Cafe Mug
Review by Mo Kinsinger, ETA ’15-’16 City: Mokpo Restaurant Name: Cafe Mug Foods Served: Coffee, smoothies, baked goods Restaurant Address: 1001-3 Sinheung-dong, Mokpo View Map Directions: Go to the main square in the center of Rose Street in Hadang. There is a little, man-made lake there with benches, little bridges and a gazebo. In the most north-east corner of this little square, you will see Cafe Mug on the second floor of a dark, new-looking building. There are many cute cafes on Rose Street. That is kind of what Rose Street is famous for. But Cafe Mug stands out, and has turned into a main meeting point for our Mokpo ETA crowd this year. The central location, atmosphere (comfy, old-timey decorations, magazines, and a heated outdoor sitting area), the drinks (really good lattes and yummy smoothies), the fast wifi, and the personable baristas (some of whom are pretty attractive…) have made many of us regulars at this place. If you are wandering Rose Street looking for a place to lesson plan, chat with a friend, or just escae the cold/heat, among the many possible cafes in the area I recommend Cafe Mug.
Cattle & Bee
Review by Janine Perri, ETA ’15-’16 City: Gimhae Restaurant Name: Cattle & Bee Foods Served: Ice cream, coffee, honey Restaurant Address: 49-55 Naeoejyongang-ro Gimhae-si, Gyeongsangnam-do Directions: Start at Hue and Rock Mall and Homeplus. Walk toward the city center down Naeoejyongang-ro for about 15 minutes. The shop is on the left. Cost: 4500-5000 won This ice cream shop has a few locations in Korea, one of which is in Gimhae’s city center. Cattle & Bee serves organic ice cream, coffee and honey at similar prices to other ice cream shops in Korea. Most of the ice cream is a basic vanilla flavor with your choice of toppings, such as honey, cookies, or nuts. The interior of the shop is fairly small and has a few tables. Cattle & Bee is good for grab-and-go or to sit and chat for a few minutes with a friend. The wait time was less than five minutes, though it will be more crowded during the summer months. Though the staff does not speak English, the menu is in both English and Korean. Cattle & Bee also sells premium, organic honey. The honey is significantly more expensive, with a price tag of 50,000 won and above. Overall, a good choice for a quick treat.
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.