Did you know you can enjoy fine dining at the Han River with an incredible view? Check out the French fine dining restaurant called Le Da, which literally floats above the Han River. Both the scenery and the food are amazing at this luxury restaurant. Check out our full review below!

Information

Hours: Tue - Sat 12:30-22:00

Address: 3F, THE RIVER, Olympic-daero 2085-96, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
서울 용산구 올림픽대로 2085-96 THE RIVER 3층

Our Visit

Le Da is located within a building called THE RIVER at Banpo Han River Park! At this building there are also cafes, bars, and yacht experiences.

THE RIVER is actually located on a separate platform, which you can reach after crossing a bridge. It really is a place where you can enjoy a meal while floating on the Han River!

After confirming the reservation outside on the 1st floor, the staff will guide you to the elevator and take you up to the 3rd floor! The moment the doors opened, we could already feel a sense of luxuriousness. 

Once you go down the hallway, you'll see this beautiful open space spread out before you! We were amazed at the view and the beautiful interior. We couldn't help but look around in awe! The windows and ceiling are glass, so you get an incredible panoramic view of the Han River and the sky.

The table, chairs, and other interior aspects were all in a clean white tone. Everything was so nicely set up!

There are also a few private rooms, which have a different atmosphere and an even deeper sense of luxury. You can enjoy your meal in a private setting as well while overlooking the Han River!

We were lucky to enjoy ourselves in the private room on the edge. The view was amazing because the 2 walls are both made of glass windows, so we could see everything easily.

It becomes even more beautiful when the sun starts to set across the horizon of the Han River! Being able to have a meal while enjoying such a beautiful sunset is a very rare opportunity. 

From the private room we were in, we could see the Seoul N Tower across the Han River and beyond Dongjak Bridge. 

Let's get into the actual meal! Le Da provides a 10-course meal of the highest quality that changes slightly every day. The dinner menu we had is pictured above and priced at 175,000 KRW. Additional wine pairing options are also available (4 glasses 115,000 KRW / 6 glasses 150,000 KRW).

To start off, we were served a welcome drink. It was a kombucha made from a mixture of black tea and green tea! It had a very refreshing taste and was the perfect way to prepare ourselves for the meal.

The first course, Amuse bouche, is composed of three different components. The dish it was served on was very uniquely-shaped as well!  

The pastry on the left was topped with a chunky shrimp paste, and the piece of the left was a tapioca chip topped with corn cream, as well as actual pieces of corn. Both were very flavorful and light, and were perfect as appetizers!

The third component of the Amuse bouche was a spin on the Korean steamed egg dish. It was topped with basil pesto and caviar! The rich taste of the caviar matched well with the intense flavor of basil and had a texture similar to pudding. We loved it!

We were then served a brioche bun with truffle butter. The bun was warm and fluffy on the inside, and the truffle butter was very fragrant and delicious with the bread.

We didn't end up ordering the wine pairing, but were given a free glass of white wine as service! French cuisine is definitely incomplete without wine, so we recommend at least getting a glass! It's also perfect for Instagram-worthy photos! 

On to the second course! This is a dish with smoked mackerel, grapefruit sauce, lime zest, and yuzu sauce, topped with a slightly sweet pastry in the shape of a maple leaf. The mackerel was very tender and paired perfectly with the sauce. 

The third course is Pâté en Croûte! It is a traditional French dish where pâté, a paste-like substance made by finely chopping ingredients such as meat or fish, is wrapped in pastry dough. This had a mixture of duck meat, pork, mushrooms, and persimmons, and it was delicious when eaten with the accompanying raspberry sauce and salad. 

The fourth course is an abalone dish. The basil sauce and little greens are the highlights. We were surprised at the size of the abalone, as it's not common to see such a large piece, especially considering how pricey abalone can get. It was incredibly thick and delicious, and the sauce provided an even stronger burst of flavor!

Next up is the fifth course, called Mushroom. As the name of the dish indicates, is a dish made with various types of mushrooms. This dish had mushroom-filled tortellini, shiitake mushrooms, and pickled mushrooms, and was topped with crispy enoki mushrooms and real truffle flakes. The foam surrounding the dish created a unique texture and kept all the ingredients together. The different flavors of the mushrooms created a very unique and elegant taste!

The 6th course is called Branzino, which is a European seabass. The skin was pan-fried so it was very crispy and the meat was tender and flavorful. It was served atop a tangy caper sauce, which perfectly completed the dish!

The 7th course, or the main dish, was a duck steak. The duck meat was dry-aged for 2-3 weeks, so it is even more tender than you can imagine! With a dollop of a peanut-based puree, paprika oil, and a mint-based chimichurri, taking a bite spread a wave of excitement in my mouth with all the different flavors.

Watching the sunset outside while enjoying this amazing food was so incredible and made us feel like we were like royalty!

After a little break, it's dessert time! Dessert consisted of two courses, the first course being a cherry-based meringue dish.

It had cherry sorbet with hibiscus syrup and was topped with a raspberry meringue that you can break atop the sorbet with your spoon. It was very delicious, with a perfect balance of sweetness and sourness, and perfectly refreshing!

The second dessert course was a chestnut dessert that very much suited autumn. It consisted of a truffle ice cream topped with a sweet chestnut paste, and a candy-like flower decoration. It was delicious! It was our first time having truffle ice cream, which may sound strange, but we both loved it. 

We thought it was the end here...but there's tea time afterwards! With our coffee and tea we were served a pistachio bonbon, passion fruit jelly, and a cookie choux pastry. 

You can choose between coffee or tea. If you choose tea, you'll be able to directly smell the 6 different types they have available and choose your favorite one! You can really feel the attention to detail here!

After enjoying our coffee and tea, the course was over. We enjoyed every little bit of it until the end! It really was a pleasant meal time and made even more special and unique with the amazing view.

The atmosphere of the restaurant at night is just as beautiful, and has a different charm from the daytime. The night view across the Han River is absolutely beautiful!

We asked if we could get some photos outside, so they led us to the outdoor terrace! You can enjoy a beautiful view of the Han River after your meal and get some great photos.

The terrace will guarantee you Instagram-worthy photos! It was wonderful to enjoy such a delicious meal and capture memories for a lifetime!

How To Get There

Leave from Exit 5 of Ichon Station on Subway Line 4, and take bus number 502 from the Ichon Station bus stop.

Get off at the Dongjak Bridge Cafe bus stop.

Take the elevator down to the first floor.

Walk along the river towards the right while enjoying the view of the Han River for about 7 minutes.

When you see the THE RIVER on your right, you have arrived!

We hope you get a chance to visit this amazing restaurant and enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime experience! If you have any questions or concerns, please leave a comment below or send us an email at help@creatrip.com. You can follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook to stay updated on all things Korea!