First stop of the day - Common Ground! A container pop-up mall that is great for taking photos! Went to Alegria Coffee Roasters at the top floor for their affogato - both coffee and matcha versions and they are SO GOOD! So hot today that it feels like we are standing in an oven! Argh!!
Common Ground 커먼그라운드
200 Achasan-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul
1100-2200hrs (daily)
Subway: Konkuk University Station Exit 6 (line 2), (line 7)
Instagram: commonground.1st
#1: Common Ground.
#2: Common Ground.
#3: Common Ground.
#4: Common Ground.
Alegria Coffee Roasters 알레그리아 커피 로스터스는
Common Ground 3F, 200 Achasan-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul
1100-2200hrs (daily)
Subway: Konkuk University Station Exit 6 (line 2), (line 7)
Instagram: alegriacoffee
#5: Algeria Coffee Roasters.
#6: Matcha Affogato - concentrated matcha, matcha ice cream; KRW5,800. Affogato - espresso, vanilla ice cream; KRW6,500.
Next, we went to House of Dior. There's a cafe at the top floor selling creations by Chef Pierre Herme, and omg the desserts were so expensive! On an average of KRW30,000 to KRW50,000! So we decided to leave and proceed to the next cafe.
Mr Holmes Bakehouse originated from Los Angeles, specializes in French bakeries. We tried the Matcha Cruffin (Croissant + Muffin, croissant baked muffin-style) and Chocolate Brioche Donut. The cruffin was really good but the donut so-so.
Mr Holmes Bakehouse
34 Apgujeong-ro 10-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
1000-2200hrs (Mon-Fri), 1000-2300hrs (Sat, Sun)
Subway: Sinsa Station Exit 8 (line 3)
Instagram: mrholmesbakehouse_kr
#7: Mr Holmes Bakehouse.
#8: Mr Holmes Bakehouse.
#9: The croissants look so good right?
#10: Iced Matcha Latte, KRW6,000.
#11: Matcha Cruffin (croissant baked like muffin): KRW5,500.
#12: Super good matcha pastry cream!
Next, we went to Sona Cafe that is round the corner. They specialises in creative desserts and drinks. We got the Vacherin (바슈랭), which is raspberry sorbet, vanilla ice cream, meringue, in a form of a cake, covered with chantilly cream. Minimum one order per person, so we got a Cherry Blossom Pink Lemonade as well.
We actually wanted to try the Champagne Sugar Ball (샴페인 슈가볼), but as it is summer and due to the humidity and heat, they temporary stop making it.
Sona Café 소나카페
40 Gangnam-daero, 162-gil, Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
1230-2200hrs (Tue-Sun)
Closed on Mondays
Subway: Sinsa Station Exit 8 (line 3)
#13: Sona Cafe.
#14: Cherry Blossom Pink Lemonade, KRW7,000.
#15: Vacherin - raspberry sorbet, vanilla ice cream, dried yogurt meringue sticks, chantilly cream, raspberry meringue powder; KRW13,000.
Just opposite Sona Cafe is Etoile. A small store that sells financiers and madeleines of different flavours. We got a matcha madeleine to try and it is really impressive!
Etoile
534-8 Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
1230-2100hrs (daily)
Subway: Sinsa Station Exit 8 (line 3)
Next, we went to Goto Mall - Gangnam Terminal Underground Shopping Mall for some shopping to digest our food before we head over to Kwangjang Market for dinner.
Goto Mall 고투몰 (강남터미널 지하도상가)
1000-2200hrs (daily)
Subway: Express Bus Terminal Station (line 3, 7, 9)
Kwangjang Market is one of the oldest markets in Seoul. It sells really traditional Korean street food. Funny that there is only three kinds of stores there. They are either Korean restaurants, selling hotteok, or selling a variety of Korean food - all stores the same variety. We tried the odeng, japchae and kimbap. Odeng was good, the others so-so. Kwangjang Market is good for some authentic street stall experience, but the place was really rundown. And some Hotteok (mungbean pancake) before we leave!
Kwangjang Market 광장시장
88 Changgyeonggung-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
General Stores: 0830-1800hrs
Restaurants: 0830-2300hrs
Clothing Stores: 2100-1000hrs
Subway: Jongno 5-ga Station Exit 8 (line 1), Euljiro 4-ga Station Exit 4 (line 2, 3)
#16: Kwangjang Market.
#17: Kwangjang Market.
#18: The store that we tried!
#19: Odeng (Korean fishcake) Soup, KRW3,000.
#20: Japchae (glass noodles), KRW3,000.
#21: Kimbap, KRW3,000.
#22: Hotteok stall.
#23: Hotteok, KRW1,500.
Reached home earlier today and in time to catch some Kpop dance performance by independent dance crews. After freshening up, we went to Sulbing, a popular bingsu cafe at the 2nd floor of the building we are staying at, and we had Matcha Chocolate Bingsu. Really really good as well!
Sulbing (Dongdaemun, Time Castle) 설빙-동대문, 타임캐슬
Time Castle L2, 23 Euljiro 6(yuk)-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul
1100-0100hrs (daily)
Subway: Dongdaemun History and Culture Park Station Exit 12 (line 2)
Instagram: sulbing.official
#24: Matcha Chocolate Bingsu, KRW9,900.
Alright, that sums up day 3!
Expenses of the Day
[Alegria Coffee Roasters]
Affogato: 6,500 (÷2) = KRW3,250
Matcha Affogato: 5,800 (÷2) = KRW2,900
[Mr Holmes Bakehouse]
Iced Matcha Latte: 6,000 (÷2) = KRW3,000
Matcha Cruffin: 5,500 (÷2) = KRW2,750
Chocolate Brioche Donut: 2,800 (÷2) = KRW1,400
[Sona Cafe]
Vacherin: 13,000 (÷2) = KRW6,500
Cherry Blossom Pink Lemonade = 7,000 (÷2) = KRW3,500
Etoile, Matcha Madeleine: KRW2,200
[Goto Mall]
Fan: KRW9,900
Bracelet: 1,900 (x2) = KRW3,800
Ring: KRW4,900
Hair Tie: KRW2,000
Hair Dye: 3,900 (x2) = KRW7,800
Tteokbokki: KRW3,000
DIY Painting: KRW3,900
Paper Fan: KRW2,500
Hair Clip: KRW1,000
Designed Plaster: 1,000 (x2) = KRW2,000
[Kwangjang Market]
Odeng: KRW3,000
Japchae: 3,000 (÷2) = KRW1,500
Kimbap: 3,000 (÷2) = KRW1,500
Sulbing, Matcha Chocolate Bingsu: 9,900 (÷2) = KRW4,950
Total for day 3: KRW77,200 = SGD93.60
Balance brought forward: SGD1,301.95
Current total: SGD1,395.55