Cycle 17 – Item 120
Post 5,964
5 (Tue) May 2026
Bistecca alla Diana
1.5
at La Cantina
-Euljiro 1-ga, Jung, Seoul, Republic of Korea-
with W and IZ
WORK
In its first week, the Seoul Outdoor Library (SOL) ran from May 1 (Friday) to May 5 (today), which is Children’s Day (national holiday). I was curious to see how our booth had held up over 5 days (see previously 17.116 Emmental Mushroom Pizza), and how it would be broken down and stored (they’ll set it up again this coming Friday).
DINNER
La Cantina is an Italian restaurant. Extensive menu – for an Italian restaurant in Korea – offers a wide selection of starters, pastas – including fresh pasta – and proteins. Founded in the 1960s – now a landmark institution.
Afterward checking on our booth, we strolled over to La Cantina for dinner.
In Cycle 7, I’d shared the story of my first date: 1990, senior year of high school, with SK, at Delhi (see generally 7.175 Chicken Curry).
La Cantina is where I took her for our second date.
While Italian restaurants today are now thoroughly mainstream across the country, and improving progressively on the whole, the problem is that they offer a limited number of dishes, and always the same dishes; the reason is that the proprietors of Italian restaurants here, instructors at local culinary schools, and chefs that train from those schools here are not Italian, probably have never even visited Italy, so their current perspective and capacity to expand are limited.
Which is why I was extremely excited by the La Cantina menu. So many dishes that I’d never encountered in Korea, so many dishes that I’d never heard of – where to begin?
Alas, the food was largely miss. First, the quality of the ingredients was subpar. Second, the construction was generally kinda shoddy. Finally, the plating was old-fashioned, the way things were done 36 years ago. The experience was vaguely reminiscent of a crappy Italian restaurant in the States – which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Anyway, with small portions and relatively reasonable prices, I was having too much fun to be disappointed.
Steak Diane was featured way back in Cycle 2, attributing the dish to American cuisine (see 2.163 Steak Diane).
Intrigued to see it on a restaurant menu for the first time, suddenly wondering if the reference to the Roman god Diana indicates that the dish is actually Italian, and upon the strong recommendation of the server, I couldn’t resist.
The worst dish of the spread. In the first instance, the steak (ordered to medium rare) came out nearly raw; requested to refire, the server came back with an entirely new plating, this time cooked to well done – either way, the meat comprised 2 thin slices of tenderloin, more like a pair of cutlets than an actual steak. The onions – the “Diana” of the dish – were weirdly sweet and mustardy, more like a topping for hotdogs. The only saving grace was the baked potato, although the sour cream, chives, and bacon bits were distinctly American in character. The buttered carrot and creamy broccoli sides were also very American. A rip-off at 43,000.
And yet, over the protests of W and IZ, who hadn’t enjoyed the meal in any respect, I made a reservation for this Friday, when I’ll host dinner for Mom and Dad on Parents’ Day. Stay tuned.
(See RESTAURANTS IN KOREA)
(See GLOBAL FOOD GLOSSARY)
(See HANSIK)
(See BOOZE)