CaFace (selfie latte cafe), Hongdae

If there's one thing Koreans love doing, it's taking selfies. Anytime, anywhere, ain't no shame in snapping a picture of your own mug... Ha ha hahhh. Hah. *cough*

 
So... Taking this blatant love of self photography and combining it with the fact that Korea is no stranger to kookily themed places, it stands to reason that someone would eventually open up a selfie-themed cafe, right?

Well, at CaFace in Hongdae you can have your selfie and drink it too. Here's how:

First, select your drink from the menu. Prices range from 3,000 won to 5,000 won, and there's an added 2,500 surcharge to have your photo printed on the drink. (At the time we visited, the owner told us photos could only be printed on cold drinks.)

Next, step into the photo booth beside the counter and take your selfie. Use the tick button on the screen to send the photo to the counter where it'll be printed onto your latte using a food printer.

Finally, pick up your drink when it's done and proceed to take more photos of your own face (in latte form).

Here is an excellent stalker picture of the owner focusing on our latte as it goes through the printer. Hoho!

I went there with my monkey son on the last afternoon of her holiday here, and this was the end result of much monkeying around:

We are goons, yes.

One thing that I really liked about the cafe: there was no shortage of power outlets, so if you need to charge your phone or have some important work to do on your laptop, you can come along and plug in just about anywhere.

Sooo many outlets... >:F

They also have big, fancy booths with comfy padded seating:

I'm not sure how this cafe will fare come winter time when subzero temperatures set in and people start drinking hot lattes instead of cold... Then again, maybe people's love for selfies will outweigh the discomfort of freezing their insides with icy drinks in the middle of winter?
We shall see, eh?



CaFace, Hongdae
Address: 서울시 마포구 서교동 358-51 (358-51 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul)
Website: www.facebook.com/caface.seoul
Directions: From Hongdae Station exit 9, take the second left. Cross over to the side with Forever 21, and take the third right. Go straight and take the third left. Follow the alley up and you'll see CaFace on your left.

My Juice, Hongdae

These days, it feels like it's just one wacky thing after another with my body. It's as though all my internal organs have turned on me, in some kind of outlandish conspiracy with the foods I love. Bread leads to yeast infections. Dairy makes me flatulent. Coffee leaves a lovely, unpalatable coating on the back of my tongue... Wah, wah, wah. And all this leads to the sadface question: what's a girl to drink at a cafe if coffee and milk are out?

"Well," you might say, "there's always juice?"

And juice there is!

Enter My Juice, a new-ish cafe chain that has been popping up a lot lately on Korean blogs and various forms of social media. Apart from the obvious appeal of selling freshly squeezed juice, which is healthy, the other attraction (I gather) is that the juice comes served in plastic drink bottles that resemble "My Bottle" (those ones that cost upwards of 30,000 won a pop). These My Juice bottles are recyclable and reusable, and you can take advantage of a nice 500 won discount if you bring yours back to use on your next visit.

Spinach, apple, & pineapple juice, 5,300 won

The procedure to fill your belly with juicy goodness is simple. Choose your bottle size, choose your ingredients (up to three), and pay up.

There's a decent variety of fruit and vegetables available, and for indecisive folks (like me) who go through great ordeals when having to decide on just about anything, the posters with recommended combinations definitely help to take the brain strain out of choosing.

Another nice thing about My Juice is the layout and design of the place. At the branch I visited in Hongdae, the decorations were simple but modern and chic, with splashes of yellow here and there. Gotta love yellow for positive energy vibes!

Another shot of My Juice. (Hah! See what I did there?)

As for the juice itself... It was tasty but a bit too sweet. I'm not sure if it's because of the ingredients I chose, or if they perhaps add in "natural fruit syrup", as a lot of places seem to do (like Beesket). Maybe next time, I'll opt for two veggies and one fruit instead.

My Juice, Hongdae
Hours: 12pm - 10pm, closed Mondays
Address: 서울시 마포구 서교동 332-22 (332-22 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul)
Website: http://www.myjuice.co.kr
Directions: From Hongdae Station exit 8, take the first right, go straight for 2 blocks and turn left at the roundabout. When you come to the next roundabout, make a right and then take the first right again. Look out for My Juice on your left, a few metres down.

*Note: My Juice also has branches in Haebangchon, Jongro, and other cities like Busan and Gwangju. Check out their website for details on each location ^^

Ori Pekoe, Hongdae

On a rainy day when the skies are dark and gloomy, there's nothing quite as comforting as curling up with a nice hot drink and a good read. I was really feeling that a few days ago while trekking through Hongdae in the rain, so I decided to stop off at a lovely little cafe called Ori Pekoe.

Ori Pekoe, a pun on the tea industry's "orange pekoe" with the word "ori" (meaning "duck" in Korean), specialises in tea and is fittingly decorated with duck paraphernalia everywhere. It's located in the back streets near the university and has actually been around for quite some time. In fact I can still remember it from when I used to live in Hongdae (well over 4 years ago) but even though I'd walked past it several times, I'd never actually gone inside before. Given how quickly things close down and new things pop up in Seoul though, I'd say this place must be doing something right in order to have lasted this long.

Outdoor terrace for warmer (and non-rainy) weather

Upon stepping inside, I was reminded exactly why I had never visited the place... It's kinda pricey. It was pricey back then and it's still pricey now, especially by Gangbuk standards. Drinks range from 5,000 to 7,000 won (most being 6,500) and if you're a cheapo like me, that might be enough to send you running for the nearest exit. But if you're looking for somewhere to treat yourself, or if you're rich and not at all fazed by a drink costing the same price as an entire meal, then this place definitely makes a great spot for a nice cuppa and some relaxation time.

Since I was there to splurge, I figured what the hell, and ordered one of the most expensive drinks I could find on the menu -- a "tea-ccino", which was basically milk tea with foam on top, cappuccino style. Much to my delight, the drink came out with an adorable duck drawn on the foam and served in a 'My Neighbour Totoro' cup, atop a matching saucer.

Mint chocolate tea-ccino, 7,000 won

As a huge Studio Ghibli fan, the gorgeous crockery won massive brownie points in my mind. You can't go wrong with Totoro on a rainy day! And aside from the lovely cups, there were also a million and one cute objects strewn around the room, with no shortage of ducks in every shape, size, and form.

So much cuteness everywhere!

 

Another nifty thing I really liked (keeping in mind my odd fetish for inspecting people's bathrooms, hah) was the toilet being hidden away at the back of the cafe. To access it, simply roll back the bookshelf and voila! A passageway leading to the bathroom (which also happened to be well-decorated and laden with plenty of adorable figurines and knicknacks).

Being the ultimate cheapo, I probably wouldn't visit this place on a regular basis, but it's definitely a gorgeous place to spend time in, what with its comforting, homely atmosphere, friendly staff, and plenty of lovely decorations to admire. Perhaps I'll visit again... after payday. XD

Ori Pekoe, Hongdae
Hours: 1pm - 11pm, closed on Mondays
Address: 서울시 마포구 서교동 358-103 (358-103, Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul)
Directions: From Hongdae Station exit 9, take the second left. You'll want to cross over to the right side with Taco Bell and Forever 21. Follow the road up like you're heading to the university and after passing the third right, look out for a set of stairs between two buildings that lead to the back streets. Take the stairs up and Ori Pekoe will be in front of you to the right.

Molly's Pops, Hongdae

Ice cream is one of those foods that is extremely hard to say no to. Ice cream in kooky flavours is even more so. Ice cream in kooky flavours that's handmade in a quaint little shop with cute decorations is... GARGHHH.... Get a mop quick before someone slips in my puddle of drool! @__@

Molly's Pops in Hongdae is an uber cute little place that sells handmade ice cream and is run by a lovely, smiley lady whose daughter's English name is Molly. The owner started off making ice cream pops for her daughter in lots of different flavours and eventually decided to open up a store and share her awesome creations with the masses.

At any one time, there are usually about 12-14 flavours on offer including funky ones like Erdinger beer, wine & strawberry, and wasabi, along with unique Korean flavours like injeolmi (powdered soybean) and Kahlua makgeolli (Korean rice wine). At 3,500 won a pop (see what I did there? Hah!) they're a bit more expensive than a scoop at places like Baskin Robbins, but when you consider the fact that they're handmade and there are funky flavours you wouldn't find in regular chain stores, it seems entirely justified. Plus the owner is super nice. I don't know about you, but when I go to a place with friendly staff, I usually feel inclined to spend more money. This meme comes to mind:

XD

Anyway.. As the owner is constantly coming up with new flavours, sometimes things are rotated or eventually phased out, so what you see during one visit may not be there next time.

As an example, in winter last year I saw marscapone cheese:

And I have not seen it again since. :(

In summer, I saw milk tea:

But I haven't seen that again since, either. .___.;;

I'm not sure if those flavours have been discontinued, or if I just have bad timing with the rotations, but I've certainly learned my lesson: If you see any flavours you like, get them right away (even if it means eating several ice creams at once) because the opportunity to taste that flavour may never arise again.

Life is too short to miss out on kooky ice cream!! T_____T

Some of the pops I've tried so far:

Kahlua makgeolli. (Excuse the blurriness T__T)

This stuff is YUM. Couldn't taste much Kahlua but the makgeolli was definitely there. Makgeolli is a fermented rice wine which some people find kind of stinky. With this ice cream, you can taste the makgeolli but there isn't any of the fermented smell that usually comes when you crack open a bottle.

Wasabi. (Excuse the blurriness T__T)

I've heard that people either love this or hate it. Unfortunately, I think I'm in the latter group. For me personally, sweet and creamy + spicy and radish-y was not a good mix. Everybody's tastebuds are different though, so you should definitely try it for yourself. ^__^

Wine & strawberry, mint chocolate.

Wine and strawberry was pleasant -- sweet and fruity thanks to the strawberry, though I couldn't really taste much wine. Mint chocolate was great. This is my favourite ice cream flavour at Baskin Robbins, and Molly's Pops does it really well.

Injeolmi (powdered soybean).

My favourite at Molly's Pops so far. There are actual pieces of rice cake in it, which are soft and chewy, and the flavour of the ice cream is exactly like real injeolmi. 

This is what satisfaction looks like. XD

The store is quite small, so there aren't many seats (only a couple of small tables inside and in the warmer weather a couple more outside). However, they do offer take away if you order four or more pops, and they package it up nicely for you with dry ice. Since winter's drawing to a close and warmer weather is on the way, me thinks I shall be staking this place out a lot more. >:D



Molly's Pops, Hongdae
Hours: 12pm - 10pm, closed on Mondays
Address: 서울시 마포구 서교동 332-21 (332-21 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul)
Website:  http://mollyspops.com/
Directions: From Hongdae station exit 8, turn right and head up the street until you reach the roundabout. Turn left and walk for a block until you reach another roundabout. Take the first right and then turn right again. Continue down this street a few metres and Molly's will be on your left.

Gami Udon, Hongdae

Several years ago, my co-workers and I used to live in Hongdae in a pleasant little alley called Fuck Street. Okay, so of course that wasn't its official name but someone (a modern day Picasso, no doubt) had spray-painted the word FUCK in huge block letters across a wall near the entrance of the alley, and thus it was branded in our hearts as Fuck Street forevermore.

The good thing about Fuck Street was that although being somewhat hidden away from the public eye, it was still relatively close to all the happening places in Hongdae, including lots of great restaurants. One such restaurant, literally just a single street away, was Gami Udon. When it first opened up, we could not for the life of us figure out why it was so popular. Regardless of the time of day, there was always a swarm of people milling around outside waiting for a seat. Finally, curiosity got the better of us one day and we decided to try it. And BOOM. The answer was clear within seconds of the food reaching our table.

Gami Udon, as you've probably guessed from the name, specialises in one thing -- udon noodles. But these are no ordinary, run-of-the-mill udon noodles. We're talking handmade, nay, handcrafted udon. (Because making noodles that taste that delicious should seriously be considered an art form.) The udon is freshly made in-store and the texture is amazing. It beats the pants off of regular udon served at other restaurants and is quite possibly the best I've ever had in Seoul. If you're at the restaurant at the right time, you can catch the noodles being rolled out near the window by the lovely staff in their cute Japanese-style uniforms.

The first time I went with my co-workers, we struggled a fair bit with the menu as there wasn't anything in English and it was one of those cases where you point randomly at something and cross your fingers that it won't turn out to be indigestible. But now that my Korean has improved (slightly -__-), I can finally understand the menu better (slightly -__-).

The top part of the menu lists the types of udon dishes they have and is split into two: hot on the left and cold on the right. Below them are the sets where you can get your noodles with a side of tempura or fried chicken.

Hot udon (from left to right):
Kake -- basic soup udon, 5,000 won
Wakame -- udon with soup and seaweed, 6, 000 won
Tsukimi - udon with soup and a raw egg, 6,000 won
Kamatama - no soup, but a special sauce made of egg and soy, 7,000 won

Cold udon (left to right, all 6,000 won)
Bukkake -- udon with dashi sauce
Zaru -- udon with dried, shredded seaweed on top
Cold -- The menu literally just says "naeng" which means "cold" in Korean, so I'm guessing maybe it's a fusion of udon with Korean style naengmyeon broth?
Shoyu -- soy sauce


On a recent visit there, my friend and I decided to be ultimate dwaejis and got 2 sets: tsukimi udon with tempura (9,000 won), and bukkake udon with fried chicken (8,500 won).

While the tsukimi was nice, and I imagine it must be perfect on freezing cold winter nights when you need something to warm up your insides, for me the real star of the show was the bukkake:

The noodles were deliciously chewy, and the broth was savoury with just enough of a sweet tinge to balance it out. That and it had a name akin to something out of a porn film, so it was just plain fun to say out loud. XD

It's odd, since it's all the same udon, but I suppose the heat of the tsukimi soup caused the noodles to become softer, while the coolness of the bukkake broth kept the udon firmer, and a firmer texture with noodles is something that I personally prefer.

Apart from the noodles having a most satisfying texture, they were also crazy long and it was extremely enjoyable attempting to slurp them all up in one mouthful.

Yes, that's one single strand of udon.. and doubled over the chopsticks too, so you can just imagine how long the whole thing is. o__O

Food from the sets that also deserve some love:

Deliciously crispy batter on pumpkin, sweet potato, and prawn tempura

Crispy on the outside, tender, succulent chicken seasoned with salt and pepper on the inside

Apart from the food being incredibly scrumptious, another reason for the constant queues is probably due to the restaurant being quite small, with less than 10 tables.

This keeps the lines going during peak hours, but if you have the patience to wait it out, I'm sure you'll find that the food is worth it!



Gami Udon
Hours: 12pm - 9pm (break between 3pm-5pm), closed Mondays
Address: 서울시 마포구 서교동 346-31 (346-31 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul)
Directions: From Hongdae Station, exit 9, take the first left and follow the road all the way around the bend until you reach the part where it splits into 3. Take the road on your left, a bit like making a semi U-turn. Follow this down a few metres and Gami Udon will be on your left.

Cafe A (cake buffet), Hongdae

Because I am a dwaeji, and also a cheapo, there are few things in life more pleasing to my ears than the words "buffet" and "all you can eat". So needless to say, when I heard about an unlimited cake buffet in Hongdae, my inner heffer was immediately titillated.

The deal is that you buy one drink per person and pay an extra 6,900 won for unlimited access to sugar + carbohydrate utopia. As drinks start from as low as 3,900 won, this makes it entirely possible to have all-you-can-eat dessert for as little as just over a manwon.

DROOL.

Of course, this price isn't going to get you anything like high tea at The Ritz in London, but the value is definitely there and (most of) the cakes do taste pretty decent.

Fancy coffee devices and sweet, sweeeeet cakes.

Antigua Guatemala drip coffee (5,500 won), frappe (5,900 won)

The cafe has 13 different types of cake and, being the dwaeji I am, I resolved to try every single one of them. My first slice was the green tea mousse cake:

I hate to say it, but this was a mistake. It didn't really seem to be "mousse", but rather 2 layers of sponge cake coated in something green that tasted like the kind of faux cream they use to ice the cakes at Paris Baguette. Sadly, my stomach doesn't have a high tolerance for that stuff and I also found it didn't have a strong enough green tea flavour for my liking, so that was a disappointment.

For the next few rounds, I decided to revise my strategy and not give up any more precious stomach space to the fake mousse, going straight for the cheesecakes instead:

Chocolate cheesecake

(Not really "chocolate" though, as the only cocoa content seemed to be in the base and the decorative stripes in the glazing)

Layered cheesecake

(Can't really say there are many layers going on here... u__u)

Questionable names aside, I'd say the cheesecakes were pretty decent, as far as cheesecakes in Korea go. I'm sure most foreigners are all too familiar with the awful experience of biting into a "cheesecake", anticipating that rich, smooth deliciousness, only to find that what they're ingesting is nothing but a misleading mass of cheese-coloured material that tastes like a sponge (*cough* Paris Baguette *cough*). Fortunately, that didn't happen at at Cafe A. Their cheesecakes were smooth and creamy with a bit of tang, just with a lighter texture and not as rich as their western counterparts. I really liked the layered one with its crunchy chunks of chocolate biscuit.

Some of the other cakes on the menu included:

Tiramisu

Plain cheesecake

Chocolate ganache cake

Cassis cake

Mountain strawberry mousse cake

At the end of the day, I wound up having only four pieces, which was a far cry from the thirteen I'd been so gungho about devouring.. A sad story coming from the fatty who could once down half a pizza and a litre of chocolate ice cream in one sitting. Age must be catching up to me, hah. :(

Regardless though, I still think the cafe is worth visiting if you have a sweet tooth, a ravenous appetite, and an innate desire to penny-pinch whenever possible. (Like me!) My only recommendation is to start with the cheesecakes first before you move on to trying the mousse ones. XD



Cafe A (Cafe Amazing Grace), Hongdae
Hours: 11am - 12am (midnight)
Address: 서울시 마포구 서교동 364-21 (364-21 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul)
Website: http://cafea.co.kr/
Directions: From Hongdae Station exit 9, go straight and take the second left. Here, you'll want to cross over the road to the side with Forever 21 and Taco Bell. Take the third right, onto the "parking street" where you'll find lots of parked cars in the middle. Follow this street for a couple of minutes and you'll reach a 4-way junction. Keep going straight and Cafe A will be on your left, just a few metres down from the junction, next to Ho Bar Ten.