tapenade

I’m not sure why I would be surprised to find a decent Spanish restaurant here – I’ve come to realize you can find a good (if sometimes slightly Korean-style) version of most cuisines in Seoul and its suburbs.

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Yolk and Whites is yet another good offering in the neighborhood of Baekhyeon, the pedestrian-friendly neighborhood that still offers quite the set of decorations if you find yourself missing the holiday season already – or if you have an affinity for selfies and/or unicorns.

Our first bite of the night was a simple tapenade served with an unsweet cranberry bread. I love olives, so this was an easy win for me.

Yolk and White has a white and red sangria, both of which are served with a large cinnamon stick and citrus garnish. The wine is good quality and not overpowered by too much sweet flavor – the taste mirrors the minimalist fruit presentation. I prefer the white sangria to the red, but both would be mellow pairings for almost any choice on the menu.

For our next course we ordered a jamon charcuterie plate, which came sprinkled with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Together with the garlic and green onion tossed tomatoes and crostini, it was a salty and delicious appetizer. I would have liked to try the Iberico, but at 45,000 Won, the price was a bit prohibitive.

The paella had a wonderful seafood infused taste without any fishiness, the rice was perfectly cooked and soaked up all the other flavors, and the mussels and clams were very good. Unfortunately, I think having all the seafood in the pot the entire time it was cooking produced shrimp and squid that were overcooked.

The shrimp and squid fared slightly better in the creamy seafood pasta – both were more tender. The sauce was an excellent consistency, prepared with a healthy heaping of garlic and topped with fresh parmesan. Both our choices for main dishes had a generous serving of seafood, and I particularly enjoyed the shellfish in this sauce.

Yolk and Whites produces well-presented dishes in a comfortable atmosphere. The main courses are built to share, so make sure to bring friends so you can sample a few.