South Korea Voyage: The FOOD (Part 3 con't)

CAFES/TEA HOUSES

Since we visited Korea in January, the coldest month of all, we made a lot of stops to cafés or tea houses. And I absolutely enjoyed it. I must admit that I am the kind that loves sitting in a café or a tea house and watch the world go by or be buried nose-deep in a book. I also enjoy a good cup of coffee or tea, sometimes accompanied by pastries or cakes. Sweet tooth. But let me clarify that I am a simple coffee drinker. I do not know how to tell if a coffee is full-bodied, slightly roasted or what-not. In short, I am no coffee expert.

Anyhow, there is this good tea place that we visited at Insadong (仁寺洞/인사동). It is called O’Sulloc and they have a few branches all over Seoul. Apparently their tea leaves are grown in Jeju. I ordered a hot cup of Apple Honey Milk Tea (I could not remember what I ordered exactly but thankfully they have the menu on their website. Visit it: http://www.osulloc.com/main.jsp?intro=skip) and a Jasmin Chocolat cake. The tea is interesting. There are actually small bits of apple pulp in the tea, but it is all at the bottom of the cup so you have to dig for it. It is a heartening drink, especially when we were taking refuge from the cold outside. The shop is tastefully decorated in a modern-minimalist style with light-coloured wood furnishings highlighted by soft warm yellow spotlights. It has a Japanese flair with the likes of Muji. I also liked the ceramic tableware used, very handmade-looking, very personable. It is a wonderful place to chill out if not for the high pricing of their teas and cakes. Admittedly it is all very well done, but it is an indulgent treat.

My Apple Honey Milk Tea at Osulloc. 

Sweet treats!

The other place I visited is Angel-In-Us Coffee. This is a local café franchise. Like I said before, I am no coffee expert, so I really enjoyed the rose-flavoured coffee that I ordered. I like anything rose-flavoured or rose-scented that is sweet (not sickeningly sweet) so it is not difficult to please me.  The branch that we visited is at iPark Mall at Yongsan Station (where we had our dinner at Noobul). It is a mid-sized shop, enough to seat around thirty people. The shop is decorated in dark wood and has a predominant angel wings motif. It also has Christmas decorations, like everywhere else! Christmas is already over, but you can see Christmas trees and Christmas decorations everywhere. I wonder why. Maybe it is to do with the season, winter equals Christmas. Go figure.

Angel-in-us Coffee. I have an aversion to the name.

Another local coffee franchise is A Twosome Place. The name is a little discriminatory. What if I am with two others? Meaning I leave one at the door while the two of us go in for a hot cuppa? Or what if I am single and alone? I am denied entry? Bah humbug. A Twosome Place must be a very large coffee chain because almost every two to three streets you will spot one outlet. I have nothing much to say about simply because I did not order anything brewed or baked by them. I ordered a bottle of Amazon Honey Green Tea with Ginseng (made in USA) and a pre-packed muffin. I highly doubt the muffin is baked by them.

Speaking of everywhere, Paris Baguette is everywhere too! There is one in every street, I swear! We bought bread from it on one of the nights for breakfast tomorrow and they are overpriced. A bun costs around 3000₩, which is about S$3.60 per bun. I cannot imagine Breadtalk or Four Leaves selling buns at more than S$2 unless they are super large with lots of filling. There is another bakery franchise named Tous Les Jours, which is cheaper and personally I feel, offers better variety of buns and cakes. This is my go-to bakery for a quick hunger fix, for breakfast food or for a cup of hot latte. It is as good, or better, as Paris Baguette.

I love their milk packaging.

One thing though, Tous Les Jours and A Twosome Place are endorsed by celebrities. One of those small-eyed, snow skin dudes full of hair and small mouths. I am no good with Korean celebrities (unless they are in Running Man or have been in it), so I have no clue who they were and I do not give a rat’s ass. Almost everything in Korea is endorsed by a celebrity. I cannot stand it or understand it. I can see the need for cosmetic and skincare brands to have endorsements by celebrities/humans because, a face or some skin is needed to show the efficacy of the brands. But bakeries and coffee joints? Seriously? I am baffled and quite repulsed by the trend and I just hoped it will not spill over to SEA.

But oh wait, pawn shops in Singapore are celebrity endorsed *slaps forehead*.

End of Part 3 and the Food section of the South Korea Voyage.