Thin Mug Afternoon · 4 stories
Writes about small cafes and neighborhood restaurants around Seoul. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés
Apgujeong Saengsikppang Option Black is a bakery café near Apgujeong Station Exit 3 in Gangnam, Seoul, that sells only fresh-cream loaves made with 100% dairy cream. For a weekend breakfast at home, the writer took out a buttery D loaf (₩8,000) and a jar of apple cinnamon jam and also bought S loaves as gifts. Pan-toasted at home, the Option Black D loaf stayed nutty and soft, good enough to eat with nothing on it.
Anan Gangnam Direct Store is a Vietnamese restaurant on Gangnam-daero 92-gil near Gangnam Station in Seoul. Over lunch with her older sister, the writer ordered Vietnamese rice paper wraps (₩35,000) and beef pho (₩12,000). The wraps stood out because they come with flame-grilled bulgogi, shredded mango and avocado. With a café-like interior, fast service and friendly staff, Anan Gangnam Direct Store is a Gangnam Station pho spot worth returning to.
Bocado Butter is a dessert café on Yeonmujang 7ga-gil near Seongsu Station in Seongdong, Seoul, known for its signature bocado (thin butter biscuits) and coconut ice cream. On a muggy day that felt like rain, while touring Seongsu hot spots with a friend, the writer ordered Bocado Butter's 2-person bocado set, added butter caramel cream and coconut cream, and chose decaf coffee because it was late afternoon. Bocado Butter's bocado came thin, warm and crisp with a rich butter flavor that didn't fill us up, making it the perfect snack between meals.
Kosi Konkuk University Branch is a Japanese restaurant near Konkuk Univ. Station in Gwangjin, Seoul, serving house-made udon and katsu. After a wait of about 5 minutes behind two groups at lunch, the writer had a half-and-half katsu set (₩16,500), a tori-ten (chicken tempura) bukkake udon set (₩15,000) and a mozzarella croquette on the side. Kosi's cheese katsu dipped in honey sauce and its springy foot-kneaded udon noodles made this the most memorable lunch of the visit.
