Yeonnam-dong bakery opening run: new kabocha ciabatta, Mandong Jegwa

I've been to Mandong Jegwa so many times it feels redundant to even mention it — it's just the bakery that comes to mind when you think of Yeonnam-dong. I've been going for about 6 years now... probably over 50 visits, so at this point I have the whole menu memorized ;;

If you've never been, just trust me and grab the garlic baguette first, no questions asked. But for those of you who, like me, pop in like it's your own kitchen, there are so many other menu items worth knowing about — let me introduce them!

Mandong Jegwa Yeonnam Branch: location and hours

Mandong Jegwa Yeonnam Branch is about a 5-minute walk from Hongik University Station Exit 3, or just 2 minutes if you take the bus to the Yeonhui Daewoo Apartment stop! Every time I come to Yeonnam-dong I buy bread here first, then cross the street to start my Yeonnam-dong tour haha, so today I'm doing my energetic opening run at Mandong Jegwa again.

The shop opens daily at 11am and runs until 9pm. If they sell out early, they close right away too — but they really make a huge amount of bread. Last time I went around 7pm there were still about 10 kinds of bread left!

Why do I think they make so much? Because every single time I visit, there are always 2-3 groups of customers, and more keep coming in. This place genuinely gets that many customers.

Today the moment I walked in, the 'butt bread' greeted me right away. It's seriously soft and fluffy and delicious.

New kabocha ciabatta

The new kabocha (sweet pumpkin) ciabatta. Yes, I've already tried it... it's actually a ciabatta base with two thick slices of kabocha piled on top, covered in cheese — an insanely delicious bread. You can freeze it and just pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds in the morning and it's still delicious ;;

The only thing I haven't tried yet is the chestnut red bean mugwort bread behind it. This time I bought two fig campagnes instead so I couldn't get it, but I'll definitely leave a review next time!

Why the garlic baguette is a must for your first visit

You can see how many customers there are, right... I've literally never seen this place empty. Anyway, I've noticed a lot of foreign customers buying this garlic baguette. And honestly, fair enough — Mandong Jegwa's garlic baguette is the best I've ever had in my life. It does have garlic flavor, but it's not the kind that stings your mouth — it's sweet, soft, and moist.

Recommended picks by display shelf

On the left side are mostly cheese-heavy breads. My favorites are the emmental and the pretzel. And on the lower shelf, the walnut — this is genuinely delicious. The crust is crispy and has walnut flavor, and I can guarantee even people who don't like walnuts will enjoy it.

On the right side there's chili sausage, jalapeño ciabatta, and kaya coconut. The kaya coconut is literally bread with kaya jam and coconut, and personally I found it a bit too sweet! But then again, with kaya in it, how could it not be sweet ;; It's great as a snack bread though.

Whenever I buy the jalapeño ciabatta, I cut it into about 6 pieces and eat it as a snack, or definitely have it for late-night eating. There's a soft cream cheese sauce-like filling inside, and that's the real kicker.

In the refrigerated case there's this mocha bread with cream filling inside, which is also a real treat.

In front of the counter there's chestnut bread and yakppang (a spiced sweet bread), and above those, the cheapest but most delicious item — the rusk!

Honestly, who buys rusk at a bakery, right, , , it's usually just hard and tastes like plain sugar, , , but after trying Mandong Jegwa's rusk I realized this is what real rusk is supposed to be. Trust me and give it a try.

Today's haul: 4 breads

I bought 2 fig campagnes, one rusk, and one kabocha ciabatta.

Mission clear. They wrap each item carefully, one by one.

Fig campagne

Campagne is known for its crispy texture, right? This one has just the right amount of crunch, and it's packed with fig and cream cheese inside. The staff even cut it for me.

Even one slice is quite filling — having 1-2 slices lightly in the morning can keep you full all the way to lunch.

How to store the kabocha ciabatta

Honestly ;; not buying the kabocha ciabatta would be a loss. It's best eaten at room temperature the same day, but if you're saving it for later, freeze it and reheat until warm.

Rusk

The rusk is perfect for a quick bite on the go. But if you don't portion it out, you'll demolish the whole thing in one sitting, so make sure to portion it out ahead of time... Today's Yeonnam-dong tour was fun again~!