L'Amant Secret

Located on the 26th floor of L'Escape Hotel, L'Amant Secret (French for secret lover) is an intimate space inspired by Parisian sensibilities. Chef Son Jong-won, who honed his culinary chops in the United States, strives for a style which he refers to as Korean-style Western cuisine with Korean seasonal ingredients. His modern interpretations are based on local ingredients blended with Western cooking techniques, resulting in creations that are both original and familiar, respectful of the symbiosis between the producer and the ingredients as well as the kitchen and the diner.

Rooftop Garden-to-Table

• Small bites are made with crops grown in the rooftop L’Amant garden, with some dishes sourced directly from the garden for garden-to-table elements.

Parisian Escape in Seoul

• The restaurant’s interior is designed as a Parisian escape in the heart of Seoul, blending Parisian elegance with a contemporary Korean setting.

Five-Year Michelin-Star Streak

• L’Amant Secret has held a Michelin star in the MICHELIN Guide Seoul & Busan for five consecutive years (2021–2025).

Signature Ingredients

• Snow crab: A highlighted seafood star on L’Amant Secret’s menu, frequently cited by guests as a must-try. The dish pairs delicate snow crab with peas, reflecting a modern Korean interpretation of French haute cuisine; the crab showcases the kitchen’s refined technique, precise cooking, and elegant plating, elevating premium seafood within a Korean-Western fusion context.
• Lamb with greens: A signature meat course praised for its tenderness and presentation. The lamb embodies the restaurant’s synthesis of French technique with Korean seasonal flavors, typically accompanied by greens to balance richness and highlight freshness, making it a defining showcase of the menu’s balance between strength and restraint.
• Rooftop garden produce (L’Amant garden crops): The restaurant sources small bites and ingredients from its rooftop garden, underscoring a farm-to-table ethos and the use of ultra-fresh, in-season produce. This on-site cultivation defines the menu’s terroir and emphasizes seasonal variation, giving signature ingredients a direct line from garden to plate.
• Korean seasonal ingredients: Central to the cuisine, reflecting a Modern Korean Cuisine approach that blends Korean ingredients with contemporary Western techniques. The kitchen emphasizes ingredients that are seasonal and native to Korea, integrating them into refined, French-inspired dishes to create a distinctive fusion identity that marks L’Amant Secret’s signature flavor profile.