At first, Jae-seong’s restaurant operated mainly for acquaintances, but it gradually began accepting external guests.
Even then, those guests were mostly acquaintances of acquaintances, meaning the restaurant’s reputation spread through personal connections.
Because of this, Jae-seong’s restaurant started gaining word-of-mouth popularity.
A mysterious restaurant, built by renovating a dungeon in the middle of a mountain.
Rumors spread that the place was staffed by rabbits and that the food tasted heavenly.
Initially dismissed as a joke, the rumors became more concrete over time, and people realized it was no mere exaggeration.
As a result, Jae-seong’s restaurant, which opened for reservations once a week, started selling out within a second, enjoying immense popularity.
“Hmm, Korean food rarely disappoints. Once again, I’m satisfied.”
And here was a certain woman, Brianna.
She was a food critic visiting Korea on a gourmet tour.
She was also a guest critic for a well-known travel magazine published by a famous tire company, which had become even more famous for rating restaurants.
While quietly evaluating various restaurants across Korea, she happened to get a reservation at Jae-seong’s restaurant through a lucky acquaintance.
“A restaurant inside a dungeon… It’s uncommon, but not unheard of.”
For someone who had experienced all kinds of gourmet travels, a dungeon restaurant wasn’t particularly surprising.
In fact, most themed restaurants like these rarely had good food.
With little expectation, Brianna visited the restaurant with her acquaintances.
Upon arrival, she took in the open space and the entrance of the small restaurant, forming a neutral impression.
“It has a serene charm.”
As someone who didn’t prefer overly extravagant or massive establishments, the ambiance suited her taste perfectly.
The neatly maintained landscaping was also a plus.
Of course, while ambiance was important, food mattered most.
With that in mind, Brianna and her party entered the restaurant.
“We have a reservation under Song Han-young.”
“Welcome. Please follow me.”
The moment they stepped inside, they were greeted by the sight of a restaurant built within a dungeon.
It was quite impressive.
The overall atmosphere resembled a cozy cave, yet the modern aesthetic stood out.
She guessed that a highly skilled professional must have designed the place.
As they followed the staff to their seats…
“A r-rabbit?”
Small rabbits hopped around energetically.
Brianna’s surprised voice drew the attention of her companions, who turned to look in confusion.
— Beep beep?
Their adorable appearance left everyone stunned, unable to move as they let out small gasps of amazement.
“They are our proud employees. Each of them wears a name tag, so you’re welcome to call them by name.”
Park Jun-gyul explained as if he was used to such reactions.
Upon closer inspection, Brianna noticed the rabbits indeed had name tags.
“New… Sprout? Newsprout?”
“Yes. That one is Newsprout.”
“Even their names are cute.”
Even Brianna found herself captivated, staring blankly at the rabbit employees.
She had visited dungeon restaurants before, but this was the first time she had seen one employing actual monsters as staff.
And not just any monsters—these were adorable, intelligent creatures that could even communicate.
Was the owner of this place someone who had awakened a monster-taming ability?
While she found the experience fascinating, Brianna quickly composed herself.
Of course, gourmet dining wasn’t judged solely by taste.
Ambiance and service were just as crucial.
No matter how delicious the food was, if the overall experience was lacking, it would be a failure.
‘In that regard, this place’s atmosphere and service are nearly perfect by my standards.’
Although she had been distracted by the rabbits, the restaurant’s interior had a charming and cozy ambiance.
It felt like being served in a fairytale village where rabbits lived.
The space was both warm and sophisticated.
Moreover, the staff’s service was excellent.
The attendant who guided them to their seats struck a perfect balance—not too formal, yet not too casual—making their hospitality feel natural and pleasant.
The rabbits occasionally checking on them to ensure they lacked nothing were slightly clumsy but only added to the charm.
Truthfully, as long as the food was even remotely decent, Brianna was prepared to give this place a generous rating.
If you visit Korea, this is a must-visit spot.
Already, Brianna was thinking about how to introduce this restaurant as vividly and perfectly as possible.
Just then, the welcome food arrived.
The rabbits served the dishes while Park Jun-gyul, who had previously guided them, introduced the menu.
“This is a bite-sized Korean set. We’ve made biscuits using gochujang, doenjang, and ganjang that were all produced in-house. Next to them, we have bite-sized bibimbap made by mixing various seasoned vegetables and rice. The accompanying drink is a fruit and vegetable juice meant as a palate cleanser to enjoy after your meal.”
Brianna nodded as she listened to the translated explanation.
As expected of a fine-dining restaurant, the dishes had a unique identity.
However, having already tried all sorts of Korean food over the past few days, Brianna didn’t hold high expectations.
Crunch!
“Huh?!!”
One of her companions let out a loud noise.
As someone who valued table manners, Brianna furrowed her brows slightly at the reaction.
But then, as the others also took a bite of the biscuits, they either stiffened or let out sounds of admiration.
“No way, this…!”
“This is insane.”
“Wow, I’ve only heard stories from my acquaintances, but I never imagined it would be this good…”
Are they seriously reacting like this to just the welcome food?
Thinking they were exaggerating, Brianna took a bite of the biscuit herself.
Crunch.
At first, the texture seemed acceptable… until—
“Hngh?!”
A rich nuttiness enveloped her tongue, followed by the savory umami of the gochujang.
The creamy gochujang had been adjusted so that even foreigners could enjoy it without discomfort.
At the same time, its unique depth of flavor blended seamlessly with the biscuit’s crispiness, overwhelming her senses.
Moreover, the perfect bite-size allowed the flavors to be maximized.
As she chewed, the deep taste intensified, making it difficult to focus.
Crunch, crunch.
The biscuit slowly melted in her mouth.
The moment it slid down her throat, her hand instinctively reached for another one.
‘This is delicious!’
She devoured all three types of biscuits in an instant.
Still craving more, she glanced around and spotted the bite-sized bibimbap.
Since she had already eaten plenty of bibimbap, her expectations weren’t as high as they were for the biscuits.
But then, a thought crossed her mind—what if this was just as good?
Without hesitation, she picked up a spoon and took a bite of the beautifully plated bibimbap.
“Mmm!!”
It was unlike any seasoned-rice dish she had ever had.
While the biscuits each had their distinct flavors, this dish was the culmination of them all.
The flavors of doenjang, ganjang, and gochujang harmonized with the various seasoned vegetables and rice grains, blending into a perfect balance.
How was this even possible?
Right as she wondered, Park Jun-gyul appeared and explained.
“Each grain of rice has been coated with a different sauce—ganjang, doenjang, and gochujang—individually.”
“You went to such great lengths…?”
It was truly an astonishing dish.
Not only that, but every tiny vegetable and ingredient added to the mix had its own distinct taste and aroma, making it even more impressive.
‘Is this even possible?’
Each ingredient retained its identity while blending seamlessly, creating a symphony of flavors in her mouth.
One bite was nowhere near enough to be satisfied.
“Did the welcome food meet your expectations?”
“Satisfied doesn’t even begin to describe it. Honestly, if the entire menu consisted only of this… No! Even if the meal ended here, I’d be completely content! Though it would be a shame!”
Everyone nodded in agreement with the enthusiastic praise.
Even customers at other tables chimed in with their approval.
Seeing their reactions, Park Jun-gyul smiled confidently.
“Don’t worry. Even more amazing dishes await you. I can say that with absolute certainty.”
Even better dishes than this?!
Brianna’s eyes sparkled with anticipation.
She could no longer hold back and finally asked, “Would it be possible to meet the chef after the meal?”
Before her companions could translate, Park Jun-gyul, understanding English, responded fluently, “Of course. By the way, I personally prepared the welcome dish.”
“What?!”
Brianna gasped in surprise, unintentionally showing rudeness.
She had assumed the young man in front of her was just a regular employee.
It was only natural—he had such a youthful face.
She wondered if he had even just recently become an adult.
In her experience, East Asians all tended to look younger than their age, but even considering that, the staff member in front of her looked exceptionally young.
“Oh, my apologies. You look so young that I…”
“I turned an adult this year. I’m currently training in cooking here, and thanks to the chef’s guidance, I’ve already been given the opportunity to prepare dishes.”
“At such a young age, you already have incredible skills. How is it possible to make such delicious food…”
“You flatter me. It’s all thanks to the quality of the ingredients—anyone would make something tasty with them.”
Jun-gyul’s words were sincere.
However, the guests, unaware of this, could only shower him with praise.
Feeling embarrassed, Jun-gyul quickly changed the subject.
“Our chef is far more skilled than I am. You can really look forward to what’s next.”
His words only heightened their anticipation.
Right then, a group of rabbit servers came trotting out from the kitchen.
They carried plates and bowls with perfect balance, walking steadily toward the guests.
The air was already filled with a mouthwatering aroma.
Gulp.
Someone swallowed audibly.
The scent alone was enough to convince them that the upcoming dishes would be nothing short of extraordinary.
Just as Jun-gyul had hinted, this was where the real meal would begin.
“The first course is a dish of roasted vegetables—eggplant and peppers, served with potato purée infused with seafood essence.”
Perfectly roasted eggplant and peppers.
Alongside them, a creamy potato sauce.
The faint aroma of seafood lingered, suggesting that broth had been used in the preparation.
‘They just roasted some vegetables, but…Why does it smell this good?’
Brianna immediately sliced into the eggplant.
As soon as the knife cut through, a burst of vegetable juice seeped from the flesh.
“Whoa.”
The aroma was incredible.
Could this scent really come from just a vegetable?
It was so rich that calling it “vegetable juice” felt like an understatement—it smelled as savory as meat drippings.
She placed a bite-sized piece into her mouth…
Gulp.
In that moment, Brianna realized what the ultimate vegetable dish could be.
***
The courses that followed were both innovative and faithful to the fundamentals, maximizing the natural flavors of each ingredient.
Each time a dish was served, Brianna and the other guests were overwhelmed with emotion, savoring every bite—they even shed tears.
This was no exaggeration or metaphor.
They truly cried.
“I’ve never encountered food this beautiful in my life.”
In the end, Brianna was completely moved.
It wasn’t about the presentation.
It was that the flavors were so beyond words that she could only describe them as art.
As she listened to the explanations of the dessert and tea served at the end, Brianna wiped away her tears.
“Even the dessert is perfect.”
The desserts were unlike anything she had seen before.
But more than anything, the scent of the tea was divine.
“We don’t have coffee available yet, but soon, we’ll be offering guests a choice between coffee and tea.”
“I haven’t even tasted it yet, but the tea is already outstanding. The aroma is unbelievable.”
Earlier, one of the dishes had been a fish grilled with tea leaves, surprising Brianna with its refined flavor.
This tea was likely brewed using the same leaves.
The dessert itself felt like walking on clouds.
And when she took a sip of tea to accompany it…
‘This must be heaven.’
Brianna took a deep breath, inhaling the fragrance, and exhaled slowly.
Then, an unexpected sadness washed over her.
This was the end.
But because of that, the aftertaste lingered even longer.
“Of all the restaurants I’ve ever been to, this one is the best.”
“Thank you for your kind words. Ah, the chef is coming out now.”
As the perfect conclusion to the evening, Jae-seong and Orie stepped out of the kitchen.
A thunderous round of applause erupted.
Clap, clap, clap, clap!
Jae-seong looked incredibly shy from the attention, while Orie stood tall and proud.
“We sincerely thank you for visiting Slime & Rabbit. How was your meal?”
“It was amazing!”
“I want more!”
“Is there an encore?!”
Hearing the enthusiastic responses, Jae-seong smiled in satisfaction.
As a final touch, he handed out small glasses of liquor.
“We don’t have a wine list yet, so we couldn’t serve alcohol during the meal. But soon, we’ll be receiving our first supply of traditional liquor. It’s from Ino Brewery in Japan, made from rice and sweet potatoes we cultivated ourselves.”
“Ooooh!”
The final drink.
Everyone took a sip and was once again left speechless with admiration.
Was there anything in this restaurant that wasn’t exceptional?
Even the beverages were beyond what one could find in other high-end establishments.
‘This place is an absolute must.’
Brianna made a firm decision.
Slime & Rabbit needed to be recognized as a national treasure.
And as a guest critic, she would give it the highest praise possible.
Considering she had never once given out such acclaim before, this was a monumental decision.
Even then, she worried—Would even that be enough?
This was the perfect conclusion to her trip to Korea.
As soon as she returned home, she would write a review.
Not just an article—an entire book dedicated to this restaurant.
Cliche Novel 