Gangnam Station café for two: flan & lemon cake, Upper and Under

I wanted some really good dessert in Gangnam, so this time two of us went to Upper and Under. I love coffee and cake, so I often seek out cafés with a wide dessert selection. Upper and Under has unusual things like a crème brûlée flan, plus all kinds of cakes and baked sweets, so I was excited before we even got there.

What did we order at Upper and Under?

We ordered a crème brûlée flan, a lemon cake, a hot Americano and an iced salted caramel cream latte. The two of us had one drink each and shared the two desserts, and I was happy because each item had its own charm.

Upper and Under location and space

Upper and Under is at 28 Gangnam-daero 102-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. It sits between Gangnam Station and Sinnonhyeon Station, so it's easy to reach from both. It's close to the alley behind Gangnam Station CGV, which makes it a decent spot for dessert after a meal.

The café uses space from basement 1 up to the 2nd floor. There are plenty of cafés in Gangnam, but the ones spread over several floors tend to feel roomier, right? Upper and Under had a variety of seats, so it was great for chatting with friends or going on a date.

Exterior, interior and dessert display

You can feel the stylish mood from the exterior. Inside, the interior was clean and chic, and I liked that each floor has a slightly different atmosphere.

The dessert display was especially impressive. Lots of cakes and baked sweets were lined up beautifully, and every one looked so pretty that I struggled to choose. With so many kinds, picking to your taste is part of the fun.

Upper and Under felt less like a typical coffee shop and more like a café that really cares about dessert. There were items you rarely see elsewhere, like the crème brûlée flan, and fresh ones like the lemon cake, so the choice was wide.

The staff were good too. They were friendly when we ordered, and the place was well kept, so it was comfortable to be there. Atmosphere, service and kindness all made a satisfying first impression.

What does the crème brûlée flan at Upper and Under taste like?

The first dessert I want to introduce is the crème brûlée flan. It caught my eye right in the display case. It's round and thick, and the top is baked golden as if the sugar were caramelized, so it looked really appetizing.

Crème brûlée is normally a soft custard topped with sugar that's hardened into a crisp layer. Upper and Under's flan looked like a pastry-style dessert with the traits of crème brûlée added.

I loved the rich, nutty flavor that flan has. The soft taste of an egg-and-milk custard dessert really came through, and the sweetness of the caramel on top made the whole thing nicely balanced.

If you're looking for a unique dessert among the cafés near Gangnam Station, I'd recommend the crème brûlée flan. It seemed especially suited to people who like egg tarts or custard desserts.

What does the lemon cake at Upper and Under taste like?

The lemon cake we ordered with it was really good too. In the display, it had thinly sliced lemon on top of white cream, so it looked refreshing from the start.

The lemon cake was cut into a neat rectangle with plenty of soft cream on top. With the lemon slice and a small herb garnish, the colors were pretty and it was great for photos.

On the first bite, I could taste that typical fresh lemon flavor. The cream was soft and rich like cheese cream, though I couldn't confirm the exact ingredients. Either way, the combination of tangy lemon and nutty cream was really good.

The lemon's brightness especially cut the richness of the cream, so it didn't feel heavy. Sweetness and freshness blended naturally, and even after many bites it never felt like too much.

The cake layer was soft too. With the cream, the moist texture came through, and the lemon aroma made the whole thing taste clean. I like fresh fruity desserts, so I was even happier with it.

Should you order the crème brûlée flan and lemon cake together?

The crème brûlée flan and lemon cake each had a different charm. The flan was centered on caramel sweetness and rich custard, while the lemon cake stood out for being fresh and soft.

Ordering both meant the flavors didn't overlap, which I liked. After the rich, sweet flan, a bite of fresh lemon cake made my mouth feel refreshed. If you're planning to order two desserts, this pairing seems like a good one.

Hot Americano and iced salted caramel cream latte

For drinks, we chose a hot Americano and an iced salted caramel cream latte. Since we had two desserts, one of us went with a clean Americano and the other picked a sweet cream latte.

The Americano went well with the crème brûlée flan

The hot Americano was nice to drink with dessert. It had that nutty coffee aroma and a moderate bitterness, and a sip after something sweet left my mouth feeling clean.

It matched the crème brûlée flan especially well. After enjoying the flan's sweet caramel flavor, drinking the hot Americano gave a good balance between sweetness and the coffee's bitterness.

Salted caramel cream latte is a sweet-and-salty combo

The iced salted caramel cream latte was satisfying too. As the name says, it's sweet caramel with a subtle saltiness, and with soft cream on top it was richer than an ordinary café latte.

First, I liked the soft texture of the cream. It felt smooth and nutty in my mouth, so I was happy from the first sip. The caramel aroma came through naturally, and the saltiness made the sweetness even more appealing.

I especially loved the sweet-and-salty combo typical of salted caramel. It wasn't just sweet; the gentle salt brought out the caramel flavor and gave it more depth.

Being cold, it was extra refreshing, and the soft cream and coffee blended so well that it was like drinking a dessert. If you like sweet cream lattes, I think you'll be satisfied.

If you're looking for a café near Gangnam Station and want a special cream latte, I'd recommend the salted caramel cream latte too. Sweet caramel, soft cream and coffee blended well, and it was a memorable drink.

The four items together and overall verdict

Overall, the four items we ordered combined well. The hot Americano suited the sweet desserts, and the iced salted caramel cream latte was appealing enough as a drink on its own.

The desserts also satisfied me, with the rich flavor of the crème brûlée flan and the freshness of the lemon cake showing different personalities. It was a good setup for two people sharing a little of each.

I want to praise the atmosphere once more. The spacious room and stylish interior let us spend our time leisurely, and there's a terrace too, so on a nice day it seems like you could enjoy a different mood.

Among the cafés near Gangnam Station, Upper and Under suits people looking for a place to chat comfortably with a friend or enjoy tasty dessert on a date. The space is big and the mood is nice, so it was great for relaxing over a cup of coffee.

If you're looking for a café near Gangnam Station with a variety of desserts and special drinks, Upper and Under is worth a visit. The crème brûlée flan and lemon cake each have their own charm, so I'd recommend ordering them together. Next time I want to try other cakes and baked sweets here too.