Enjoy pastry perfection and a weekend brunch at Amandier in Anguk-dong

Freshly made pastries and desserts are Amandier's specialty, and hudreds of macaroons are made daily.

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The pastry shop/restaurant has a lavish interior to suit its upscale menu.

    Nestled between historical Insadong, grand Gyeongbokgung palace, and cozy Samcheongdong lies a little slice of European heaven called Amandier. According to Ten Magazine, Ruben Jan Adrian is a Dutchborn 29 year old pastry chef. With experience working in locations such as Paris, Singapore, and Brussels, Adrian had plenty of experience before opening Amandier just three short months ago.
     Just looking through Amandier's upscale storefront will make your eyes grow wide. There are hundreds of colorful macaroons, decadent chocolates, and pastries so beautiful that you will truly be afraid to touch them. Of course there are fresh bakery items offered each day, and Monday-Friday you can order a lunch sandwich with a free coffee.

The eggs benedict: poached eggs, fresh ham, and sinful Hollandaise sauce.

    Although the restaurant is limited to salads and sandwiches during the week, there is a small and affordable weekend brunch menu offered on Sat-Sun from 10am - 4pm. Don't miss out on this menu! There are only four items and they're all made with perfection: the belguim waffle with maple syrup and butter, a waffle with cafe Americano, waffle with ice cream and cafe Americano, and eggs benedict. The eggs benedict has perfectly poached eggs and a sinful Hollandaise sauce. The spinach added as a layer in between, is a much needed healthy and fresh addition to the buttery concoction. And don't worry, you can get this perfect dish for only 8,000 won!

Chef and owner Ruben Jan Adrian working hard in the kitchen on a Sunday.

    The coffees and teas at Amandier are a little pricey at an average of 5,000 per cup. I recommend skipping the caffeine, and putting that money towards an extra pastry item such as the fresh raspberry macaroon, or a freshly baked carrot multi-grain muffin.

Directions: 

Walk across the street from Insadong Station Exit 6. If your looking at Gyeongbokgung Palace simply make a right on the main street and the restaurant will be a two minute walk.

If you have any questions or comments about "Enjoy pastry perfection and a weekend brunch at Amandier in Anguk-dong "  please leave them in the comment box below or email them to seoulfoodgirl@gmail.com

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Ginseng aloe smoothies and cigarettes anyone?

    During my first week in Seoul I felt like I was getting sick because of my crazy schedule and the time change. Luckily I discovered one of the healthiest drinks I have ever tasted just one block from my office. This drink seriously cured me while I was sick, and prevented me from getting sick when I felt some sinusitis symptoms!
    One women owns a small little storefront on the main street food section of Jongno. Sitting outside her shop, you can see big aloe plants which she uses in her smoothies. The 3,000 won smoothie consists of fresh aloe plant, soy milk, banana milk, and a kiwi. The 4,000 smoothie is exactly the same but comes with fresh ground up ginseng.
    The drink tastes very cool and soothing because of the aloe, while it is bitter from the ginseng and sour from the kiwi. The first time I had a sip I thought "well this taste healthy!" So yes, it is definitely an acquired taste. There is no ice blended in the smoothie, so it needs to be gulped down quickly while it is fresh. But the light taste is not hard to bear; each time I order the smoothie I finish it within the two or three minutes it takes to get to my apartment.

    The only weird thing about this amazing smoothie is that you can buy cigarettes from the same women! Like most things I have discovered in Korea, this healthy cigarette selling smoothie shop is a complete oxymoron! Clearly the women wants to encourage people to buy healthy drinks and lead a healthy lifestyle. She wouldn't have fresh aloe in her smoothies otherwise. However, I guess her smoothies haven't caught on with very many of the ajashis (old men) in the area, so she sells cigarettes on the side to survive!

    Directions to the aloe smoothie lady: Take exit 1 of the Jongno 3 Sam-ga subway stop and turn right at the Skin Food on the first corner. Walk down the street about one minute and you will see the ladies aloe plants and shop on the left hand side.


If you have any questions or comments about "Ginseng aloe smoothies and cigarettes anyone?" please leave them in the comment box below or send an email to seoulfoodgirl@gmail.com.

The doughnut couple

   
     The doughnut couple in Jongno bake fresh doughnuts and red bean fish shaped cakes all day long. I call them the doughnut couple because the food stand is run by a cute old man and woman.
    There are plenty of doughnut shops around Seoul, but I like this stand because they always have fresh doughnuts. Chances are when you walk by there will be doughnuts cooking away in the pot of oil. This ensures that you will almost never get a cold doughnut. They start baking early in the morning at around 5 am and continue throughout the day until around 4pm. Usually the couple just has you leave money on the counter. This is because they are rolling dough and filling it with red bean and don't want to get their hands dirty.
    The doughnut couple makes several types of doughnuts. My favorite is the round sugar dusted doughnut filled with red bean. The outside is flaky and crispy while the inside is gooey with red bean. The twisted doughnuts are flaky and do not taste very sweet. Each doughnut costs a whopping 500 won, or about 50 cents. 
   

Directions: The doughnut couple can be found on the corner directly across the street from the Jongno 3 Sam-ga exit 5.

If you have any questions or comments about the doughnut couple in Jongno please leave them in the comment box below or email seoulfoodgirl@gmail.com.

Bornga Korean BBQ is a noteworthy chain

    Korean BBQ is a must, and Bornga is one of the most reliable places to order up some meat. Chances are that where ever you are in Seoul, there is a Bornga close by. During my first week in Seoul I went to Bornga in Jongno. This location is great because it is right off piano street which is home to many bars and restaurants. Simply take the last right when entering piano street from the Chonggyecheon Stream.

     Bornga cannot be missed on the right hand side. You will see a restaurant with tons of copper pipes hanging from the ceiling and modern black tables with built in grills. There is a picture menu for those who suck at Korean like me!

     The prices are really affordable if you order wisely. One order of woo samgyup (thinly sliced pork belly) and one order of  Deungshim gui (등심구이- beef loin) will stuff four people and cost around $40 total with a round of beers. 

     The best part about this restaurant is that they really don’t skimp on portions or high quality meat. They give you tons of meat and an enormous platter of vegetables. You will never run out of lettuce for your amazing taco creations. Make sure to dip some of your meat in the sweet and tangy garlic sauce.

     Check out Bornga's website to see one of their 16 locations around Seoul. The addresses are in English, and there is a fully English website coming soon.

Please leave any questions or comments about Bornga Korean BBQ in the box below!