Every time you blink, there seems to be a new bar or restaurant in Itaewon’s popular back alley. The restaurants keep getting better and more stylish each time. Upping the style ante just a notch further is the new improved version of the Thai restaurant- Buddha ’s Belly. Located just above Ushmania restaurant, this new branch of Buddha’s Belly has even more authentic Thai food than the original branch at the bottom of veggie hill. The owners brought in a chef from Thailand and the menu has expanded.
For starters try the chicken satay or spring rolls, or choose from a variety of soups such as Tom Yum Goong (Spicy and sour chili soup with shrimp) or Tom Kha Gai (chicken in a tart coconut soup). Then, indulge in an array of spicy and extremely tasty curries. You can have green curry or red curry with chicken, beef, shrimp or tofu. Or, choose the super yummy panang curry with chicken or beef or the massman curry with pineapple and chicken or beef. Now that there’s a real Thai chef, the food is a bit spicier than before. If you can’t handle spicy, then tell them to make it milder. There’s a huge selection of stir-fried dishes served with rice. Some of the favorites are the chicken and cashew, seafood stir-fried in yellow curry, stir-fried beef with vegetables. You can also ask for Thai-style fried rice. You can add chicken, beef, seafood or pineapple to the rice. One of the most delicious dishes is the Pad Thai. This dish is made with flat rice noodles, fried with egg and a special peanut-y/soy/oyster sauce. Add chicken, beef, seafood or tofu if you wish.
There are so many yummy things on the menu, it can be really hard to choose. The best thing to do is go with a big group of friends and order several things to share. The owners could have hiked the prices up for their new location, but prices still remain affordable. On an average, dishes are between 10,000-14,000 won.
The décor of Buddha’s belly is sumptuous. The room is rectangular and has airy windows on either side of it. The far left corner features a bar where you can get your own drinks if you desire. Red velvet banquettes line the exterior rim of the space and there are tables with cushy charcoal-colored chairs in the middle of the room.The stone-colored walls are adorned with Thai paintings and wood carvings. Candlelight and halogen spot lighting gives the place a dark and dramatic look. This space is so sexy, it could easily be successful even if it was just bar. They’ve already had several private parties here with DJs etc.The layout is fabulous for people watching and socializing. Buddha's Belly has a decent wine and cocktails list. You can even drink champange! This restaurant is so hip, it tends to attract an upscale fashion crowd and it's also quite gay-friendly.
02-796-9330

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