Cafe Burano (Seoul)
Review by Tiffany Chu, ETA ’15-’16 City: Seoul Restaurant Name: Cafe Burano Foods Served: Cafe, brunch Restaurant Address: 마포구 동교동 201-16 (201-16 Donggyo-dong Mapo-gu, Seoul, Korea) View Map Directions: Subway: Hongik University station, exit 1. Turn right out of the station, when you come to a large street two blocks in cross and turn left and then turn right at the first street. Cafe Burano will be on your right. Cost: 8,000-14,000 won Café Burano is a cozy eatery situated on a quiet street in Hongdae far from the noise of the main shopping area. I visited here for the first time on a Saturday around noon time, and the wait time was about 15-20 minutes without a reservation. The restaurant has a warm glow to it and a decidedly western feel. They offer a good selection of baked goods by the cash register and tables ranging in size and shape. The restaurant has a very lived-in feel — it’s clean but not pristine. They also have basic two-stalled bathrooms. After being seated, you will decide your order and at the table before placing it at the counter. My Korean friend ordered for us, and I never spoke with any of the servers, so I cannot speak to the wait staff’s English ability. After about 10-15 minutes, my club sandwich, and my friend’s pancake brunch arrived at the same time. The brunch options (pancake, waffle, french toast) were the most commonly ordered around those around us — take note that the portion size of these plates are quite large. My friend thought the pancake brunch was pretty good. The potatoes were nicely crisp, but the overall flavors of the plate weren’t anything special. I could same the same for my club sandwich. It came with a lot of lettuce, american cheese, onions, tomatoes, sweet pickles, two slices of bacon, and too much mayonnaise for my preferences. It certainly was not a bad meal, and I wouldn’t be averse to visiting again, but I don’t think I’ll be craving their food anytime soon.
With us, Travel (Jeju)
Review by Rebekah Morton, ETA ’15-’16 City: Jeju City Restaurant Name: With us, Travel Foods Served: Brunch Restaurant Address: 아라일동 6113-16, Jeju City 690121 View Map Directions: The cafe is in “ara dong,” a suburb of Jeju-si. If you take the Inda Maul bus stop, it’s about a five minute walk from there. Cost: ~10,000 won for brunch + coffee Here is the cafe’s Facebook page. The cafe is very cozy, with a fireplace and blankets in the middle of the main room. It also has great specialized coffee drinks, like real chocolate mochas and white mochas, which makes it a really great place to check out in the winter. Food-wise, they have typical brunch food options like pancakes, waffles, eggs benedict, and a “full breakfast” with eggs, bacon, and toast. They are known, however, for their waffles, which can come plain or with ice cream, berries and cream, or a variety of other sweet toppings. All the food and drinks I’ve had here have been great, especially given the moderately low prices. Additionally, the cafe and bathrooms are always clean and well-maintained. It’s a bit small, but never seems to be crowded.
COOKand (Gyeongju)
Review by Stephen Speers, ETA ’15-’16 City: Gyeongju Restaurant Name: COOKand Foods Served: Italian Restaurant Address: 경북 경주시 노동동 14번지 (Just Naver cookand) View Map Directions: Luckily, the restaurant will pop up if you type “cookand” into Naver! The establishment is right by the tombs downtown. If you’re heading from the train station, walk four streets down in the opposite direction and turn left and continue until the tombs are on your left. From the bus terminal, you can walk down the main street (heading towards the train terminal) and turn left after the second tomb! Your walk from either location should be a nice five to ten minute stroll! Cost: $$- Considering that Italian food tends to be quite expensive in Korea, I would say that COOKand is a pretty great deal. The meals are in the neighborhood of 9,000-12,000 won and they serve sangrias and glasses of wine for around 6,000 won! If you plan to dine and drink then I would go expecting to spend around 18,000-20,000 won. (Hey– they do throw in a free fortune cookie 😉 ) [slideshow_deploy id=’4045′] Atmosphere / Decor: COOKand is the epitome of cute meets Italian food. The restaurant looks like something you’d find on a girl’s artsy tumblr page— meaning, it’s creatively designed with a unique color palette, has some hipsterish photos pinned on the walls, and there’s a minimal nature-y vibe going on. But what really set’s this place apart from other restaurants in Korea is that you can view historic tombs just outside the window! The green tombs provide a beautiful backdrop to your delicious Italian meal in Korea. Wait time: I think lunch or early evening is the best time to go, so that you can see the gorgeous hobbit-like tombs in the sunlight. The restaurant also lights up quite nicely too. Service: I wish every menu in Korea was like COOKand’s— it is in English WITH photos for each meal! How perfect. It’s also a small little flip book which is creative (tumblr-esque~). Ordering can be as simple as pointing and reading aloud! Also— make sure to note that they sometimes have specials of the day on a board. Specialties: You’re coming to COOKand for the Italian cuisine and possibly the affordable wine and sangrias! The Sangrias are fruity and tasty as ever. I strongly recommend one for the wait, one for the meal, and who knows— maybe one for dessert? The menu is full of great options to fulfill any pasta lover’s desire. Personally, I love cream sauces so I always go for the shrimp with white cream sauce. However, they also have some fresh tasting olive oil dishes, tomato-based pasta sauces, and so on. I’ve frequented the establishment four times and I always order the same meal— but I also always enjoy whatever I sample from my guest! Also, at the end they provide you with fortune cookies. But beware, the fortune cookies are only in Korean. So unless the power of Korean flows strong with you, then you may feel sad like me wondering what the fortune possibly could have been. Or make a game of it and create your own fortune (wealth, love, fame, world domination)! Why I always come back: I always come back to COOKand for the affordable Sangrias and because I really miss pasta. Honestly, the pasta is also much better than whatever I can muster up at home. I hope to go someday with a coteacher… maybe they’ll translate my fortune cookie ^.^