ARVORIG PUB AND GRILL (it is actually a Creperie), 123-1 ITAEWON-DONG, YONGSAN TEL: 795 1533

Up the hill oppposite the fire station, just by the small car park on the left hand side is Arvorig which is another of Pascal, the restaurateurs, Spire Group joints. I wonder if this was his first enterprise (must ask him one day). It is small and reasonably charming, with about six tables outside and a few more inside.

Arvorig serves Breton crepes (savoury and sweet), quiches and salads accompanied with cider if you so desire, to complete the authenticity of the Northern French speciality dish.

The crepes are good and made with buckwheat flour so they taste just right. And if you don't fancy one of the 10 or so suggested fillings, you can create your own hybrid combo as you would a pizza.

Staff are fun here, and will look after you although our waiter was quite thrown when he served us with a warm beer. As we asked for a replacement beer that was cold, he offered to serve the Cass (local beer) in a wine cooler to keep it chilled. When we asked just for a cold bottle he admitted that they had only been delivered that day and were therefore all warm. But he happily swapped it for a different brand of beer that was much colder (but still not Brazilian-style cold i.e. estupidamente gelada).

For three crepes, three beers and an Orangina our bill came to 57,000 won.

FRENCH BISTRO LA CIGALE MONTMARTRE, Itaewon contact details to follow

Owned by the quirky Frenchman, Pascal, who runs the Spire restaurant group in Seoul and is also a part time animator, la Cigale is a cafe bistro right on the strip in the middle of Itaewon High Street. Opposite Starbucks coffee house with tables onto the pavement the set up is classic french city bistro.

Its location surely guarantees its success and most nights the tables are full. Mainly seating is outside, but there are also many tables inside where you can get away from the rabble cavorting around on the pavement in front of you.

The service here is quick and there are many white-aproned waiters buzzing about to serve you quickly and get you out ready for the next paying customer. No objections to this - Pascal has got to make a living. But I did object to a goat's cheese salad including luke warm, pre-fried goats cheese and my beers being warmish. Then the accompanying salad had obviously been pre-tossed in salad dressing before the evening and then kept in the fridge. Even my bacon bits were refrigerated. This is not in keeping with the French bistro environment which in my opinion should deliver simple, quick-to-prepare, freshly-made food and was therefore a bit disappointing.

However, the food is not so bad and for a jolly, busy atmopshere the place is good for meeting people in a joint which anyone can find. Price wise it is mid range for Seoul, a main course will set you back around 15,000 won, beers are around 4,000.

LE SAINT-EX RESTAURANT

Le Saint-Ex, Yongsan-gu, Itaewon-gu, 119-28, Seoul. Tel: 02 795 2465

Le Saint-Ex was the first restaurant I went to in Seoul that wasn't located in some kind of mall, which in my opinion is a very good thing.

It is just off Itaewon high street, up a little alley behind the Hamilton Hotel and opposite the 3 alleys pub. We got there on a dark and rainy night, and the warm glow of the red-walled bistro shone out onto the street. Inside were a happy group of Europeans tucking into their meals with much laughter and chat.

The dessert table is laid out in the middle of the downstairs section, with some good looking chocolate mousses and fruit flans for all to see.This is a small French restaurant with a blackboard of daily specials (having only been there once I dont know if these change every day). It is very neat and tidy, not having the atmosphere of a long-established French joint, but making up for it with a range of jolly Dubonnet and Nestle prints along the wall.

While there we heard one table talking French (which is definitely better than none, I have a rule about not going to French restaurants if the French won't eat there).

We ordered roast scallops on a saffron risotto with asparagus (quite soupy risotto but delicious) and roasted duck breast on green beans with a red wine jus. The duck was cooked to medium as requested and the jus was fine, tasty, smooth and dark. Our side order of pommes frites came cold, but when we pointed this out they were replaced quickly by the smiling waitress who brought some new hot ones.

For two main courses and two small bottles of beer our bill came to 82000 Won. Sadly there was not enough time for coffee or dessert this time.