Times Square brunch café in Yeongdeungpo: basil tomato ade at Mela

Why I came back to Mela's Times Square branch after Hongdae

Mela Times Square is a brunch café in Yeongdeungpo Times Square that I returned to because I loved the Hongdae branch. My husband and I once went to Mela in Hongdae, and the mood and the food were so good that it stuck with me. So this time I went to the Yeongdeungpo Times Square branch!

I went on a weekday right at opening, and three tables were already eating. I wanted a relaxed brunch before the lunch rush, so I even made a reservation.

This time I wanted something filling but fresh, so I ordered the scallop truffle cream risotto, the mushroom avocado poached egg salad and a basil tomato ade. Long story short, the food and the drink were both great!

Where is Mela Times Square? Near GATE 4

Mela Times Square is at 15 Yeongjung-ro, Unit 103-9, 1st floor, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, on the Times Square GATE 4 side. It is open 10:30 to 22:00, and parking is free.

Times Square is huge, so the café can be hard to find on a first visit, right? Mela Times Square is right by the GATE 4 entrance, so use that as your landmark and it's easy.

Is it busy on weekdays? A reservation is recommended

Even just after opening on a weekday, there were already guests. There are lots of offices nearby, so quite a few people seem to come in ahead of lunchtime.

I booked ahead, and there really were a few tables set aside for reservations. If you're coming with a group or plan to eat around lunchtime, I recommend reserving.

It's a nice place for brunch, and the mood also works for a break from shopping, whether for a meal or a cup of coffee.

What kind of brunch café is Mela, and what are the signature dishes?

Mela is a European home-style brunch café, said to run on recipes developed by a food researcher who trained at the Italian culinary school ICIF.

Signature dishes include chuck flap steak, minari (water dropwort) vongole and scallop mushroom cream risotto. Since this was a late-breakfast-slash-lunch, I wanted something filling yet fresh, and here is what I ordered.

• Scallop truffle cream risotto ₩23,000
• Mushroom avocado poached egg salad ₩19,000
• Basil tomato ade ₩8,000

A perfect balance of carbs, protein and fat, order complete!💙

How does the scallop truffle cream risotto taste?

Even with quite a few guests, my spread came out faster than I expected! The first dish is Mela's scallop truffle cream risotto.

Seared scallops sit on top of the risotto, with pistachios added, and it looked so appetizing. With a light touch of olive oil too, it looked like it would taste rich and nutty.

When I ate it, the smooth, nutty cream blended with the aroma of truffle for great flavor. I also liked the classic risotto texture: moist, with the rice grains still nicely firm.

The scallops were seared, adding a mild, nutty taste, and the pistachios made the texture even more varied. If you love cream risotto and want aroma and texture together, this is a satisfying pick!

Is the mushroom avocado poached egg salad generous?

Second is Mela's mushroom avocado poached egg salad. I thought a salad would come out light, but I loved how generously the avocado was piled on.

It was packed with grilled mushrooms, walnuts, leafy greens, tomato and red onion, nothing skimped. The soft avocado, the mushroom flavor and the nutty crunch of walnuts went well together.

Above all, the dressing was really good! Vegetables alone can be bland, but the dressing tied everything together naturally and I kept reaching for more.

Ordered together with the cream risotto, the fresh salad between the smooth, rich bites made a great combination.

Does the basil tomato ade go with a meal?

The most unexpectedly satisfying item of this visit to Mela Times Square was the ₩8,000 basil tomato ade! I first picked it as a drink to go with the meal, and it matched better than I thought, so I was really glad I ordered it.

The fresh taste of tomato plus the fragrance of basil gives it a different charm from an ordinary fruit ade. Sipping it mid-meal cleansed my palate, so it went well with the cream risotto too.

I especially recommend it if you don't drink coffee often or want something different. It's a drink I'd order again next time at Mela💗

Why I recommend Mela as a Times Square brunch café

Mela Times Square is a place I revisited after the Hongdae branch, and once again I was happy with both the mood and the food.

Eating the risotto and salad together gave me something filling plus something fresh, and the basil tomato ade was even better than I expected.

If you're looking for a place to eat while shopping at Times Square, or a brunch café for a date with your husband, I recommend Mela. Remember GATE 4 when you visit, and consider a reservation if you're coming with a group at lunchtime.

Next time I want to try the minari vongole and the Victoria French toast, both introduced as signature dishes!