Seoulsup pairing set café: perilla smoothie & mandu latte, Iridescent

On Monday, November 2, at 8 p.m., my husband and I went to Iridescent, a Seoulsup café, for the perilla smoothie. If you ask me for a Seongsu café recommendation, this is the place I think of first for anyone who likes new flavors. We shared a pairing set that comes with a perilla smoothie, a mandu latte and pepper tiramisu. I'll go through the way there, the atmosphere, what's in the set and how it tastes.

I also filmed a video, from the perilla smoothie you eat wrapped in a perilla leaf to the pepper tiramisu.

• Location: 20-1 Seoulsup 4-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 1st floor, about 390 m from Exit 8 of Ttukseom Station
• Hours: 10 a.m.–10 p.m.
• Price: experience pairing set ₩23,500
• Pets: dogs allowed

How do you get to Iridescent from Ttukseom Station?

Iridescent is tucked inside an alley you reach by walking from Ttukseom Station toward Seoulsup. At night the alley feels much calmer.

It's a black building with full glass walls, so the lights inside shine out at night.

A small sign hangs quietly deeper in the alley. At the entrance there's a board introducing the brand.

The plaque explains the meaning of the name Iridescent: something that looks different depending on the angle you see it from.

What are the weekday evening wait and atmosphere like at Iridescent?

We arrived at 8 p.m. on a weekday, there was no wait, and we sat straight down on the sofa seats.

You order at the counter just inside the entrance.

Water is at the self-serve bar, and blankets are provided too. Because it's inside an alley, it's much calmer at night, which makes it a good place to end a Seongsu date quietly.

Is Iridescent dog-friendly?

Iridescent allows dogs, and guests who had brought their dogs were sitting and relaxing. It's an easy stop after a walk in Seoulsup.

What's in the Iridescent pairing set, and how much is it?

The Iridescent experience pairing set costs ₩23,500 and includes a perilla smoothie, a mandu latte and pepper tiramisu.

The experience pairing set has its own spot on the menu.

For coffee, you can choose your beans.

The showcase displays tiramisu topped with pepper. At ₩23,500 the pairing set lets you try all three, so it works well for two people sharing.

What does the Iridescent perilla smoothie taste like?

The Iridescent citrus perilla smoothie blends a faint perilla aroma with clean citrus, and the texture melts away like granita.

All three items come out side by side on a tray.

A brand introduction card comes with the set.

This is the citrus perilla smoothie, with lemon and a perilla leaf stuck in the glass. I had no idea perilla could be so refreshing! The perilla aroma comes up softly and the citrus wraps up the finish cleanly. The ice is ground fine, so it melts away like granita.

You wrap the smoothie in the perilla leaf stuck in the glass and eat it. If you like new flavors, definitely try eating it wrapped like a ssam (leaf wrap).

What do the mandu latte and pepper tiramisu taste like?

The mandu latte in the Iridescent pairing set is nutty, and the pepper tiramisu has a sweet cream finish with a zingy pop of pepper.

The topping is round like mandu (Korean dumplings), and that's the mandu latte. The topping on top wobbles cutely.

This is the pepper tiramisu, topped with pepper. The owner sprinkles the pepper on for you before you eat. The pepper pops at the end of the sweet cream for a different kind of flavor. It's fun to alternate between the nutty mandu latte and the peppery tiramisu.

What are Iridescent's parking and opening hours?

Iridescent is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and you can walk from Exit 8 of Ttukseom Station. Parking in front of the shop is limited, so it's easier to use a public parking lot around Seoulsup.

We walked from Ttukseom Station, and since the alley is close to Seoulsup, it felt like a stroll. The sign at the entrance says it opens at 10 a.m. and closes at 10 p.m.

Who is Iridescent recommended for?

• People who like drinks and desserts with new flavors
• People who want to end a Seongsu date quietly
• People looking for a café to stop at after walking their dog in Seoulsup
• People looking for a pairing set to share between two

This Seoulsup café had us start with the perilla smoothie, then alternate between the mandu latte and pepper tiramisu. It's a good one to remember when you need a Seongsu café recommendation to finish off a date. Next time I'm curious about the other seasonal menu items. When you first heard "perilla smoothie," what kind of taste did you imagine?