Elephant attack boosts business at Seoul eatery

SEOUL - A Seoul eatery that was trampled by elephants is back in business with a new name and a new menu that aims to capitalise on its bout with pachyderm pandemonium.

The restaurant that serves barbecue and other traditional Korean foods was closed for a month for repairs after three elephants rampaged through its plate-glass front. It has just reopened with a new name: "Restaurant Where Elephants Have Been".

Owner Keum Taek-hoon said on Monday she had used the 18 million won ($NZ25,740) insurance money to remodel her eatery.

It now has a sign featuring three elephants and a new, 7000-won menu item called an "elephant set" that consists of seven vegetable side dishes and a hot soup.

Keum, who plans to decorate the restaurant with pictures of pachyderms, said the elephant set has proved wildly popular.

On April 20, six elephants escaped from a zoo and roamed around the South Korean capital.

Three of them crashed through the eatery, sending staff and patrons fleeing in terror. The elephants crushed tables and stools and also munched on carrots.

Keum said patrons have been heading to her newly reopened restaurant out of curiosity and sales have doubled.

"What can I say about the elephants? Thank you for causing the trouble? Well, that just might be right," Keum said.

- REUTERS