Ttukseom Station dessert café 15-minute wait for Guanaja 40: Notldun

Why Notldun in Seongsu for a weekday day-off date?

Notldun is a premium dessert café at 11 Seoul Forest 2-gil, 1st floor, Seongdong-gu, Seoul. My husband took a weekday off, so we decided to plan out a really full day together. In the morning we slowly wandered around the National Museum of Korea for the first time in a while, then in the afternoon we switched things up and headed over toward Ttukseom and Seongsu.

The moment we arrived in Seongsu, the first place we headed to for coffee and dessert was NOTRE DON, aka Notldun. It's fairly close to Seongsu, Ttukseom Station, and Seoul Forest Station alike, so it's easy to fold into a date course with other spots.

Notldun is a premium dessert café run by pastry chef Kim Myeong-jun of Cheonha Bakery and chef Ha Min-jae of The Dessert, and honestly it's one of my favorite dessert spots in Seongsu. This was actually only my second visit! The first time I came, I fell for how polished and delicate every single dessert was, and thought 'I have to come back here' — and now I finally did 🙌

How long is the wait at Notldun on a weekday afternoon?

Even visiting on a weekday, there was a line at the entrance — no surprise for a place this popular. We waited about 15 minutes before getting in, but honestly it didn't feel that long since I was already looking forward to tasting the desserts again.

The first thing that caught my eye the moment we walked in was, of course, the showcase packed full of desserts ✨

✔ Click the photos to zoom in — check the prices too!

What is in the Notldun showcase, and which madeleines?

Guanaja 40, Mascaberry, Pistachio Festival, Forêt Noire, Notldun Signature Blanc, Notldun Signature Noir, Salted Caramel Mille-feuille. Desserts that caught the eye with their gorgeous visuals alone ✨

There was also a wide range of madeleines — raspberry, lime, pistachio, earl grey, vanilla, and more. Madeleines and financiers were even available in packaged gift-box selections!

What we ordered and what it cost: Guanaja 40, iced Americano, grapefruit ade

Check the Notldun drink menu too ✔ — coffee, non-coffee, tea, and ades, all with plenty of variety. We went with a refreshing grapefruit ade for my husband, and an iced Americano for me since it felt like it would pair cleanest with dessert. As for dessert — last time I tried the signature Noir, Forêt Noire, and Pistachio Festival, but this time the new chocolate dessert 'Guanaja 40' caught my eye, so that's what I picked!

• Iced Americano ₩6,000
• Grapefruit ade ₩7,500
• Guanaja 40 ₩18,000

A shot of the space once things had quieted down and a few customers had cleared out. It's a small café, but the atmosphere is really clean and cozy, making it a nice place to linger.

And in no time, our order was ready!

Why three drinks? Inside the Valrhona 40th anniversary set

Wait, why are there three drinks? — turns out that's because of the Valrhona 40th anniversary event: ordering the Guanaja gets you not just the main dessert but a free 'Valrhona Guanaja dark chocolate latte' as part of a set! I'd thought the price was a bit higher than the other desserts, but with a drink thrown in on top of dessert this good... it's honestly such great value 🥺

Guanaja is the most iconic dark chocolate from the French premium chocolate brand Valrhona. If you love chocolate, just the name alone is enough to pique your curiosity — and it was pretty appealing on its own that one ingredient, chocolate, could be enjoyed in two totally different forms: dessert and drink.

What does Guanaja 40 taste like? Bittersweet cacao in layers

And the flavor of the Guanaja was every bit as impressive as I'd hoped. From the first bite, the rich, weighty flavor of dark chocolate spread smoothly through my whole mouth — but it wasn't just a sweet chocolate dessert. I could taste layer upon layer of cacao's distinct deep bitterness, a subtle acidity, and a nutty finish.

A creamy part that melted smoothly the moment it hit my mouth blended together with elements that kept some texture in between, so the flavor and texture kept shifting even within a single bite. What was especially notable was that even though the chocolate concentration was quite intense, it wasn't heavy or cloying, and the finish was surprisingly clean, which kept making me want the next bite. The deep bitterness of the cacao set the tone first, followed by just the right amount of sweetness, so I barely got that overly-full feeling you often get with chocolate desserts. Soft, moist textures mixed with crisp or chewy accents, so it was fun getting to experience several different textures within a single dessert.

The Valrhona chocolate drink that came with it also had that same deep, rich chocolate aroma. It went down even more smoothly than the dessert while still keeping plenty of cacao flavor, so sipping a bit of the chocolate drink between bites of Guanaja made the chocolate flavor feel even richer and more layered.

On the flip side, sipping the iced Americano in between cleaned my palate and reset it, so I could enjoy the Guanaja's rich flavor almost like it was my first bite all over again — I personally really loved this combo too.

Is a second visit to Notldun worth it?

The desserts I had last time were so satisfying that my expectations for this second visit were even higher going in, but this new Guanaja menu still made me think 'this is so Notldun' 🥺 It's not just a dessert that's flashy to look at — the flavor, aroma, and texture all feel carefully designed, so if you love dessert, I'd definitely recommend giving Notldun a try at least once! If you're planning a date in Seongsu, Seoul Forest, or Ttukseom, or looking for a Seongsu dessert spot where you can enjoy something special alongside your coffee, I'm recommending this one with zero hesitation 🎀

After two satisfying visits in a row, I'm already curious what new dessert they'll come out with next. Next time I'm in Seongsu, I feel like I'll naturally end up stopping by again 〰🙌