Hello everyone! 안녕하세요! We’re proud to present our special series on Halal makan places we visited during our recent trip to Seoul! This round we visited the popular Kervan Turkish Restaurant 케르반!
We were extremely honoured to be invited by the Korea Tourism Organization (Malaysia) to visit South Korea again (we went to Busan and Jeju the last time) and also be a part of the launch of Halal Restaurant Week Korea 2019! More information about that at the end of the post so let’s start on the makan now – 나 배고파!! 
(BTW – head down to our Instagram profile page and watch all the IG Stories from the trip!) 
We actually dropped by Kervan Turkish Restaurant 케르반 after visiting the picturesque COEX Starfield Library. I later found out that this was actually just one of the few Kervan Turkish Restaurant outlets around Seoul!
Another pleasant surprise was the crowd during lunch. I mean, this place was PACKED! And it was diners from all walks of life – workers out on their lunch break, students after school, teens out on dates… And of course, tourists like us 😛
Seems like Kervan Turkish Restaurant 케르반 is the Turkish restaurant of choice for many! And it’s certified Halal!
Something from the grill and Yoghurt Chicken Steak seemed like a popular choice. Spotted quite a few tables with a serving (or 2) of this dish.
I guess it may seem simple but it’s got all you need. A grilled chicken steak that’s been seasoned and marinated with spices. Enjoy with some rice and fries on the side. Be sure to enjoy with the spicy tomato sauce and yoghurt on the side!
Two items that seem familiar up next.
The Butter Chicken is kinda what you’d expect.. but not quite LOL! Okay lah it’s got that buttery flavour but it’s more heavy on the tomato in this case. After all, it is a curry right.
Right up my alley was the Chicken Kebab Iskander – something I quite enjoy even here in Singapore 😀 Tasty Chicken Kebab meat piled atop white rice and topped off with some sauce. A great one-plate meal. SHIOK!
Okay I’m gonna be really honest with you – I’m not 100% sure what this one is called 😛 I mean, on the menu the nearest thing that matches (based on photo) is the Mushroom Peymajun. But I don’t recall any Mushrooms leh…
Anyways, this was actually a straight Cheese Pizza. It reminded me a lot of the Gorgonzola Cheese Pizza we had during our last trip to Jeju 😀 Just cheese and almonds on the pizza which you enjoy with some honey. Trust me – this one really power!
And speaking of cheese…
Quite a few Starters to choose from on the menu. Some Soup and Turkish Bread is a good start. Perhaps some Hummus, Lavash or Salad?
The Pide is not really a Starter lah but it’s definitely good for sharing so y’all can order more 😀 I highly recommend the Mix Pide which has Beef, Veggies and Cheese in it. Look at that stretch! And that crisp exterior is shiok! They’ve got other types of Pide to choose from too.
And of course, be sure to wash it all down with some tasty beverages. The Fresh Mango Lassi was not bad but I personally recommend the refreshing Mojito – non-alcoholic version of course 😀
There’s actually a lot more on the menu at Kervan 케르반 so take your pick. Judging by how popular it is with the locals, it’s safe to say that this is the Turkish restaurant of choice. All this thanks to a great spread and reasonable prices. They’ve got 10 outlets across Seoul!
A Quick Word About Halal Food In South Korea
So in case you’re wondering, it’s (thankfully) getting easier to find Halal food in South Korea these days. Across the country, Halal food and Muslim-friendly options are becoming more readily available. This is in part thanks to the efforts from organizations and events like Korea Tourism Organization and Halal Restaurant Week Korea!
You may see some of these labels when you visit restaurants that are suitable for Muslims to visit. They have 4 main categories that determine the ‘Halal-ness’ of an eatery. This is to be expected lah I guess especially where the Halal food scene is still developing and depending on which part of South Korea you’re visiting.
The 4 categories are;
- Halal-certified (safest as the eatery is certified Halal by the Korea Muslim Federation)
- Self-certified (basically means eatery is Muslim-owned)
- Muslim-Friendly (serves Halal food but may serve alcoholic beverages) *most common*
- Pork Free (eatery does not have Pork but may serve non-Halal meat and/or alcoholic beverages)
It may seem complicated with 4 categories but as always, we can simplify it. Do your due diligence and do not be afraid to #AskTheQuestion especially since you’re travelling. Halal is an individual responsibility so get the info and make an informed decision. Look for these labels at the door. If there is any doubt at all, best to give it a miss 
Our advice is to check out the Halal Restaurant Week Korea website where you can not only find a listing of Halal/Muslim-friendly eating options in South Korea but also enjoy some perks and discounts too! This year’s Halal Restaurant Week Korea 2019 is being held from 1st September til 31st October (longer than a week lah :P).
Check out this handy micro-site – www.hrwkorea.or.kr/coupons/coupons.php – for more details on how to get your coupons okay! Thank you Korea Tourism Organization for taking the initiative to spread more information about Halal / Muslim-travel in South Korea! ??
Kervan Turkish Restaurant 케르반
COEX Starfield Mall 172-117 Samseong 1(il)-dong
Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Tel: +82-2-556-4767
Facebook: www.facebook.com/kervan.halal.restaurant.seoul
Instagram: www.instagram.com/kervanturkishrestaurant
Operating Hours:
10.30m til 10.00pm DAILY
This meal was part of a trip organized by the Korea Tourism Organization (Malaysia).
We visited all kinds of cool places and plenty of Halal makan places including this one! All information (including prices, availability of item on menu and Halal status of establishment) are accurate at the time of posting. All photos used in this site are property of The Halal Food Blog unless stated otherwise.
