Yeonnam-dong café for a weeknight date: salmon sandwich at Jam Jam

A dessert date after dinner in Yeonnam-dong: why Jam Jam?

For a Yeonnam-dong café to have dessert at after a weeknight dinner, I picked the brunch café Jam Jam (잼잼). I remembered loving both the atmosphere and the food last time, so my wife and I went for a second visit.

It had been a while since we'd had a weeknight date, so we headed to Yeonnam-dong. After a hearty dinner, we looked for a café where we could relax over something sweet.

Then I remembered Jam Jam, the Yeonnam-dong brunch café where I'd been completely satisfied with both the mood and the food last time, and we happily went back.

At night it feels calmer and hipper than in the daytime, so I was excited even before we got there. Jam Jam is also a dog-friendly spot in Yeonnam-dong, so you might run into some adorable pups, which makes it a healing place too.

What do the outside and entrance of Jam Jam look like?

Jam Jam has a big picture window with white English lettering that gives it an exotic feel, and the entrance is a basement level reached by going down about half a flight of stairs. A cream-colored bench sits out front for photos or waiting.

The wide-open window with its hip white English lettering gives the exterior a really exotic look. Warm light spilling through the glass pulls you in, and out front there's a cute cream-colored bench where you can sit for a nice photo or wait comfortably. Feeling the cool evening breeze, it's a lovely place to soak in the romantic mood of a Yeonnam-dong terrace café.

The path to the entrance is unusual: you go down about half a flight of stairs. The area is full of fresh green potted plants, so it feels like walking into your own secret hideout.

The moment we opened the door, the staff greeted us so brightly and kindly that I was in a great mood from the start. Even at a busy time they kept smiling and treated us warmly, and the café's warm atmosphere came through.

Jam Jam's interior and seating

Inside, Jam Jam is a vintage yet stylish space with exposed concrete walls, white round tables and mustard-yellow chairs. There are plenty of sofa seats along the walls too, so it works well for dates or get-togethers.

Step inside and the vintage-but-stylish interior grabs your eye right away. Roughly finished exposed concrete walls, clean white round tables and bright mustard-yellow chairs full of retro charm are arranged in perfect harmony.

The space isn't stuffy at all and feels comfortable, so it's great for a Yeonnam-dong date as well as for meeting friends or a group get-together. There are also plenty of soft sofa seats along the wall, which made it perfect for leaning back and enjoying dessert after dinner.

What did we order at Jam Jam after dinner?

Since we'd already eaten dinner, we skipped Jam Jam's meal dishes and ordered a vanilla milkshake, a hot lemon ginger tea and a salmon sandwich. Jam Jam is also famous as a Yeonnam-dong pasta spot, but this time we went light.

We settled in and looked over the menu slowly. This place is really well known for its pasta, but we'd come for dessert time after a filling dinner, so we decided on lighter items instead of heavy meals.

My wife chose a cold, sweet vanilla milkshake to soothe her hot, tired body, and I picked a hot lemon ginger tea to warm my stomach. We also ordered the salmon sandwich as something to go with dessert. We have separate room for dessert, so a fresh, zesty salmon sandwich seemed just right for a change of pace.

While we chatted and looked around at the hip little props all over the shop, our order was ready before we knew it.

The tasteful plating filling the table made me reach for my camera. A big green plant on one side and a bold red accent prop made a great backdrop, so even casual shots came out like magazine photos.

Hot lemon ginger tea

My lemon ginger tea came neatly served in a clear glass teapot for steeping the leaves. Each time I poured a cup, the faint fresh lemon scent and the sharp ginger seemed to wipe away the day's fatigue.

Jam Jam's salmon sandwich: how much salmon do you get?

Jam Jam's salmon sandwich comes with a mountain of smoked salmon piled on rye bread with arugula and white sauce, plus a poached egg and cherry tomatoes. They also bring syrup separately in a small glass bottle.

The salmon sandwich, the highlight of the day, looked absolutely fantastic.

True to its reputation as a Yeonnam-dong favorite, it was piled with a truly enormous heap of smoked salmon, and my wife and I were both startled.

Fresh, slightly bitter arugula and smooth white sauce are generously spread on the nicely toasted rye bread, and the glowing orange salmon on top made my mouth water just looking at it.

Alongside are a plump poached egg heaped with white snowflake cheese and fresh cherry tomatoes, so the color combination was just perfect. I also loved the thoughtful detail of the sweet syrup served separately in a small glass bottle so you can add it to taste.

What the vanilla milkshake tastes like

My wife's vanilla milkshake at Jam Jam was thick and sweet, as if a whole tub of rich vanilla ice cream had been blended in. It was better than expected.

It matched the café's retro yellow sofas perfectly, and the drink brought out the place's mood even more.

I got curious and stole a sip: it was rich, thick and sweet, as if a whole tub of deep, luxurious vanilla ice cream had been blended in. We needed a sugar boost after a filling dinner, and as a dessert it couldn't have been better, so my wife was very happy with it. The thick texture of the shake felt like it blew my stress away.

How to enjoy the salmon sandwich

The salmon sandwich at Jam Jam tasted best when I ate the bread, arugula and salmon in one bite, dipped the bread in the poached egg yolk, and added cheese and syrup for a sweet-and-salty touch. The salmon wasn't fishy and was tender.

I got down to cutting the sandwich with a knife. Picking up crispy bread, crunchy arugula and plenty of salmon in one bite, I got a burst of fresh flavor. The salmon in particular wasn't fishy at all and had a soft texture, so even piled on thick it never got tiresome. Pure heaven.

I popped the soft poached egg and dipped the bread in the rich yolk running out, and the flavor got twice as deep. The sweet-and-salty pairing of the salty cheese and sweet syrup was amazing. Even though I'd definitely had a big meal, it was so good that I cleaned the plate without leaving a crumb.

Why I'd recommend Jam Jam even on a second visit

On the second visit too, Jam Jam lived up to expectations in food, atmosphere and service. With comfortable spacing between seats, it's also worth recommending to anyone looking for a dog-friendly café.

Even on a second visit, the great food and tasteful atmosphere didn't disappoint at all. Thanks to the staff's attentive, kind service from the moment we walked in until we left, I felt relaxed the whole time, and my wife and I finished off a perfect Yeonnam-dong date.

The space is pretty and the spacing between seats is generous, so I strongly recommend it to people looking for a dog-friendly café where they can stay comfortably. Next time I'll definitely visit during the day and try the famous Yeonnam-dong pasta and the sweet house pancakes. If you want to enjoy tasty, carefully made desserts and brunch in a hip, stylish interior, Jam Jam seems like a must-visit.