A Date at “Hidden”

Written and photographed by Cami Ismanova.

The culinary world is diverse in the City of Light. “Of course,” you might say, “Who doesn’t love to have a fragrant cup of coffee in the morning, grab brunch at a nearby café, or go out for dinner at a favorite restaurant?” A lot of new and interesting places are emerging day by day, making our daily choices easier. We are so lucky that nowadays we can use SNS to find a bunch of new restaurants to satisfy our tastes and preferences.

Among all the hidden gems of Gwangju, the restaurant featured in this article is truly “Hidden” (히든, Hideun). It is a small, elegant restaurant in the downtown area serving exquisite dishes cooked by the friendliest chef, Bak Jae-hyeong (박재형). It has a unique atmosphere, accompanied by a simple, yet stylish interior suitable both for a chill dinner with friends or romantic dates. The place offers a variety of mouthwatering dishes such as Salmon Tartar, Galbi Risotto, Chicken Vegetable Salad, and many others. There are always cheese and fruits for appetizers while waiting for your order to be served. “Hidden” also offers a variety of wine and cocktails to freshen up a hot summer evening.

When I visited “Hidden” for the first time, I was pleasantly surprised by the presence of fresh flowers on the table. “Beautiful and thoughtful,” I noted to myself. Then the chef served us a glass of water and handed the menu to us. The menu is purely in Korean; an English version is not provided. However, the chef can help you out by suggesting a flavorful dish in case you do not speak Korean. We ordered the Chicken Vegetable Salad, the Salmon Tartar, and two glasses of sangria. The Salmon Tartar is scrumptious! It is served with hot crispy bread loaves on the side to put fresh, dulcet salmon pieces on. The Salmon Tartar, which I personally love, is light and flavorsome. However, if you happen to be a gannet and/or a gourmand, you might find it too light. In this case, I would recommend ordering the more substantial Galbi Risotto. The sangria they serve can be fairly described as “ambrosia”; it is that lovely. It is divine, for every sip is balsamic, leading to a rich aftertaste. For a delightful gustatory finale, there are desserts like Strawberry Cream Bread and Cube Bread with Jam for you to choose from.

Now, I will move to the practical part of the review. The place can be awesome, but what is the use if one finds it less affordable, right? But “Hidden” played even this card wisely, since the prices match the quality. The price range for the main dishes is from 8,000 won to 15,000 won, depending on their size and complexity. The desserts’ prices start at 7,000 won and the sangria prices start at 6,000 won. “Hidden” is open from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. every day except Sundays. You might want to book a table in advance, but I find it unnecessary. You can contact the owner and/or check up on the menu contents via SNS.

To conclude, I would say I genuinely enjoyed my evening at “Hidden.” I loved the tasty food, the nectarous wine, and the welcoming atmosphere in general. And do not forget to bring lovely company along with you to create new memories in a new place.

P.S. Although I will include the address below, I would like to give a hint to hopeless wanderers like me: “It is on the corner!”

HIDDEN

Opening Hours: Daily, 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. (closed Sundays)
Address: Munhwa-jeondang-ro, 23-beon-gil 34-1, Dong-gu, Gwangju
광주 동구 문화전당로 23번길 34-1
Tel: 010-6607-7272

The Author
Cami is a student at Chonnam National University majoring in economics. Cami writes poems both in English and Russian as one of the ways to express herself. She happens to love traveling around and reading classics.