Brunch in Yeonnam-dong

It can be hard to find a nice, calm brunch spot in Seoul despite the endless places to eat in the always-hungry city. Yeonnam-dong, a small residential area right by Hongdae which has seen a rise in hip, independent shops and cafes, has some of the perfect spots for your relaxing weekend brunch.

Up until a few years ago, Yeonnam-dong was a completely residential area. In the span of a few years, small shops began opening up right in between complexes of the tiny alleyways, and the area soon became the new hip spot. Yeonnam-dong is popular because it offers a wide variety of shops, restaurants, cafes, and provides an opportunity to try international dishes not common in other parts of Seoul.

smør

Smør is a cute, open-area cafe that serves Nordic and Danish breakfast menus. While most Koreans enjoy a hearty bowl of rice to start the day, Western-style brunch is becoming popular among younger people. Smør comes from smørrebrød, which is a Danish open-faced sandwich with toppings like salmon, shrimp, boiled eggs, herring, avocado, and veggies of your choice. It is a fulfilling, healthy meal that can be made colorful to your taste.  

They also offer Nordic or Danish style breakfast trays. The Danish tray comes with homemade yogurt, rye bread, sunny-side-up eggs, grapefruit, kanelsnegl (Danish cinnamon roll), and bacon. The Nordic tray comes with smoked salmon, homemade yogurt, morning roll, scrambled egg, avocado, and sausages. There are 6 tiny plates on a tray which are decorated beautifully and look as good as they taste. 

sarr

Now I am not a fan of pancakes, but I always wanted to try to super thick, fluffy Japanese-style souffle pancakes (makes sense since I'm more of a French toast person). In a tiny alleyway of Yeonnam-dong is a pancake-specialty shop called sarr (사르르, is a Korean onomatopoeia for the sound of something melting) , where I got to try the fluffiest pancakes. 

You may be wondering, is this really a brunch? Brunch, dessert - it doesn't really matter because these pancakes are so darn good. Yes, you may get a blood sugar spike and be really sleepy after all that sugar...but sugar is so good. Maybe the coffee will help you stay awake.

Sarr has a small kitchen and the worker starts cooking the pancake as soon as he takes the order. They tell you that the pancakes take about 20 minutes each, but it's a nice chance to relax and chat with your friends while you wait. As long as they take, the pancakes are really cooked with perfection and care. 

Their Sarr Pancake comes with ricotta cheese, blueberries, whipped cream, and maple syrup. The There is also the Banana Pancake, Tiramisu Pancake (yes), Berry Berry Pancake, and Green Pancake. Seriously...dessert heaven.

When I bit into the pancakes (my friend and I tried the traditional and the Green Pancake), happiness literally filled my mouth. You can't imagine the typical American-style thin pancakes, but the texture more resembled a combination of cake and custard. It's the kind of taste that gets a bit heavy after a while, but you keep eating, and then you feel like you need some kimchi fried rice after. 

Places like sarr are becoming more popular around Seoul, but sarr is unique in its interior design and calm, quiet location in Yeonnam-dong. The shop had a beautiful and classy interior. 

cafe time: veranda cupcake

If you've spent a few days in Korea you know...cafes are a must. Coffee is surprisingly really popular in Korea, and sometimes a receipt from a cafe can be more pricey than a meal. The first Starbucks in Korea opened in 1999 and currently South Korea is ranked as one of the countries with the most Starbucks stores per capita.

But you just don't go to a Starbucks in Korea. Cafes in Korea are no longer just for coffee, but new cafes have been popping up that constantly compete to offer newer dessert/drink menus, stylish interiors, and aesthetic photo spots. 

While walking through Yeonnam-dong, my friend and I saw a 2nd floor cafe with comfy sofas facing outward on the balcony. Customers were happily chatting and enjoying dessert under the sun. Because there are so many cafes, they all try to have that one thing that is more appealing than the cafe right next door. This cafe was called Veranda Cupcake, and it was obviously a popular choice. 

"keep calm and eat a cupcake"

Their specialty handmade cupcakes were beautiful and they had a variety of (very expensive) drinks. Because all the cafes in Seoul are so nice, in the end it doesn't really matter where you go, as long as you have a nice, relaxing quality time. Spending a day in Yeonnam-dong obviously offers a lot to choose from, but most importantly remember to keep calm, enjoy the vibes and make a memorable day.

Jungsik

Jungsik is a two Michelin star contemporary Korean restaurant in Tribeca. I got to try some dishes from the restaurant's $150 course and it was the most pleasing experience to both the eye and mouth.  

Korean food is considered the trend in New York and other big cities, with many restaurants offering "Korean-style" chicken or other fusion foods. While in New York, there are many places that do offer authentic Korean cuisine, Jungsik puts an innovative touch to Korean dishes, offering New Yorkers a delightful experience to try their unique menu. 

Jungsik is considered a contemporary, fusion restaurant. They offer course meals which range from $100-$200. It is definitely not a common, daily experience to eat here, but their beautiful dishes live up to the price. Each dish is inspired by a Korean dish, such as Kimbap or Kalbi, but definitely nothing you've ever seen on the streets of Seoul. 

I got to try the octopus, kimbap, and kalbi. One juicy piece of octopus leg came out on a dish and as soon as I bit into it, it melted in my mouth. Fried octopus is common fast food in Korea (usually ten or more pieces, not one), but Jungsik's octopus was completely different. I was amazed how such a common, fast food could be reinvented into a high quality dish.

Kimbap is also a popular fast food and one of the most loved Korean dishes. At the specialty kimbap places in Korea, they make the kimbap and roll it up in foil in less than two minutes. It's the best type of food to eat while you're on the go. Jungsik's kimbap felt and tasted completely different. The outside was a bit fried and was as flavorful as the octopus.

The dessert is also on another level. Like I said before, every dish is a piece of art that pleases both the eye and the mouth. I got to try the Baby Banana, which was basically a banana and a scoop of ice cream on a dish. The surprise was that the banana was the dessert itself, not an actual fruit. It was a white chocolate cake made to look exactly like a banana, with the most delicate detailing. 

Jungsik shows fusion cuisine at its best. Ultimately, it's not about whether the authentic or the fusion style is "better." You can't say which is better, the authentic Korean-style octopus leg or kimbap, or Jungsik's re-invented fusion style dishes. Sometimes you crave the simple, homemade taste while sometimes you crave an upscale dish made with high-quality ingredients. Jungsik takes Korean ingredients and recreates a dish that has the familiar Korean taste but is also new, surprising, and innovative. When done well, fusion can invite more people to appreciate a cuisine and learn its stories and culture. 

 

Supermoon Bakehouse

Croissants, donuts, cruffins. This newly-opened bakery is the ultimate temptation for the sweets lover. The cute little store is also a hype and attraction due to its modern, hip interior design. 

Ever since the introduction of cronuts by Dominique Ansel Bakery, baked goods are becoming more and more innovative. While the plain donut or croissant are good on their own, why just have one when you can indulge in a high-calorie, overly (perfectly) sweet combination of your favorite desserts? The cruffin became the new cronut, a creation of Mr. Holmes Bakehouse (locations in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seoul).

Supermoon Bakehouse was newly opened in New York, founded by the co-founder of Mr. Holmes Bakehouse. At Supermoon Bakehouse, you can choose among a variety of flavors of croissants, donuts, and cruffins. Their flavors change often, so you can expect a surprise every time you go. Banana Split Sundae, Matcha and Lemon, and Ferrero Rocher are just some of the croissant flavors. They also have savory croissants such as Ham and Cheese and the New York Croissant, which comes with lox and cream cheese. Hey, croissants go well with everything.

The marketing and design of this bakery are done very well. When you walk in, there is a long display counter with beautiful croissants laid out in a single line. The baked goods aren't behind a glass window like most bakeries, but you get to see each one and when you order, they bring them out from the back.

The walls also have cute neon lights and everyone awkwardly waits, hoping to get the table with the best background for the Instagram photo (I did this). Their to-go boxes are also cute and super shiny. Basically, everything about this bakery is a dessert dream come true. 

As long as you aren't on a diet and live in New York, it is definitely worth it to visit and try a different flavor for each day of the week.