Ladies and gentlemen, have you ever noticed how sometimes the best looking food actually turns out to be pretty awful tasting? And that principle also works in reverse; sometimes the frumpy looking dishes turn out to be amazing? This rule seems to hold especially true when it comes to desserts.. I can't count the number of times I've oohed and ahhed over something sweet and then bitten into it, only to find it lacklustre and mediocre at best. But what if I told you that now you could have both aesthetic pleasure AND fantastic taste for dessert?
Wait, what..? Have your gorgeous cake and eat it too? No way!
YES WAY!
This little place called By Jae Jae, run by two sisters, does some very attractive desserts -- specifically, macarons. Feast your eyes upon these gorgeous little critters!
Are they not the most adorable macarons you have ever seen?!
Now let me start by saying that I don't actually like macarons (or at least I didn't until today). Previous experience left me scarred and thinking that all macarons were far too sweet, like edible diabetes in circular form. So at the shop today, my original intention was to buy just a couple of macarons at most. But as I stood there, with rows and rows of adorable little faces gazing up at me, I realised I couldn't choose between them and ended up buying one of each flavour. And boy am I glad that I did!
As it turns out, the macarons from By Jae Jae's are nothing like what I've had before. They're not overly sweet at all and the texture is fabulous -- crisp shell on the outside, soft and moist on the inside. And the filling.. Oh man, the filling! It's incredibly flavoursome and delectable.
Cuteness overload!
Black sesame flavour.. look at that beautiful piping!
The macarons come in two sizes: small ones, as pictured above (2,000 won each), and double-sized ones (3,500 won), and they are of course handmade and hand-decorated by the two sisters themselves. The designs and flavours change every week and you can check their website or Instagram account for updates on the current week's releases.
This week they have black sesame, salted caramel, mocha, double blueberry, chocolate banana, Oreo, and cherry rose.. and that's just for the small ones.
Cherry rose, chocolate banana, Oreo flavours
I am so sorry.. but I must eat your face.
Cherry rose. My favourite flavour so far! Amazing rose-flavoured cream
with a splodge of cherry jam in the centre.. :F
Check out the double macarons!
Pineapple, soybean, lemon orange, strawberry yoghurt,
milk chocolate, passionfruit, double blueberry..
Urgh... I want them ALL.
Urgh... I want them ALL.
Small macarons.
The showcase is empty because I bought them all. u__u
More macaron options!
(Excuse the poor photography T__T)
(Excuse the poor photography T__T)
As mentioned before, By Jae Jae is a little place.. and by that, I mean literally little. It's a tiny shop and when you enter, you're greeted by a showcase refrigerator and that's pretty much it. There's no eating area, they don't sell drinks, it's just straight up macaron retailing and you can be in and out of the shop in a jiffy. (Unless you're like me, and it takes you forever to decide on anything.)
As the designs and flavours change each week, it's hard to imagine ever getting tired of these and I think you could easily keep going back for more. They also do custom orders (for example, macarons with people's names on them) which would really make great birthday gifts, or Christmas gifts, or any kind of gifts really.. or not even gifts, just.. something to gobble down at home all by yourself. *cough* .____.;;
If you love macarons and/or cute things, I would say this place is definitely worth checking out! Go there and show them some loooove!
By Jae Jae, Seongnae-dong
Hours: 11am - 9pm, Thurs - Sun (closed Mon - Wed)
Address: 서울시 강동구 성내동 405-45 (405-45 Seongnae-dong, Gangdong-gu, Seoul)
Website: http://blog.naver.com/wodms172
Instagram: @byjaejae
Directions: From Dunchondong Station (line 5), exit 4, take the second left and cross over to right side of the street. Head straight for four blocks. By Jae Jae will be on your right.
