Gwanak café with brûlée pie: Pulse Line Coffee

How is the walk from Seoul National University Station?

I had business near Seoul National University Station and stopped by Pulse Line Coffee (펄스라인커피), near Sharosugil. It was a fairly new café when I visited, and its red coffee bar stood out. It is also within walking distance of Nakseongdae Station.

The hours listed in the original post were 08:00–20:00 on weekdays and 09:00–20:00 on Saturdays and Sundays, with year-round opening. Parking was not available, so you need to use a nearby public parking lot.

I used a map to find it, and the route was not difficult. The neighborhood was quiet to walk through, and it did not feel far from Seoul National University Station. You have arrived when you see red lettering against a black background. The building exterior was neat as well.

What is the atmosphere inside?

Once inside, the black-and-red combination caught my eye. The red coffee bar was especially memorable, and the space was neat and moderately calm. Menu photos on the wall were helpful when choosing.

What is on the menu, and how much does it cost?

That day, I ordered an iced Americano, iced vanilla latte, and brûlée pie. The prices at the time of my visit were as follows.

• Iced Americano ₩4,800
• Iced vanilla latte ₩6,000
• Brûlée pie ₩6,500
• Muffin ₩3,800

There was filter coffee too, but it was a hot day, so I chose an iced Americano out of habit. Pulse Milk Tea, a non-coffee drink, was described as milk tea with the refreshing touch of peppermint, which made me curious. I did not try it that day.

The café introduction said that it bakes its own muffins as well. I was especially curious about the mulberry muffin.

Looking again at the muffin and pound cake photos while writing this, I regretted not trying them. At ₩3,800, the muffins felt reasonably priced to me.

How were the vanilla latte and Americano?

Even the dessert plate was black, which made it feel connected to the interior. The vanilla latte was fragrant with house-made vanilla bean, and I liked that its sweetness did not taste artificially pronounced. The iced Americano was easy to drink.

I was a little disappointed to notice the filter coffee after ordering. If I visit again, I would like to try it.

As I drank coffee in the afternoon, the Americano’s crema sometimes looked like a ring.

Was the brûlée pie very sweet?

From the name alone, I expected it to be quite sweet, but it was balanced rather than overly sweet. It was moist without being excessively dense, making it easy to have with coffee.

The lemon zest added freshness, so I did not tire of it easily. It also went well with the vanilla latte I ordered. Of the items I had that day, this pairing stayed with me.

I had coffee and pie in a neat, moderately calm setting. I regret not trying the muffins and pound cake, but next time I would also like to taste the filter coffee or the peppermint Pulse Milk Tea.