Oh, gentle Top Cloud, why must you be so incredibly expensive? This, sadly, was my main thought as I sat through my many course meal looking out at an amazing view of Seoul city + mountains.

I knew what the bloggers have said about Top Cloud. I read that the taste is nothing to write home about and that it is overpriced. I tried to convince my fellow food lover and friend, Phil, we should try something different and leave Top Cloud for a special time. But, after he saw pictures of the view, he wouldn’t hear of it.

I am going to just spare you the suspense and put my review right here. There is nothing wrong with the food in preparation or asthetic. However, the bloggers are right, it is just okay food. While there is nothing wrong worth noting, there is nothing spectacular either. I was only blown away by the thought that everything just needed more flavor. Where was the flavor, TC?  I kept waiting for a dish to astonish me, as I went with an open mind, but it never came and I felt bad about the price tag.  Everything about the style and the preparation and the taste was very old fashioned by Western foodie standards. I think its beyond time to up the game. Even Koreans are going to start commenting on the blandness eventually, I’m sure.

The service is pretty good. The restaurant called the verify the reservation early in the day and I thought that was a good sign. There were a lot of staff members, impeccably dressed, to show me to anywhere I needed to be. However, once they plopped the food down in front of me, they tried to vanish. Several times my friend had to ask what it was that we were about to eat before the server attempted to skadoosh outta there without a peep in Korean or English. At about 150.oo0 won per plate, you need to explain everything to me like I’m a Queen of the Han River and I’ve never seen food before. Jeez.

So there is that about the food. The views and style of the restaurant are beautiful. They are Top Cloud’s saving grace. There is no way they could ask for those prices with an everyday view.  And, weirdly enough, the best pictures of the view were actually taken from the women’s bathroom. I visited the ladies once again to take pictures after I discovered how amazing it looked.

NOTEs: This is my first post with my new camera! I got it on the day. I’m still learning how to work with it and deal with lighting but some of them turned out beautiful and I am so excited about it. 

Also,  there was one additional course I did not review or post a picture of which was fois gras. As I didn’t know that my friend pre-ordered the set meal I had no idea we would be served this dish. I don’t want to promote eating this dish as it is a horribly cruel, inhumane and unnecessary process. My friend ate my piece and I didn’t ask how it tasted.  Apparently all the set meals come with it but if you go, I would kindly suggest asking for a substitution. 

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