Yeonnam-dong café near Hongdae with a smoked salmon sandwich: Jam Jam

The weather lately makes even a hardcore homebody like me want to keep going out. It's genuinely insane. The cold wind is probably coming soon, right...? So I've been making the most of the weather and my weekday afternoons while I can. Hehe.

I've fallen back in love with Yeonnam-dong lately and keep dropping by like it's my local haunt, and this time I found a super hip, super tasty brunch café there. : ) Definitely a repeat spot!

Where is Jam Jam, and what are its hours?

Jam Jam is a brunch café tucked in an alley in Yeonnam-dong, a 10-minute walk from Hongik University Station. Hours are Monday–Friday 10:00–21:00 and Saturday–Sunday 10:00–22:00, and there's no parking.

Walk along the Gyeongui Line Forest Trail and duck into a small alley, and this Yeonnam-dong brunch café appears.

A cute little scooter greets you out front. Hi there. : )

Inside Jam Jam: couple seats, a group table and mirrored walls

Inside, Jam Jam has separate side-by-side couple seats and a group table, all wrapped in a vintage, exotic vibe. There are mirrors everywhere, which made it great for mirror shots.

The interior was bigger than I expected, but there weren't that many tables — which actually worked out well.

There are couple seats where you can sit side by side. Sounds like a great Yeonnam-dong date spot, right?

There's also a group table. Seems perfect for coming with a bunch of friends and ordering a spread of the menu. >_<

Above all, the space itself is so stylish it made me want to take photo after photo.

There's an unusual mirror right at the bathroom entrance too. I wanted a photo but skipped it due to unflattering-face issues. ㅠㅠ

Overall it has that vintage, exotic feel. Looking back at the photos now, even the tableware is pretty...

Who ripens avocados this beautifully as decor, honestly.

Especially with mirrors all over the place, it was great for mirror shots. I didn't manage to get a good one myself, but everyone else looked great, so go get your date photos in.

Jam Jam menu and prices

Jam Jam has a huge menu, so it's worth checking Naver Place for the full list. Prices seem about average for a Yeonnam-dong brunch café. That day I ordered the salmon sandwich for ₩16,000 and an Earl Grey latte for ₩6,000.

Ah, seriously... the visuals were insane, but the taste was even more insane. This is the Yeonnam-dong brunch café, right here.

The sandwich was genuinely delicious, and the Earl Grey latte had this mysterious quality — somewhere between milk tea and coffee, slightly bitter, which I really loved.

Salmon sandwich, 16,000 won: why the smoked salmon isn't fishy

Jam Jam's salmon sandwich is an open-faced sandwich piled high with fresh smoked salmon and plenty of rocket. As someone who's serious about salmon, I can say it wasn't the least bit fishy.

As a self-proclaimed salmon fanatic, I take salmon very seriously, and the salmon here is genuinely fresh with zero fishiness. It's hard for smoked salmon to be this free of that smell — the ingredients must just be good.

Since it's an open sandwich, at a glance it looks like a salmon salad, but there's bread layered underneath too.

Alright, let's eat. There was so much fresh salmon piled on that I was thrilled from the start, and the generous rocket made it even fresher. The sauce was also seriously good...❤️

You think the side without salmon isn't just as good? Look at that blanket of cheese.

A ranch-style sauce different from the salmon side, combined with rich cheese, was amazing together. I don't even like eggs usually, but with all that cheese poured over the egg, I actually ate egg for the first time in ages. Good on me for a healthy meal, haha.

Boiled to a perfect soft-boiled texture.

Take a look at that gorgeous yolk. Even someone as clueless about ingredients as me could tell they used good ones generously.

Earl Grey latte, 6,000 won: somewhere between coffee and milk tea

Jam Jam's Earl Grey latte is ₩6,000. Perfect for when you want both coffee and milk tea at once.

Craving coffee and milk tea at the same time? The Earl Grey latte is the obvious answer.

It's not sweet, so it's easy to drink without feeling guilty, and the slightly bitter note is genuinely addictive.

Who should visit Jam Jam in Yeonnam-dong?

• Great for a stylish date in Yeonnam-dong, with food made with care and a space full of atmosphere
• Great for group visits, since the food and drink menu is so varied
• Great for enjoying a relaxed outdoor meal on nice days, thanks to the terrace seats

If you're looking for a Yeonnam-dong brunch café or a good date spot in the area, definitely give Jam Jam a visit. : )