An evening in Seoul, one plate at a time — October 23, 2026
Tonight’s dinner took me to ONYVA (오니바) in Cheongdam-dong (청담동), Seoul. Six photographs tell the story: a colorful opening plate, a crisp folded bite, mushrooms beneath a yellow sauce, a fish course, a meat course, and a simply presented chocolate ice cream dessert.
It was also a good opportunity to explore a different side of eating in Korea. Learning about food here can take you from neighborhood markets and familiar home cooking to a restaurant where French technique meets Korean ingredients.
A French Name, a Seoul Address
The name recalls the French expression “On y va” — “Let’s go.” In Korean, you might say 가자! (gaja!) to a friend, or 가요! (gayo!) for a polite “Let’s go!”
ONYVA sits on the basement level of a Cheongdam side street. The MICHELIN Guide classifies its cuisine as French and highlights its use of Korean ingredients. It is included in the guide; its current listing does not carry a Michelin star.
The wooden table in the evening provided a warm visual thread. Against that background, the plates change from bright red and green to earthy browns, pale yellow, and orange.
Tonight’s Dinner, in Six Pictures
1. A Colorful Beginning
2. A Crisp Folded Bite
3. Mushrooms and Yellow Sauce
4. Fish with an Orange Sauce
5. The Meat Course
6. A Simple Finish: Dessert
Korean You Can Use at Dinner
You do not need a large vocabulary to ask useful questions in a restaurant. These expressions can help you learn more about what arrives at the table.
Two useful words are 재료 (jaeryo), meaning “ingredient,” and 소스 (soseu), meaning “sauce.” Asking about either can turn a beautifully presented plate into a small Korean lesson. A French name, a Cheongdam address, and a succession of carefully arranged plates made this evening the subject of my latest Seoul food story.
Visiting ONYVA
● Korean name: 오니바
● Address: B1, 15 Dosan-daero 75-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
● Korean address: 서울 강남구 도산대로75길 15, 지하 1층
● Telephone: +82-2-516-3352
● Website: https://www.onyva.kr/
● MICHELIN listing: https://guide.michelin.com/en/seoul-capital-area/kr-seoul/restaurant/onyva
