Seoul isn't all fun and games...
Okay, yes it is.
But it being Monday meant I still had to wake up and head to work. I began teaching a new student that day, and received so much popularity that I enrolled two more. Feeling quite proud of myself, I celebrated by stopping by A Twosome Place to finally try their Oat Latte. Starbucks used to carry an Oatmeal Latte, which was my all time favorite until it was discontinued in winter of 2017. I'm pleased to say that the Twosome Place version is just as delicious! Just missing the oatmeal toppings.
Next door to the cafe, a poof of steam caught my eye. Through the cloud, I could just make out the words
계란빵.
Tears welled up in my eyes, I was unsure if it was due to the cold wind or my sheer joy in finding an open egg bread stand so near my home. Without a moment to lose, I sidled up to the stand. I was ecstatic to see that it was only 1,000 원... and the yolk looked runny...
IT WAS THE BEST 계란빵 THAT HAS EVER ENTERED MY BIG MOUTH.
And so I alerted Caillean by text message that it was time to get fat and darted straight home. Where I announced my wholesome findings in person. We agreed to stop by the stand on the way to a cafe out nearby East 동대문 (Dongdaemun) and 하남 (Hanam). The second one was even better.
We rode the bus for nearly an hour, enjoying the city views and diverse culture until we got off near 의대 (Korea Foreign Studies University).
Up the street, in a small hole in the wall, was a neon sign indicating we had found the right place. 멜팅 폼 (Melting Pom) cafe.
The inside was decorated entirely in a cutesy pink scheme, much like a small children's room. Care Bears and other stuffed animal decorated the walls.
And a small Pomeranian dressed in overalls wandered about the room, spending time with each visitor. We ordered drinks and set up shop on one of the beds that seconded as a four person table. For the first time in years, I indulged in a sweet and sugary latte. Why? Because it was POPCORN FLAVORED. The 팝팝 라떼 (Pop pop latte) is salty and sweet, topped with a mountain of whipped cream, caramel drizzle, and caramel corn.
And yes, I did eat all that whipped cream.
At Melting Pom cafe, you can enjoy more than just the scenery. There is an arcade game set up in the corner that costs only 500 원 and you can request to borrow a number of board games from the staff. It proved to be a rather quite area, and was incredibly relaxing in the company of many small furballs.
For dinner, we kept up our pink theme and visited an Izakaya that Caillean and I had been eyeing down since this past summer. Hiding in the many alleyways of 홍대 (Hongdae), if you take just the right turn you may be fortunate enough to discover 홍대꼬치. It is easy to spot, as it brightens up its space with beautiful pink sakura trees and beaming fuchsia lights.
Although the small restaurant specializes in skewered foods for a fare price, we agreed to split something a little more substantial. ENTER EGGTOPIA.
We ordered okonomiyaki and tested the waters with a fish egg omelet.
GET THE FISH EGG OMELET.
It was the thickest, most amazing, delicious egg filled thing I have ever had in my LIFE. Its stuffed with baked fish eggs, and topped with okonomiyaki sauce, mayo, dried squid flakes, and scallions.
It is a MUST if you are ever in the area.
After dinner we took the train to 이태원, an area I had avoided until now.
The problem with 이태원 lies in its proximity to an American military base. Therefor, many foreign families reside nearby, and it had become a second America for quite sometime. This also results in attracting many tourists, as English is quite prominent throughout the area. But recently, the area has presented more up and coming brands and opportunities, which have sparked native interest and leveled out the population a little more. So we gave the area a shot since it was home to a notorious jazz bar. Through the inner streets off the main road, a flashing red sign pops from an old brick building. All That Jazz reads just above the opening, and on the second floor a large metal door will lead into a crimson light bar. After a hefty $10 entrance fee, you can feel free to lounge anywhere in the bar. The walls are decorated in albums, and twinkling lights shower from the curtain covered walls.
With the place near empty on a weeknight, we sat comfortably near the stage. The three of us gals split a bottle of Merlot, a band walking up to the stage just in time.
The rest of the evening was spent chatting and enjoying the smooth sounds of a relaxed three man ensemble on stage.
They played their own takes on original bossa nova music from around the world. After playing two encores (because this is Korea), the band signed off for the night, and the place began to thin out. We were the last to leave around 1 am, the bars weeknight closing time. I think I have finally found my new go-to scene.
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