Cafe Majo & Sady, Dongdaemun

If you've lived in Korea for any amount of time, or even just visited on a holiday, chances are you've heard of an app called Kakao Talk. Kakao Talk is pretty much the Korean version of Whatsapp, except with much cooler emotions. Along with the default yellow smileys, there's also a set featuring these two webtoon characters called Majo and Sady:

Majo is a brown bear and Sady is a white rabbit, and supposedly they're married. Hmmm.

Hehe

Even though I don't know much else about them, there's a special place in my heart for them because they have a pooping emoticon. This is the emoticon Angry Eddie and I always use if one of us needs to go to the bathroom:

Well, now that we're all up to speed on my bowel movements and have thus become intimate buddies, let us move along!

In August of 2013, the first ever Cafe Majo & Sady (a themed cafe dedicated to these two characters, in case you couldn't tell by the name :P) opened up in Sinsa-dong of Seoul. Since then, a multitude have popped up including two in Jeonju city and several more around Seoul (Dongdaemun, Nowon, and another coming soon to a spot between Cheongnyangni and Sindap stations). If you're not in Seoul, fret not as they're also planning to open branches in Suwon, Dongtan, Bucheon, and Busan.

The one in Dongdaemun happens to be closest to my area, so off I went to check it out. It was a grey, gloomy day out, but even that couldn't detract from the awesomeness of the place:

It was half snowing, half raining so these little guys got moved inside.

Mmm... sweet, sweet desserts.. 4,800 won for a cupcake, 5,800 for tiramisu, 8,500 for pancakes, and 9,500 for the brunch set (pancakes, salad, soup, and a sausage)

Funky waiting buzzer

Okay, I'm not guna lie. Despite being hungry, I thought the cafe was kinda pricey so my miserly reflexes kicked in and I ended up settling for just a latte.. A cheese latte. I live on the wild side, yo!

Cheese latte (4,800 won)

On the first floor, the corner beside the counter was set up with plenty of merchandise for purchasing:

And the second floor was where all the decorating and plush toy magic happened:

Although it's a bit expensive by my cheapo standards, I would probably still come here again because it's really hard to say no when everything is so cute. Even the drink cups are adorable!

Luckily I'm the kind of person who can nurse a single drink for several hours, so forking out a bit more is fine if it means I get to loiter around for as long as I like and soak up the pleasant atmosphere. Hooray for Korean cafe culture where it's considered acceptable to linger for extended periods of time, and hooray for Korean cafes with uber cute deco! XD



Cafe Majo & Sady, Dongdaemun
Hours: 10am - 11pm
Address: 서울시 중구 광희동2가 172 (172 Gwanghee2-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul)
Website: http://www.cafemajosady.com
Directions: From Dongdaemun History and Culture Park Station, exit 3, you can see the cafe across the road to your right. It's best to take the crossing that's a little to the left of the exit, as there isn't one in front of the cafe.

Crack Ice Cream Paradise, Wangsimni

This is just a hunch, but I have a sneaking suspicion that my body has two stomachs. One is for regular food and one is for ice cream. I've arrived at such a theory after observing on numerous occasions that it doesn't matter how bloated I am after a meal, my body will just automatically make more room whenever ice cream becomes involved.

Case in point: after stuffing myself silly at dinner yesterday, I was trudging around the shopping mall groaning and feeling sorry for myself. But then, as soon as I laid eyes on this place, I instantly wanted in. Perhaps it was because the name cracked me up? (Yes, pun intended. Hah!) Or, more likely, I suspect it was my dual stomach theory coming into play.

These days soft serve ice cream has been all the rage around Seoul, especially the kind with bits of real honeycomb thrown in. I daresay Crack Ice Cream Paradise is just the same, except with a quirkier twist: you can get yours with a syringe jammed into it.

Here's the menu, courtesy of their Facebook page:

It may be worth noting that not all of the ice creams come with syringes, just the Sweet Syringe, Very Berry, Oreo Crunch, and Crack Bee.

When we ordered our soft serves, we were given the choice of regular milk ice cream or frozen yoghurt. I decided to go with yoghurt for my cup of Very Berry, as it seemed like the somewhat "healthier" option. (*cough* a last ditch attempt to ease my guilt over being such a glutton.)

Crack Bee (4,500 won) & Very Berry (4,000 won)

Apparently they only use native honey from Jiri Mountain in their desserts.

I was a bit surprised because this is the kind of novelty thing I would expect to see in Japan, not Korea, and I thought the concept was pretty funky. I didn't think that the stuff tasted exceptionally outstanding or anything; don't get me wrong, it was definitely tasty, but just not on a holy-smokes-I-need-you-in-my-life-NOW kind of level. (Then again, that may be my own fault for choosing frozen yoghurt instead of proper ice cream. Seriously, who goes to an ice cream shop and orders frozen yoghurt? <__<)

For some reason though, the novelty of using a medical instrument to squirt out liquid all over my food really appeals to me. (I'm just a tad bit weird, I suppose.) So, if you're an oddball like me, or perhaps you're just looking for somewhere cool to go for dessert and you happen to be around Wangsimni, I would recommend checking this place out.

Added bonus, if you're going to see a movie at CGV, you can present your ticket for a 10% discount.

Yum yum, jabby jabby!

Crack Ice Cream Paradise, Wangsimni

Hours: 11am - 11pm
Address: 서울시 성동구 행당동 168-1 엔터식스 4층 (4th floor, Enter-6 Shopping Mall, 168-1 Haengdang-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul)
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Crack.ice.co.kr
Directions: From Wangsimni Station, head into the Enter-6 Mall and make your way up to level 4. Crack Ice Cream Paradise is right outside the food court, in front of the escalators.

Air Cafe (airplane cafe), Hapjeong/Hongdae

I am a self-confessed freak when it comes to themed cafes. I simply adore them. I love analysing the concepts behind their interior designs, I love oohing and aahing over the decor, and I absolutely love that feeling of escaping the humdrum of the regular world to be surrounded by a completely different atmosphere, even if it's only temporarily.

For that reason, I was super excited when I stumbled upon a few different blog entries (such as this one) about a place called "Air Cafe" in Hapjeong. According to the posts, the Air Cafe was an airplane themed place that served food set out like airplane meals, and you could sample different meals from different countries. The pictures showed the food all nicely laid out, as well as a ton of adorable decor that made it feel like you were in an airplane. Also, there were nifty little extras such as a menu shaped like an airplane ticket, with the ticket stub serving as your receipt that you could keep as a cute little souvenir. My themed cafe fetish was instantly aroused, and I decided that I simply had to check out the place. So, off to Hapjeong I went.

Air Cafe tucked away on level 3

50% discount if you get your drinks to go >:D

Awesome elevator decorations

Unfortunately though, the cafe didn't turn out to be like how I'd expected. Yes, the place still had the same theme, with the same layout, and the same gorgeous decorations..

But very much to my disappointment, the menu had changed -- both form and content-wise. Now it was no longer a plane ticket, but an arrival card. (Needless to say, there was nothing you could tear off and take back home with you. Sadface. T__T) Also, there didn't seem to be any airplane style meals, only drinks and a few snacks.

Arrival card menu

Kaya toast (4,000 won) & strawberry juice (5,800 won) 

Because I hadn't eaten lunch that day, I was really looking forward to eating there, so perhaps the disappointment hit harder than it would have under normal, non-hangry circumstances.

I definitely would still recommend this place if you're looking for somewhere nice to kick back and relax while you sip on a latte (or beer.. they do have alcomohol there). The decorations and little trinkets around the place make for a lovely environment to chill out in.. but, if you're hungry, it might be better to fill up somewhere else first before you go.

Air Cafe, Hapjeong
Hours: 11am - 11pm
Address: 서울시 마포구 서교동 404-19 갈물빌딩3층 (3rd floor Kalmul Building, 404-19 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul)
Website: http://blog.naver.com/the_air_cafe
Directions: From Hapjeong Station exit 3, take the first right and continue straight down until you can't go any further. The Air Cafe will be in front of you.

Yutaro Ramen, Cheonho

Japanese ramen, in my opinion, is one of the best foods to have in cold weather or on rainy days. Of course it's hard to beat the original stuff that you find in the Land of the Rising Sun, but if you've got a hankering for the sodium-infused soup dish, there's not much you can really do, short of rushing to the airport and hopping on the next plane out... Or is there?

Hoho! >:D

Luckily for dwaejis like me, Korea has its fair share of decent ramen restaurants, and Yutaro Ramen in Cheonho is one such place. I remember stumbling upon this particular joint on a day when the weather was exactly as described before. It was on a cold, dismal, grey Saturday in November last year that I set out to go house hunting with Angry Eddie. When we met at the agreed spot, we had an idea of which real estate agency we wanted to visit, but neither of us could function properly because we were both so hangry. (Hungry + angry. Worst combination EVAAAAR.) So, we decided it would be best to fill our bellies first with some comfort food before getting down and dirty with the hunt.

We didn't really know our way around the area, but in an attempt to head towards the general direction of the agency, we somehow found ourselves staring down the entrance of an alleyway with a few small restaurants in it, and Yutaro Ramen just so happened to be one of them.

The place isn't that big; there are only about 10 tables inside, but it's lit with warm yellow lighting and has a lovely, cosy feel to it. The menu is pretty simple:

As it turns out, Yutaro is a chain but at this particular branch there are some cute little hand-drawings on the corners of the menu, and I think these are supposed to represent the staff who work there. The bald man with the quirky moustache rolling out dough is the owner. It's quite cool, because that's exactly what he looks like and the last time I visited, he was indeed rolling out dough to make the ramen noodles with.

Yes, that's right. At Yutaro's, they make the noodles themselves and if your timing is right, you too might be able to catch them churning out the long strands of yellow goodness from the machine near the entrance.

Another very pleasing factor is that the soup is made from pork bone stock that's been boiled for at least 12 hours. This gives the liquid an amazing infusion of flavour that really hits the spot and helps to warm you up nicely.

So... handmade noodles + rich, savoury broth = ??

Shiro ramen (6,500 won)

A very satisfying end result, that's what. Even the egg is satisfying, and it's not just any ordinary egg either. It's been cooked to perfection in a soy sauce concoction, so there's none of that bland, rubbery egg white business, and the yolk is just solid enough around the edges while still being deliciously gooey in the centre.

Okay, so if I'm to be perfectly honest... Yutaro's probably isn't *the best* ramen I've ever had in Seoul, but it's definitely right up there with the good stuff. It's very, very satisfying, and I really love the cosy atmosphere of the place and how friendly the staff are. Oh, and added bonus that you can get free bowls of rice with your ramen.. All you have to do is ask. ^____^ Winner winner, chicken dinner! XD



Yutaro Ramen, Cheonho
Hours: 11:30am - 10:30pm
Address: 서울시 강동구 천호2동 454-44 (454-44 Cheonho2-dong, Gangdong-gu, Seoul)
Directions: From Cheonho Station exit 5, go straight and take the first left after Emart. Continue to the end of the alley then turn right. Take the second alley on your right again and look out for Yutaro Ramen a few metres down from the alley entrance.

Princess Diary Cafe (wedding dress cafe), Edae

Whether or not you consider yourself a trendy fashionista, everyone has something that they wouldn't be caught dead wearing out in public. For some, it could be blindingly bright neon colours, for others perhaps it's baggy sweat pants. For me personally, it's frilly, girly things. Don't get me wrong, plenty of women wear frilly, girly apparel (especially in Korea) and they manage to look stunning. But with my body shape and manlike mentality, flouncy shirts and dresses are the stuff my fashion nightmares are made of. So when I heard about Princess Diary Cafe, a place where you try on fancy wedding dresses and prance around in them, my initial reaction was stuck somewhere in the middle between amazement and horror.

However... Because I'm a sucker for themed places and concept cafes, my curiosity eventually got the better of me and I managed to find a friend who was willing to come along and play dress ups so I wouldn't have to embarrass myself in public alone. (Why suffer in shame alone, right?)

The concept behind Princess Diary Cafe is really simple. Enjoy a nice non-alcomoholic drink, get dressed up to the nines, and unleash your inner camwhore.

Drinks on the menu start from 5000 won and you can have your drink either before wearing the dress, or after. Dress rental is extra, ranging from 10,000 won right up to 40,000 won for the very elaborate, fancy ones.

Foreigner-friendly menu! Hurrah! :D

The majority of dresses available are wedding gowns, but if that's a little too flamboyant for you, they also have some evening gowns that are more simple, yet elegant, and hanbok (traditional Korean dresses). As an added bonus, you can also drag your boyfriend, husband, or other unsuspecting male friend along with you because they have suits, tuxedos, and male hanbok too. Fun times for all, eh? :P

Just one of the rows of dresses available.. o__O

After we'd finished our drinks and picked out our dresses, the very lovely owner of the cafe helped us get dressed in the back room. While perusing the dresses, there didn't seem to be any specific sizes. In fact, they all looked rather large and I wondered how we would be able to wear them without them falling off. It turned out that the cafe owner has years of experience in the fashion industry (having previously worked in Dongdaemun, fashion capital of Seoul) and with her nimble, deft fingers, a pin here and a pin there suddenly transformed a hapless mass of chiffon and lace into a dress with a perfect fit. Amazeballs!

We were told to put on the super tall 12cm heels which she plunked down in front of us (she even knew our shoe sizes just by looking at our feet!) and then she sat us down in front of the mirror to put on some shiny hair accessories.

Sparkle sparkle!

After that, it was time to camwhore like our lives depended on it.

First, the owner helped us take pictures by taking my camera and directing us to pull different poses in various spots around the room.

Then she left us to our own devices to wander around and snap a bajillion selfies.

This here is a frame of lights designed specifically for selfies, 
being utilised by my partner in crime. XD

There are tons of props and items around the room just begging to be used in your photos, but what I really love are the small decorations at every corner. They look great on film of course, but even if you're not taking photos, they just make for a really lovely, quaint ambiance in the room.

So... While I probably wouldn't come here on a regular basis, especially as dressing up isn't really my thing, I think Princess Diary is one of those places that you should visit at least once while in Seoul. Both the atmosphere and the owner are truly lovely, and the cafe brings together gorgeous decorations, tasty drinks, and a brilliant excuse to camwhore shamelessly. Added bonus it's also in the same building as Egg and Spoon Race, so you can have brunch first to boost up your energy for all the camwhoring you'll be doing after. >:D



Princess Diary Cafe, Edae
Hours: 11:30am - 10:30pm (dress rental finishes at 8pm)
Address: 서울시 서대문구 대현동 54-9 이화빌딩 3층 (3rd floor, 54-9 Daehyeon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul)
Website: http://cafe.naver.com/princessdiarycafe
Directions: From Edae Station, exit 3, walk straight and take the second right. Look out (and up!) for Princess Diary a few metres further on your right.

Beesket juice & smoothies, Dongdaemun

Last week, my awesome-ous cousin Joyce came to visit Seoul. One afternoon, we were on our way to Hongdae when we decided to take a detour to Dongdaemun Shopping Complex. Then on our way to Dongdaemun Shopping Complex, we decided to take a detour to Dongdaemun Design Plaza. What is a shopping expedition without a few detours? :P

Unfortunately though, detouring = walking, and walking = tired, grumpy Asians. However, after traipsing around, we finally found a place to rest our weary soles. (Pun intended. Hah!) It was a cute, funky little "DIY" juice place called Beesket. According to their website, the name comes from a combination of "bee" + "basket", because just like how bees go around collecting nectar from different flowers, you too can go around collecting different ingredients to create your own personalised drink.

When we arrived, the friendly staff gave us little red baskets to put our ingredients in. Each cute little basket was accordingly shaped like a piece of honeycomb. We simply chose the ingredients we wanted (up to 3) from the huge array available and popped them into the basket. Then we presented our baskets at the counter and a few minutes later, hey presto! Freshly whizzed up juice according to our preferences. :D

So many choices!! @__@

Watermelon, carrot, and kiwi for me. Mango, kiwi, and raspberry for Joyce. :3

Even the tables are shaped like honeycomb cells! Cuuuute!

Another really impressive thing is the emphasis they have on healthiness. When you select your ingredients from the plethora that's available, you can see what vitamins, minerals, or benefits each one is good for. Also, each order comes with your own customised print-out of the ingredients you used, how many calories you're consuming, and what vitamins and minerals are found in your drink. On top of that, you can rest assured that there are no other little nasties thrown in, like added preservatives, or processed sugar. It's just pure, natural healthiness in a cup.

Tadah! Plenty of calcium, potassium, and vitamin A for me. Woohoo! (At least I think by "Ka" they're referring to potassium? o__O)

On the same printout you receive, you can rate your drink with a "Beesket score" of 1-5 and pin it to the front counter for other customers who may need inspiration for ingredient combinations.

That being said, though I adore the concept of this place, it was a tad bit pricey (your basic customised, 3-ingredient juices start from 5,900 won, and then some ingredients, such as mango, blueberry, raspberry, etc. have an extra 500 won surcharge). So while it was fun to try out for the novelty of it, it's probably not a place I would frequent, based on me being a total cheapo. However, if you're somewhat of a health fanatic and constantly live your life on the go without time to make your own juice fresh every morning, or perhaps you don't have time to sit down and actually chew on your fruits and vegetables, orrr... perhaps you're just rich, then this might just be the place for you. Added bonus if you happen to live around Dongdaemun, of course. :P



Beesket, Dongdaemun Design Plaza
Hours: 8:00am - 11:00pm weekdays, 11:00am - 11:00pm Sat, 11:00- 10:00pm Sun
Address: 서울시 중구 을지로 281 동대문 디자인 플라자 B1 (Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Euljiro 281, Jung-gu, Seoul)
Website: http://www.beesket.com
Directions: From Dongdaemun History and Culture Park Station, exit 1, enter the Dongdaemun Design Plaza complex (basically a bunch of buildings grouped together) and look out for the building called Dongdaemun Design Market. Inside, you'll find the Cafe Square area where Beesket is located, along with other drink shops such as Gong Cha.

*Note: Beesket now has other locations around Seoul including Myeongdong and Jamsil Lotte World Mall. Check out their website for details ^^