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 ^.^
Hands Coffee (Busan)
Review by Breanna Durham, ETA ’15-’16 City: Busan Restaurant Name: Hands Coffee Foods Served: Specialty coffee and desserts Restaurant Address: 1 Millak-dong Suyeong-gu, Busan, South Korea View Map Directions: Once you get out of the Haeundae Station stop, walk until you get to the street opposite the beach. The shop should be on the right side before you cross the street. Cost: 5,000 won + It’s a two story coffee shop that has a classical style with wooden walls and old style lamps. The low lighting makes the atmosphere romantic, but you can still comfortably work in it. Decorative teacups and plates line up on shelves beside the ordering counter. A mix of soul, blues, r&b, and big band music filters through the shop. If you want privacy, an enclosed room awaits you on the second floor- no smoking too. The floors were well swept. And at 3:34 pm on a Saturday, the shop didn’t have a large crowd, meaning a shorter wait time for whatever you get. As for your order, they serve specialty drip coffees. The staff knows a little English if you need it to order. I bought the Momora, an Ethiopian coffee. It came in a teacup accompanied by a sugar cube on a saucer. Sipping it, it felt soft and velvety. Even with the sugar cube, it retained a nice bitter taste to it, but wasn’t strong enough to need milk. No watery taste here. It had a tang to it. I enjoyed it.
Fall in Coffee (Gimhae)
Review by Janine Perri, ETA ’15-’16 City: Gimhae Restaurant Name: Fall in Coffee Foods Served: Coffee, wine, dessert Restaurant Address: 463-6 Daeseong-dong, Gimhae-si, Gyeongsangnam-do View Map Directions: From Gimhae National Museum subway station, take the exit closest to the bridge. Walk toward the Gimhae Tourist Information Center, which will be on your left. The café is across the street. Cost: 5000-6000 won Fall in Coffee is a coffee shop and roasting house located across the street from the Gimhae Tourist Information Center and the Gimhae National Museum. The café has a large selection of different coffees, espressos, wine, and iced beverages. This café features coffee beans from many Asian and Latin American countries. The coffee can be a little expensive, with most cups costing at least 5000 won. Fall in Coffee also has a dessert selection that includes cakes and cookies. The staff does not speak English, but they are quick to provide a menu and take your order. This two-story building has indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor seating overlooks the parking lot, but the indoor seating is inviting and cozy. The interior has comfortable chairs and lovely wooden tables. If you are doing some sightseeing in the area or you would like to spend some time chatting with friends or working on your laptop, I highly recommend this cafe.