Eonyang, Ulsan date café: corn bread warmed to order at MUG

I was looking for a place where I could take a drive and also enjoy good bread and coffee, so I went to MUG (Cafe Meok) in Eonyang~! I usually like bakery cafés, but MUG is less a place you go just for bread and coffee and more a place where wandering around the space is the fun part, and I loved that.

Where is MUG in Eonyang, and what are the hours and parking?

MUG is at 90 Hyangsandagae-ro, Sangbuk-myeon, Ulju-gun, Ulsan, and it's open 10:00–20:00. There's a dedicated café parking lot, so it's easy to stop by on a drive around Eonyang.

• Name: MUG (카페 먹)
• Address: 90 Hyangsandagae-ro, Sangbuk-myeon, Ulju-gun, Ulsan
• Hours: 10:00–20:00
• Parking: Dedicated café parking lot

What are MUG's building and gallery like?

Go in through the entrance and a fountain catches your eye, with a path running alongside it. Walking in slowly from the entrance makes for pretty photos too. I heard MUG was created to remember a mountain damaged by wildfire, and knowing that made the place catch my eye even more. At first I thought it was just a big bakery café, but as I looked around inside I slowly found other charms.

I thought it was just a large bakery café, so I was surprised to find a gallery too. It was fun to browse while the coffee was being made. With little sights like this, the waiting time wasn't boring at all.

If you're looking for an Eonyang date spot, I think it's nice to look around the gallery and the outdoor area as well as just drinking something at MUG.

Indoor and outdoor seating at MUG

MUG is much roomier than I expected, with both indoor and outdoor seating.

The indoor seating was really varied, and there was space to sit outside too, so you can choose a spot to suit your taste. There were seats good for a quiet chat for two, and seats that looked fine for a bigger group.

I especially liked that there are outdoor seats. On a nice day, it would be lovely to carry your coffee and bread outside and spend time looking at the surroundings.

What we ordered at MUG

What we ordered at MUG was a lemon cream cheese cinnamon roll, corn bread, a lemon smoothie and a Meok black latte. I started by looking at the bakery.

Since we'd come to a café, I checked out the bakery first. There was such a variety of bread that I agonized for ages over what to pick. Today there were a few things I wanted to try, so I picked them one by one.

We ordered the lemon cream cheese cinnamon roll, corn bread, lemon smoothie and Meok black latte. I like cinnamon rolls, so the lemon cream cheese one caught my eye right away.

I was told the lemon smoothie is a signature item, so I ordered it too. The Meok black latte is only available at MUG, so I got that as well. I was even more curious because the Meok latte is said to have its deep dark color to honor the memory of the wildfire damage.

Does MUG warm your bread at the time you choose?

At MUG, you pick the bread you want first, pay, and then have it warmed to match when you want to eat. If you're not going to eat it right away, it's great that you can have it warm at the time you choose.

What does MUG's Meok Black Latte taste like?

MUG's Meok black latte is clearly darker in color than an ordinary latte, and the taste was deeper and richer than I expected. Finally the Meok latte, lemon smoothie and desserts I ordered arrived~~! Since MUG was made to remember a mountain damaged by wildfire, the Meok latte is also said to have its dark color to carry that meaning.

The coffee itself felt hefty, which I actually liked. Eaten together with a fragrant dessert like the cinnamon roll, the strong coffee flavor went really well with it.

Is MUG's lemon smoothie very sour?

MUG's signature lemon smoothie has that fresh sourness lemon is known for, but it wasn't strong enough to make you scrunch up your face. I worried it might be too sour, but it wasn't overwhelming at all. It actually left my mouth feeling clean, so it went well with sweet bread. If you like lemon drinks but find very sour ones too much, it's probably worth trying.

How was MUG's lemon cream cheese cinnamon roll?

MUG's lemon cream cheese cinnamon roll was packed with cinnamon all the way through, and with the lemon cream cheese inside, I liked how it was sweet yet zesty. I love anything with cinnamon, enough to call myself a churros lover, so cinnamon rolls are a favorite too.

You can taste plenty of cinnamon aroma, the cream cheese holds it together softly, and the lemon wraps things up freshly at the end.

Chodang corn bread at MUG: how was it warmed up?

MUG's corn bread is made with chodang oksusu (super sweet corn), so the nutty flavor comes first, and I liked the crunchy bite of corn kernels here and there. The bread isn't just soft; the kernels make the texture change a little with every bite. You also get that mild sweetness special to super sweet corn, so it was pleasantly plain and easy to eat.

Picking bread and eating it right away is nice, but being able to have it warmed at the time you want is definitely a plus. A savory aroma rises from the warm bread and the corn kernels pop in your mouth, so it was easy to eat like a snack.

Is MUG a good date café in Eonyang?

If you're looking for places to visit in Eonyang or a slightly different café in Ulsan, I think MUG is worth adding to your date course. If you like bread, there's the fun of picking from the bakery, and even if you only go for drinks, it's a good place to spend relaxed time in a big space.

Next time, I'd like to pick other breads I didn't get to try this time, and on a nice day spend a relaxed time in the outdoor seats.