A while back I did a restaurant review on Big Rock Brewery for Groove Magazine, a Korea-based mag for foreigners. The online pdf for the mag is available here; however my byline was OMITTED from the article and the editor blatantly changed a paragraph of my text. Below is the original transcript of the article I wrote:
Finding a restaurant in Seoul that doesn’t serve generic draft beers can be
tedious, especially for foreigners used to a myriad of microbrewed choices
wherever “back home” may be. Craving some wings for the big game? How
about something a little different, like a spicy seafood stew? Big Rock Brewery in
Gangnam is your stop off the green line to fulfill your Western-fusion needs to go
with a generous selection of imported Canadian craft beers. With nine different
beers to choose from, Big Rock’s upscale, pubsy atmosphere is ideal for winding
down after work with a few friends or colleagues.
Nestled underground on a side street among PC bangs and a giant
VIPS, walking down into Big Rock is like traveling through a portal into a
sophisticated bar. Clearly Canadian, framed hockey jerseys line one of the
walls adjacent to large plaques dedicated to each of the Brewery’s craft beers.
At 6:30 pm on a weekday, the only patrons are a group of young women sharing
a pitcher and lightly paying attention to the baseball game showing on the
projector screen and television across the room. (The editor changed this paragraph to “college-aged women sharing a pitcher, eating some nachos…” The women were NOT eating nachos, nor were they college-aged.)
Big Rock’s menu offers a variety of typical Western favorites, cooked on site:
salads (9,500W-10,500W); appetizers including wings, onion rings, chili and
nachos (8,000W-14,000W); burgers, pasta, and grilled chicken (9,500W-
19,000W).
While the food is not exceptionally creative, it is perfect for people who want a
decent Western meal for a reasonable price. Some of the crowd favorites are
the poutine, fish and chips, pasta, and burgers. Portion sizes vary, as I sampled
the nachos I ordered were satisfyingly heaped with beef and cheese, while the
vegetable pasta seemed a bit under-portioned.
The main hook here is that the food is meant to complement the beer rather than
the other way around. There is a drink of choice for every taste, for those who
prefer the crisp taste of a light beer to those who like the malty flavor of a dark
lager, and every gradient in between.
“Men usually prefer the Traditional pale ale,” said Lisa, my waitress, “and women
usually get the Honey Brown or Rock Creek Cider.”
An individual glass is 6,000W while larger parties can order a pitcher or tower of
their beer of choice (20,000W-40,000W).
Around 8:30 pm is when the brewery gets busy, as tables begin to fill up with
large groups. On a weekday you’ll find mostly Koreans fresh out of work,
while weekends are frequented by a more homogenous crowd and of course,
Canadians. Sundays in particular are popular because of Big Rock’s brunch
buffet. From 11:00 am to 2:30 pm you can eat your entire weight in food for a
mere 9,900W.
Getting there is easy; take the green line 2 to Gangnam station and make a right
out of exit 7. Walk straight up a slight hill (if you turn around you will see VIPS
and Starbucks). Keep walking and the Brewery will be on your left, immediately
after U-Learning Zone. If you have any questions or would like to make a
reservation, call (02)539-6650.
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