around the world with Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis
This month, Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis takes the reins of our roaming column, steering us through her favourite far-flung corners of the world and the places she eats, sleeps, shops, and sees. A writer, editor and inveterate globetrotter, Elisabeth has a knack for finding the magic in both the hidden and the hyped. Consider this your monthly passport to her effortlessly chic, delightfully curious way of travelling – kicking off with Seoul.
Seoul is a serious destination for food obsessives. So, my best advice for what to do when you’re there? Eat, eat, eat. Sure, everyone lands knowing about Korean barbecue and spicy fried chicken, but those are just the gateway drugs. The city is stacked with book-months-ahead Michelin counters, buzzy chef’s tables, and tiny locals-only joints that feel like secrets. Even the dirt-cheap street food stalls are worth a pilgrimage, as are the hyper-polished food halls tucked inside Seoul’s glossiest malls. In short, high-low eating isn’t just a theme here – it’s the thing to do.
One of my standout meals is at Mr Ahn’s. Behind an unassuming door and in a low-lit room, a sharply dressed crowd gathered around high tables. The gastropub is a shrine to Korean spirits – Soju in particular – and every dish arrives creatively paired with a perfect pour. Our waiter knew every bottle by heart. His enthusiasm was so contagious that he convinced us to try the highest-proof options on the shelf.
But let’s turn to the food: primarily tapas-style in size, many of them one-biters, which meant I could taste my way through the entire menu. Highlights included a pine-leaf-wrapped mushroom, brought to the table smoking on its own mini grill, and a paper-thin cracker stuffed with tiny, crispy shrimp was a delight. There was also a soft corn taco filled with pulled pork and a sauce that melted in my mouth.
It didn’t stop there: sliced cuttlefish stuffed with pork, mushrooms, and black rice – dusted with powdered butter. Intimidating at first, then an ecstatic hit of umami. Even the humble dish of homemade tofu with kimchi – a sticky, crunchy, salty mishmash – was perfect.
Pudding sealed the deal. Gooey fried rice balls on sticks, dunked in sweet sauce, were fun in texture, but the true highlight of the night was the melon pie: tangy, sweet, tasting nothing like melon at all but more like a Parisian lemon meringue crossed with a Key lime pie – crunchy on the outside, a soft centre, it hit all the happiness spots I didn’t even know existed.
Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis
Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis has an instinct for both beauty and contradiction. Born into one of Europe’s most storied families yet endlessly modern in spirit, she moves easily between the worlds of art and fashion. As a writer and editor, she's written for Vogue, Vanity Fair, and Numero Magazine. One moment she’s interviewing an artist in Berlin, the next she’s walking the Camino de Santiago or unearthing hidden ateliers in Rome.
