Konkuk Univ. café: Einspänner latte & thick tiramisu, Café Ohkam

I visited Café Ohkam, a café near Konkuk Univ. Station where you can enjoy delicious handmade desserts in a comfortable, pleasant space.

Where is Café Ohkam and what are its hours?

To find Café Ohkam (OKLM), leave Konkuk Univ. Station Exit 2, walk into the Konkuk Univ. food street, turn right at the first narrow alley with an Olive Young, and go about 1 more minute. It's on the left. It's open daily 12:00–22:00, with last order at 21:30.

It's a red-brick house converted into a café, using the whole building from the 1st floor up to the 3rd-floor rooftop. The exterior with its big glass windows already gives off a special vibe.

• Café Ohkam (OKLM): 117-23 Dongil-ro 22-gil, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, floors 1–3
• Hours: daily 12:00–22:00
• Last order: 21:30
• No parking. The Gana parking lot, a 5-minute walk away, is available (₩2,000 per 30 min / ₩4,000 per hour)

I'm told OKLM (au calme) is French for "calm" or "quiet."

Koko, Café Ohkam's resident senior cat

I'm told an old cat named Koko lives at Café Ohkam as its resident guardian.

I only saw cat photos at the entrance and wondered where the cat was sleeping, and there she was, settled into a spot in the café alley. I didn't touch her, just watched, and she seemed very gentle and calm. I don't have a cat right now, but as someone who watches other people's cats on YouTube almost every day, just seeing a real one makes me happy.

Café Ohkam's atmosphere and the wait for a table

The moment I stepped inside, the blasting air conditioning felt cool and fresh, and a fragrant, delicious butter smell drifted over as if desserts were being baked in real time. It put me in a good mood. Unfortunately there were no seats, so I had to wait a little.

Cat photos are stuck up all over the café in tiny details, and you can feel how much they love Koko.

Café Ohkam menu and desserts

The menu has a variety of coffees, ades and more, and I'm told the main desserts are fresh mango bingsu (shaved ice), kaymak (clotted cream) and classic French toast.

A tasty baking smell wafted over, and desserts like madeleines and cookies had just come out of the oven.

There are also sweet, fluffy desserts like fruit cake, tiramisu and Basque cheesecake. We ordered an iced Americano, an Einspänner latte (coffee topped with cream) and a mascarpone tiramisu.

What are the 2nd-floor seats and 3rd-floor rooftop like?

The 2nd floor had a better atmosphere than the 1st, and the air conditioning was seriously cold, so my sweat vanished. The window seats looking down through the big glass windows were already taken, so we settled at a table in the middle.

I saw stairs going up to the 3rd floor and got curious, so I went up for a look.

The 3rd floor is a rooftop with no air conditioning, but the exotic atmosphere is lovely, so it would be nice to come on an afternoon that isn't too hot.

How do the Einspänner latte and iced Americano taste?

Our iced Americano, Einspänner latte and mascarpone tiramisu arrived.

The iced Americano and the Einspänner latte were both delicious, each with its own charm.

The Einspänner latte has chewy yet smooth cream that's moderately sweet.

The iced Americano is strong, but clean and nutty, perfect to sip with sweet cake or desserts, so I liked it a lot.

Is Café Ohkam's mascarpone tiramisu good value?

The mascarpone tiramisu has moist ladyfingers soaked in strong espresso, generously topped with house-made mascarpone cheese cream and a heap of cocoa powder.

It's quite thick and a generous portion, yet the price isn't a burden, so it's a good-value dessert.

The tiramisu fork has six tines and is huge and wide, so it was super easy to eat with.

Thanks to the wide fork, you can scoop up a whole heap like a shovel, like this.

The moist, fluffy ladyfingers wrapped in moderately thick mascarpone cream, soft and rich, are so good.

The moderately sweet, bittersweet coffee flavor blends well with the smooth cream, giving it a classy taste.

We left a little before closing time, when the crowd had thinned out a lot, and a cat had taken over the empty spot.