The Timber House – Park Hyatt Seoul
Monica Tindall
Surprisingly, drinking in Korea is expensive. That’s why when we walked past The Timber House at Park Hyatt Seoul and saw the poster for happy hour, we couldn’t resist having a peek at the menu. (I know you’re laughing. We never need an excuse for happy hour.) Half-price selected cocktails, wine, beer, and tapas in a cool underground setting and the promise of live jazz music—sold!
The Timber House – Park Hyatt Seoul
In the famous Gangnam district, The Timber House is a sophisticated locale where dim lights and a wall of glasses paint an inviting mood. A large space is cleverly divided into intimate dining areas, each with its own character: plush couches flanking warm wooden tables, couples’ nooks facing the stage, a communal chef’s table, or secluded booths with intricate wood panel dividers. Korean pottery adds local artistry, while black and white films play silently on a large wall screen behind the bar. The name ‘Timber House’ is a dual reference, nodding to the rhythmic beats that fill the air and the reclaimed wood panels that line the walls. Paper lampshades and a curated collection of vinyl records contribute to the cosy ambience. At the heart of it all is a small stage, where jazz tunes, from the roaring twenties to Amy Winehouse’s soulful melodies, fill the room with a rich, timeless sound.
Happy Hours in Seoul
The Timber House at Park Hyatt Seoul offers daily happy hours from 5 pm to 7 pm. It’s a tempting escape from Seoul’s notorious peak hour traffic for the after-work crowd and just as equally pleasing to these two tourists who want a liquid reward for their sightseeing and street-pounding day. A curated selection of beers, wines, spirits, and light bites is available at half-price. Caning quenches his thirst with an American pale ale from local brewer Suda Sponsor (KRW 8,000, normally KRW 16,000). While I warm up to the jazz with a glass of red wine, discounted to KRW 14,000 from its usual KRW 28,000.
Cocktails
Beyond Happy Hours, The Timber House presents a serious craft cocktail menu creatively presented under a vinyl record. The Stylus cocktail (KRW 25,000) combines Sonbi Gin, yuja (a citrus fruit you might know as “yuzu” in Japanese), dill sherbet and prosecco, garnished with a milk shard, yuja jam, and dill in a Champagne flute. It’s zesty and vibrant, a perfect thirst-quencher. The Heart & Seoul (KRW 25,000) is velvety smooth with Hwayo Soju, bokbunja, orange blossom, basil, citrus, cream, and soda, reminiscent of a modern-day Seoul gin fizz crossed with an ice cream soda. Small bites come with each drink. Tonight, it’s omija berry (a Korean fruit that looks like a cranberry with five flavours) and yoghurt ice cream topped with meringue cookie – sweet, fresh and yummy.
Harmony Course
The Park Hyatt brand around the world is known for its exceptional food and beverage options, and The Timber House in Seoul does the reputation proud. Always leading with seasonal produce, the kitchen team provide an evolving program of menus. During our visit, it’s the Harmony Course, a six-course menu of Japanese cuisine curated from the finest ingredients. It’s priced at KRW 150,000 per person and is available until September 8, 2024.
Halibut Tempura Salad
광어 튀김 샐러드
폰즈 소스
The Harmony Course begins with a halibut tempura salad delicately seasoned with tangy ponzu. The crisp, deep-fried fish is beautifully juxtaposed with finely sliced cabbage and red pepper bathed in the acidic dressing.
Steamed Abalone
전복찜
보리 리소토, 게우 소스
Highly prized steamed abalone comes alongside creamy barley in an abalone liver sauce. There’s also fried seaweed, mushroom and a green pepper that has quite a punch of spice. Rarely do I enjoy abalone, but these slices have been pan-fried and are surprisingly tender, almost the texture of a shitake mushroom. The barley has a fantastic tiny chew matching the tiny grains. This dish is best mixed all together. If the chilli has too much heat for you, add in a splash of soy sauce for a flavour boost.
Assorted Seasonal Sashimi
계절 사시미 (�종)
The sashimi course features a quartet of seasonal selections. The raw fish shines in a minimalist presentation on a bed of ice. Today’s offerings include sea bream, uni, smoked tuna, and tuna belly. The latter is paired with a seaweed jelly, and sweet shrimp completes the ensemble. Accompanying pickles—ginger, radish, and stem lettuce—offer a bright counterpoint to the richness of the fish.
Unagi Nabe
우나기 나베
장어, 각종 채소
The unagi nabe follows, a comforting hot pot featuring eel and vegetables. Served in a self-heating silver bowl, the dish simmers gently, releasing the eel’s essence into the broth. The resulting soup is mildly sweet, complemented by a tangy yuzu vinegar sauce. The vegetables add depth and texture to the overall composition.
Between the nabe and rice courses, miso soup is rich and umami-laden yet delicate, with a subtle sweetness. Soft tofu cubes offer a gentle texture, while wakame seaweed adds a briny complexity.
Chicken & Pine Mushroom Hot Pot Braised Rice
닭고기 & 참송이 솥밥
죽순, 컨디먼트
The chicken and pine mushroom hot pot braised rice ensures we’re completely satisfied, filling every last corner of the stomach before dessert. Bamboo shoots give a nice crunch to the short-grained rice, and a side of stem lettuce and sea tangle add some veg. It’s prepared tableside with the chicken patty broken up and mixed through the rice.
Lychee & Mango
리치 & 망고
시소 아이스크림, 망고 샐러드
The Japanese sure know how to conclude a meal so we feel satiated but not overwhelmed. The Timber House follows suit with an unusual shiso and lychee sorbet with a mango salad, sealing the meal with fresh herbaceousness and fruity sweetness.
The six-course Harmony menu is priced at KRW 150,000 per person and is available until September 8, 2024. Visit The Timber House’s webpage or social media @parkhyattseoul to stay up-to-date with their latest seasonal promotions.
Jazz at Park Hyatt Seoul
But that’s not all. We’ve timed our visit for live jazz music. Starting from 7 pm on Friday and Saturday evenings, a pianist plays and sings English songs in 40-minute sets. The location is well set up for live performances, with the stage seen from most seats in the house.
The Timber House Review
The Timber House in Park Hyatt Seoul is a discreet location to rest your weary travelling feet for a few hours. Enjoy a delicious meal, fine cocktails, and happy hours in a sophisticated setting. Service is superb, and the chance for some early evening entertainment is much appreciated.
Reasons to visit The Timber House: good value happy hours daily between 5 and 7 pm; try the harmony menu if you’re there before September 8, 2024; if not, check out their website for the latest promotions.
The Timber House
Park Hyatt Seoul
606, Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, 06174 South Korea
Link to Park Hyatt Seoul on Google Maps
[email protected]
+82 2 2016 1235
www.seoul.park.hyattrestaurants.kr
@parkhyattseoul
The Timber House Opening Hours
Daily 5:00 on – 9:00 pm
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