Beyond the Food: A Canadian Family’s Memorable Meal at Gold Tuna
What remains after a trip ends?
While the tourist attractions visited and the food eaten are memorable, there are scenes that remain exceptionally vivid even as time passes. Moments like who sat together at a table and what stories were shared.
On the afternoon of August 6th, there was such a table at Goldtuna (골드참치) Bangi branch. A family living in Canada visited during their trip to Seoul, and their daughter's friend joined them.
A Meal Changed from Dinner to Lunch During a Seoul Trip
The initial plan was dinner.
However, it was difficult to secure a table that evening, so the group changed their time and visited the Bangi branch for lunch.
In a travel itinerary, meal times intertwine with other plans. This is because one must consider visits to tourist attractions, travel time, and the schedules of all family members.
This family chose midday instead of evening. Thus, six people sat together at one table.
A family living in Canada and their daughter's friend having lunch at Goldtuna (골드참치) Bangi branch on August 6th. Six people are seated at one table, with a tuna tray and food placed in the center.
A Daughter's Friend Joins the Family Travel Table
What stands out in this photo is the composition of people rather than their nationality.
A daughter's friend accompanied a family trip with parents and children. Another person with whom the child has a relationship sat at the family table.
During a trip, a restaurant is a place to eat, but also a place where people in transit sit for a while. At tourist spots, people look in the same direction, but at the dining table, they face each other.
The counter (bar) seating at Goldtuna (골드참치) Bangi branch.
Food Eaten on a Trip and the People Eaten With
Running a restaurant makes me realize that memories of food and memories of people are not separate.
Food is remembered depending on who you ate it with, and sometimes a certain dish brings back memories of the person you were with at that time.
This is also why Goldtuna (골드참치) has been recording photos of guests for a long time.
Tuna cuts and courses are the food that makes up the meal. However, what remains in the photos is usually not just the food. It is the sight of family, friends, lovers, and colleagues sitting at the same table.
The photo from August 6th is the same.
While there is tuna in the middle of the table, what occupies most of the photo are the faces of the six people.
A full photo of the Goldtuna (골드참치) 2-person 15-course meal.
‘Memories of Sitting Across from Each Other While Eating Together’
Lately, I have been refining a manuscript for a book titled "How Much is Your Heart Capital?"
It is not a book about running a restaurant. It is a project to organize what remains from my life—people, relationships, work, failures, and the process of starting over—under the term ‘Heart Capital.’
In that manuscript, there is a section titled “Memories of Sitting Across from Each Other While Eating Together.”
I wrote this sentence there:
“Some meals are remembered by faces rather than the menu.”
Bluefin Tuna Belly
This is a thought that naturally formed while meeting countless people at the restaurant.
A single meal disappears once eaten. However, who you sat across from that day often comes back to mind at unexpected moments much later.
I cannot know how the lunch on August 6th will be remembered by this family after they return to Canada.
However, at Goldtuna (골드참치), one photo remains of six people sitting across from each other at a single table in Bangi-dong, Seoul. That is reason enough to record this meal.
Southern Bluefin Tuna Belly
Goldtuna Bangi Branch and Sinsa Branch
The Bangi branch, where this case took place, is a location in Jamsil and Bangi-dong that hosts many family dinners and gatherings of multiple people.
The Sinsa branch can be considered when looking for a relatively quiet spot for small family meals, dates, or business dinners during your schedule in Sinsa-dong and Garosu-gil.
Swordfish Belly
Real Cases Worth Checking Out
☞ A Famous Dining Spot for Foreign Families in Jamsil: Goldtuna Bangi Branch Chosen by a Family from Hawaii
This is another case of a family from overseas visiting the Bangi branch. Looking at this alongside the Canadian family case, you can see different records of foreign families using the Bangi branch during their trip to Seoul.
☞ A Review: "I only came for dinner, but after trying lunch, I'll come back for the great value."
This is a real customer review that can be referenced when using the Bangi branch for lunch instead of dinner, like this family. It is a record left by a customer who usually visited in the evening after trying lunch for the first time.
A full table setting of the Goldtuna (골드참치) dinner course. Centered around the specialized tuna tray, various menu items including sushi, grilled dishes, fried dishes, meals, and desserts are captured in one frame.
“When tuna meets Goldtuna (골드참치), it becomes a work of art.” We strive to put sincerity, gratitude, and a spirit of service into every single piece of food.