Cycle 4 – Item 352

23 (Mon) December 2013

Chipotle Buffalo Wings

2.5

at Craftworks Taphouse

-Pangyo, Bundang, Seongnam, Gyeonggi, Republic of Korea-

with CC, JHJ, KJO, LSW

Craftworks Taphouse is a Euro-American-style pub/restaurant chain.  Established in Korea.  Locations include Namsan (Itaewon), Pangyo (Bundang), Downtown (Euljiro 2-Ga), Gangnam (Gangnam Station/Yeoksam).  The menu, which differs slightly from branch to branch, offers generic western fare, such as salads, pizzas, pastas, burgers/sandwiches, etc.   The prices are mid-range, pints ranging from 6,500 to 8,000 won, most plates around 15,000–Mondays are Wing Night: 12 at half-price for 6,000 won.

The star attraction is the lineup of proprietary Craftworks draft beers/ales, all named after famous mountains in Korea, as if to prove the brand’s local origins.

The plan had been to hang out at CC’s place, but I called an audible to start the evening at Craftworks Taphouse when I learned, from CC, that the Pangyo branch had recently opened a couple blocks away.  Going there was the opposite of what he had in mind when telling me, the purpose of which had been to lament the new competition.

Confirming my previous experiences with the brand, the beers were okay across the board but lacked a bit of something.  While fine initially on the nose, perhaps through to the palate, they fell abruptly short on the finish, all traces disappearing upon swallow.  

Same with the food.  Decent but shy of truly tasty.   The wings, for example, not enough hot sauce perhaps, or not enough butter, not enough salt, not enough chipotle – frankly, I couldn’t taste a lick of chipotle – they needed a little extra kick.

After the first round, we settled the bill and went to Flux Pub.

(See also BOOZE)

(See also GLOBAL FOOD GLOSSARY)

(See also RESTAURANTS IN KOREA)