Aloha from Korea: Foodie's Guide

Aloha~ One day when it was pouring down rain, my friend and I were exploring Hannam-dong and almost got completely drenched. Searching for a place to escape the rain, we randomly ducked into a newly opened hotspot, and it turned out to be the most perfect dessert cafe in Seoul! Let me introduce you to 'Cafe Cite Hannam' . From its stylish decor to its relaxing vibe, it completely stole my heart. Here is my honest review of this beautiful Hannam-dong cafe!

Aloha~ 🌺   Today, I’m introducing a hidden gem in Songridan-gil that is absolutely perfect for this warm spring weather! It’s a house-converted cafe with a massive outdoor terrace, and it’s even pet-friendly. Here is my honest review of 'Bittersalt', a cafe filled with a relaxing, European vibe~ How is everyone’s week going? The weather has been so gorgeous lately that it feels like a waste to stay indoors. While looking for a sunlit cafe with a nice terrace for my hangout in Songridan-gil, I stumbled upon 'Bittersalt'! 1. European Vibe Reminiscent of Hampstead Heath, London 🏡 Bittersalt is a cafe built by fully renovating an old house. While most cafes in Songridan-gil are quite small and crowded, I was completely shocked by how spacious their front yard terrace is! From the exterior to the interior details, it instantly reminded me of the old, cozy pubs right in front of Hampstead Heath park from back when I lived in London. It’s a space filled with a charming, vint...

Aloha~ 🌺  Today, I want to share one of my absolute favorite spots, Les Parisiens Myeongdong , an incredibly romantic cafe that absolutely nails French desserts! (Note: The photos in this post are from my visit during the beautiful Christmas season, but it is a place I still visit all the time! 💕) The cute exterior is more than enough to catch the eyes of passersby. True to its reputation as a Myeongdong hotspot for SNS photos, even foreign tourists naturally stopped in their tracks. It already grabs your attention with its pink aesthetics, but it looks even prettier decorated for Christmas! 🎄 Les Parisiens Myeongdong is a large cafe created by "Guillaume," a brand already famous for its desserts! Since Guillaume's Cheongdam and Pangyo branches are renowned for their French sweets, my expectations for the taste were super high! A Spacious, 3-Story Pink Haven The entire building from the 1st to the 3rd floor is dedicated to cafe seating. It’s so spacious that you can ...

  Aloha, everyone! 🌺 Today, I visited one of my absolute favorite spots: Saesori Mulsori (새소리물소리) . This Hanok (traditional Korean house) cafe near Seoul was officially designated as a Gyeonggi-do Cultural Heritage last year, and was even highlighted by the BBC as a representative traditional Korean cafe! The autumn leaves are perfectly ripe right now, making it the absolute best time to visit. There are a few parking lots just outside the building, so parking is relatively easy. Just walking up to the entrance makes me so happy! My friend mentioned that this place has been featured on famous radio shows and various TV programs. But honestly, even without the media buzz, it has been a deeply loved and famous Hanok cafe in the Bundang/Seongnam area for a very long time! Because it was designated as a Cultural Heritage in 2024, they now limit the number of people entering to protect the site. Honestly, this might be a relief! It used to get so unbelievably crowded on weekends that...

Aloha, everyone! 🌺 Today, I’m going to take you on a little trip to the sunny South of France! I recently visited a cafe in the Apgujeong area, and the atmosphere was so incredibly unique that I just had to share it with you all. It was a super windy and unexpectedly cold day. Lately, I’ve had quite a few "coffee failures" at trendy Apgujeong cafes (where the interiors are gorgeous but the coffee is... well, shocking 🥲). So, I was hesitating a lot before finally deciding to step into Tour à Tour (투아투아) . Looking from the outside, it was hard to guess what kind of place it was, but the online reviews praising their bakery were overwhelmingly positive! When you open the door to Tour à Tour , you can't help but be amazed. It feels like you've been teleported into a rustic farmhouse kitchen in the French countryside! The lighting is intentionally kept very low—almost as if they don't use electricity and only rely on natural sunlight and warm lanterns. The South of ...

 Aloha! 🌺 It’s Jihye in Seoul. Today, I want to introduce you to a very special, highly sought-after traditional Korean dessert. Have you ever heard of North Korean-style Injeolmi (Rice Cake)? As you may know, Korea is a divided country. Because of this, authentic North Korean cuisine is quite rare and considered a very special, unique delicacy here in the South. Among all the North Korean treats, this specific style of Injeolmi from a famous shop called Dosuhyang in Apgujeong Rodeo is an absolute masterpiece. If you are a rice cake lover, you will go crazy for this! 🥟 What makes North Korean-Style Injeolmi so special? Regular Korean Injeolmi is usually dusted with dry, roasted soybean powder. However, the North Korean style is completely different! A perfectly chewy, densely pounded rice cake is generously covered in a soft, moist paste made from peeled red beans (Gipi-pat). It’s hand-squeezed, so you can actually see the rustic, charming finger marks on every single piece. Th...

 Aloha! 🌺 It’s Jihye in Seoul. Have you ever watched the adorable Netflix stop-motion series, Rilakkuma and Kaoru ? If you are a fan, you probably know how much Rilakkuma loves Dango (Japanese sweet rice dumplings). When that show was trending, I went on a massive hunt across Seoul to find the perfect Dango. Today, I’m sharing the hidden gem I settled on and have been visiting for years! Welcome to Ankko (Gangnam-gu Office Station) Ankko  is a specialty Japanese dessert shop in Gangnam. They are famous for their  Wagashi  (traditional Japanese confections),  Manju ,  Monaka , and of course,  Dango . Because they use a lot of high-quality red beans, they are also highly loved by locals for their Red Bean Shaved Ice (Patbingsu) and Red Bean Porridge (Patjuk). They have a few tables inside, including a cozy Kotatsu seat that I always want to try! (Just keep in mind they have a strict "one drink per person" policy if you dine in, so leave some room in y...