City Guide Review: Gusttimo (Itaewon)
Review by Karen Han, manager of Gusttimo (Itaewon) City: Itaewon, Seoul (이태원, 서울) Restaurant Name: Gusttimo (구스띠모) Food Served: Dessert, Gelato, Coffee Restaraunt Address: 서울특별시 용산구 이태원동 127-11 View Map Directions: It is just outside of the exit 3, Itaewon station and next to the kebab shop. Opposite of the Hamilton Hotel. Cost: Varies, ~4,000 KRW How was the wait time? Did you make a reservation? There is no wait time unless it is the weekend. It will not take that long as it is cafe serving coffee or gelato. Was the restaurant clean? How were bathroom amenities? The Gelato shop just opened in April 2015, so it is really clean and posh atmosphere. At the same time, it is small, but cozy~ How was the service? Did wait staff speak English? Service, they have special education on service and how to work at the Gelato shop/cafe, they have some of the staff good at speaking English and Chinese. Also, great at English. What did you order? Are there any “specialities” that the reader should be sure to try? How long did it take for the food to come out? Gelato-specializing cafe, also coffee is always there. How was the food? Was there a particular dish that stood out, or was disappointing? They have traditional Italian style Gelato and it is healthy and various types of gelato are available.They make the gelato fresh every day. Would you come back again? Why or why not? I would love to come back again, and try different flavors!
City Guide Review: Coffee Namoo (Busan)
Review by Ivan Liang, ETA 2014-2015 City: Busan (부산) Restaurant Name: Coffee Namoo (커피 나무) Food Served: Coffee, drinks and sweets Restaraunt Address: 부산광역시 사하구 낙동남로 1406-1 View Map Directions: Come out of Hadan Station Exit 4. To your right should be the Gangseo Mart 강서마트 on the corner of the street. Take a left and go down that street, away from the big main street. To your left should be Namoo Coffee. Cost: About 4000₩ for a drink and 5000₩ for dessert A small, quaint coffee shop that is squeezed into a hole in the wall right off the busy main avenue of Hadan, one of Busan’s transportation hubs that connects it with the surrounding towns, villages, and a massive Samsung facility. The place is quite small and only has seating for 4, with a small bar seating 3 more almost impossibly located right next to the entrance. But it has a charm that many of Korea’s bigger coffee chains don’t really have. The counter top is rough paneled wood that has seen many open days and the tables are nestled right up against bookshelves crowded with well worn pages. Actual books! Some are even in English! The coffee is lovingly made slowly and with care, the baristas operating their chrome Victoria Arduino espresso machine or grinding your coffee by hand before making your coffee to order. With a small sitting area and most people coming to get their coffee to go before the morning rush hour or to sustain a long work day, you can easily come here and be alone with your work, studies, or thoughts. It can also make an intimate, off the beaten path dating spot that’s not a Starbucks or Angel-in-Us.
City Guide Review: Greenhouse (Changwon)
Greenhouse, the prized cafe and bakery of northern Changwon, is not only my preferred place for whole wheat loaves and baguettes, but it is also the perfect spot for brunch. Located in a quieter neighborhood, with little noise but lots of light, the second-floor cafe of this charming establishment is almost — as its name suggests — a place where you can relax, rejuvenate, and grow. And eat.