Korean craft beer, gargantuan meatballs at Malt in Seoul

At Malt, a gastropub that opened two months ago in Seoul's Nonhyeon-dong, drinks and grub take equal standing.

Craft beer, cocktails and whiskey are paired with eats that lean toward rib-sticking fare like meatball pasta, roast chicken and Scotch eggs.

"One can have a meal here," said Jo Yun-mi, 27, of the two-chef team at Malt, explaining how Malt is not a small plate-centric spot, but one where portions are substantial.

Meant to serve as both a dining and sipping spot, the newly minted 36-seat establishment rides the line between posh and casual, maintaining a relaxed vibe with its spaced-out seating, bar and breezy veranda.

Run by Malt operating partner James Beesley and two friends, the spot seeks to forge its own place in the burgeoning gastropub market with top-notch eats and drinks.

"We're in the pursuit of that kind of excellence," said Beesley, 29.

"Excellence," by Malt standards, translates to tasty and hefty grub like fried chicken and baby back ribs and an extensive drinks menu that includes 12 craft beers on tap, 34 bottled craft beers, 18 different cocktails included bottle-aged concoctions and both single malt whiskey and bourbon.

Of the draft beers, about half are from Korean craft breweries, Beesley revealed, gesturing to taps pouring solid brews like Pogona Brewery's Pacific Ale.

Pogona's Pacific Ale, Beesley explained, is a local brew that is "light" with "great citrusy notes."

Lean with fizzy aromas of grapefruit and a slight bitter tang, Pacific Ale is refreshing and finishes clean on the palate, a great brew for the last few weeks of summer.

Local brewery the Hand and Malt's Mocha Stout, with its meaty body and lovely chocolate nose, and its pleasantly hoppy Slow IPA are on tap as well.

All those brews are great on their own, but also good paired with eats like Malt's "colossal" meatballs and roast chicken.

Golf ball-sized meatballs crafted, chef Jo revealed, from a blend of Iberian pork and Australian beef threaten to overwhelm the generous tangle of tagliatelle on the plate.

Roast chicken is precisely just that: one whole bird, brined to tenderness, slathered in a 12-spice-and-herb rub and then slow-roasted for three hours, according to Jo, before being finished at high heat for a crisp crust that is sweet, caramelized and fragrant, thanks, in part, to the brown sugar and fennel used to coat it.

"When the weather gets cooler, we are planning on adding more stews and mussel-based fare," Jo said.

Beesley is also keen to continue to bolster the drinks menu and even hopes to add one of Malt's very own craft beers to the selection in the future.

Malt
Where: 96-2 Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Contact: (010) 4224-3466; www.malt.kr
Open: 3 p.m. to 2 a.m. Mondays through Saturdays, closed Sundays.

Draft beer costs 8,000 won (S$9.50) to 18,000 won, snacks cost 8,000 won to 14,000 won, big plates cost 16,000 won to 32,000 won, highballs and cocktails cost 15,000 won.