Late Queue Fork · 4 stories
Writes about cafes and restaurants in Seoul, one visit at a time. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés
Mandong Jegwa Yeonnam Branch is a takeout-only bakery at 32 Yeonhui-ro, Seodaemun, Seoul, on a main road in Yeonnam-dong. On a weekday visit at 11:30am, the writer bought and tasted the new sweet pumpkin ciabatta (₩6,200), fig campagne (₩5,800), shrimp baguette (₩5,800), ₩1,200 chewy cheese bread and yakbap bread (₩3,800). Mandong Jegwa gets as crowded on weekdays as on weekends, so arrive at opening or before 2pm at the latest.
Wystab Diet Gwanghwamun is a protein salad shop on basement level 1 (B1) of Le Meilleur Jongno Town near Jonggak Station in Jongno, Seoul. The writer took out a Beef Light (12,900 won) with a salmon steak add-on (5,900 won). The beef outweighed the lettuce and was so tender and juicy that the yuzu dressing was barely needed. Verdict: at Wystab, next time order the Beef Light with an extra 100g of beef.
Preppers Diet Food Ewha branch is a chain salad café in Seodaemun, Seoul, set in the former Olive Young space right in front of Ewha Womans University's main gate. At Preppers Ewha the writer ate and took away a beef cobb plate (₩12,900), a whole chicken breast egg sandwich (₩7,900) and a mini cobb salad (₩4,500), staying about 50 minutes in the spacious café-style room with power outlets throughout. Preppers Ewha is a good pick for steak-grade beef salads paired with the sandwiches served at this branch.
Sideway is a café at the far end of Yeonnam-dong in Mapo, Seoul, near the underpass on the Gajwa Station side of the area nicknamed "Kkeutnam-dong" (끝남동). The owner studied architecture and personally designed and decorated Sideway, from its Nordic-style interior to the outdoor seating tucked inside the building. An Ethiopian drip coffee costs 6,500 won and the banana bread 7,500 won. Sideway is a good Yeonnam-dong café for resting or working quietly alone on a weekday afternoon.
