — the crunchy texture and spicy-sweet flavor were strangely addictive.

Basil sorbet

Before the main course, a basil sorbet came out as a palate cleanser — a subtle basil aroma at first that slowly finished with lemon notes, a distinctive touch.

Mains: grilled sablefish and French rack of lamb with white wine

I also ordered a white wine to pair with the French lamb rack and sablefish. It had good body and was easy to drink even as a wine beginner — it went down really well.

The grilled sablefish had a crispy outside and tender inside, so I kept coming back for more. It was marinated and grilled with three kinds of doenjang (soybean paste) and served with scallions and green peas — it made me rediscover sablefish.

When I cut into it, it was so tender that the flesh just fell apart. It melted in my mouth and was so savory, the kind of flavor you keep thinking about. It lived up to the reputation of a Bangbae-dong Western dining restaurant.

The French rack of lamb, as thick as a steak, had zero gamey smell and a clean aroma. It felt like the heat was well controlled, and the juices stayed locked in.

It seemed to be finished with melted French Isigny butter — the nutty smell hit me as soon as it was served. It was cooked to medium rare, exactly my preference.

Eating it together with minari (water dropwort) and mint jelly was really delicious. It tasted like the care they put in was true to a Seocho Western food restaurant, and I felt it deserved to be counted among the top Naebang Station restaurants.

Dessert: patbingsu (shaved ice with red bean)

For dessert, patbingsu (shaved ice with red bean) came out. The red beans seemed to be simmered in-house, less sweet than the store-bought kind, and the soybean powder injeolmi (rice cake) went well with the milk shaved ice. And giving us peaches on the side was such a nice touch!

Which occasions suit Bistro Chai Plus?

If you're looking for a Western dining restaurant in Bangbae-dong, I'd recommend this one. For enjoying a steak or Western course meal in a quiet, private space, it's hard to beat. Out of every Western dining course I've had, this ranks in my top 3. I'd recommend it for meeting-the-parents dinners, important appointments, or gatherings. Worth saving to your Naebang Station restaurant or Seocho Western dining list. Next time I want to come for lunch and try the other menu items.