Gwanak, Seoul laptop café with handmade pie: Pulse Line Coffee

Is Pulse Line Coffee good for solo laptop work near Seoul National University Entrance Station?

I was looking for a place to work on my laptop alone and have dessert, so I visited Pulse Line Coffee (펄스라인커피) on Sha-ro-su-gil. It is a café in Bongcheon-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, and its handmade pies were another reason I decided to go.

The address is 13 Gwanak-ro 14na-gil, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, South Korea, Unit 101 on the first floor. The café entrance is on the right when facing the exterior. I nearly went into the shop next door by mistake.

The space was neither too small nor too large, and it felt less hectic. Most tables seated two, so I did not feel awkward sitting alone. The backrest chairs were quite comfortable, and there were outlets, making it a good place to spend time working on a laptop.

What did I order, and how much did it cost?

There were several desserts as well as coffee and other drinks. I was deciding between two signature pies, then asked a staff member for the more popular choice and ordered the brûlée pie.

Since I was visiting alone, I ordered the following three items. Prices are from the time of my visit.

• Americano — ₩4,800
• Brûlée pie — ₩6,500
• Black sesame pound cake — ₩5,800

At the time of my visit, there was also a notice saying that customers could receive a small gift for writing a Naver receipt review.

There was a self-service bar on one side where I could get water, syrup, and napkins. Three kinds of café stickers were also available.

How did the coffee and desserts taste?

With a drink and two desserts on the table, it was quite a generous amount for one person. I had ordered the black sesame pound cake intending to eat it at home, but it was served on a plate with the packaging removed, so I ate it at the café.

The Americano tasted nutty to me, without acidity. It also paired well with the sweet desserts.

The brûlée pie combined crème brûlée and tart. The characteristic crisp texture and sweetness of crème brûlée worked well with the moderately thick tart shell. I also detected a slight white-chocolate-like flavor.

Personally, I enjoyed the black sesame pound cake more. I had found the flavor of black sesame desserts I tried before somewhat weak, but this one had a clear sweetness and the distinctive nutty flavor of black sesame. I also liked its dense texture, which was not dry.

As someone who often goes to cafés alone to use a laptop, I was satisfied with the comfortable seating and outlets. The desserts were also better than I expected, so I would like to try other kinds next time.