Cafe De Seoul: Seoul Searching at Taft Avenue

Although I love Korean BBQ houses and bulgogi restaurants, there will always be a special spot for Korean cafes in my heart. Unlike the usual Western coffee shops, Korean cafes offer a unique experience not only with its drinks and snacks, but also with a lighter, hipper and more creative atmosphere. And this my friends is exactly what I loved about Cafe De Seoul -- a fairly new Korean cafe along Taft Avenue in Manila.

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• Adobo Connection: Affordable Adobo Variants and More
• Zark's Burgers: It's Jawbreaker Day!

Cafe De Seoul which opened just this March is located at the 2nd floor of One Archer's Place. It's right next to DLSU's Br. Andrew Gonzalez Hall, which is a few blocks away from the Quirino LRT station (towards Vito Cruz). And while I was certainly surprised at the numerous food spots that opened right after I left the building (I used to rent a unit at One Archer's Place), I was sure excited to experience Cafe De Seoul's offerings.

And by offerings, I don't just pertain to Cafe De Seoul's own brew of coffees, teas and other concoctions. Aside from the usual f&b to go along with a nice relaxing stay in a Korean cafe, Cafe De Seoul also offers a creative space -- the perfect place for brainstorming, fun catch-up sessions, an energizing alone time while finishing up a project, or just a spot to draw inspiration from when you have the dreaded creative block.

Don't you just love how fun, modern and invigorating the place looks like? Your eyes can roam endlessly inside Cafe De Seoul, and I'm sure you'll find yourself with the same dilemma I had. "Where do I sit?" It sounds petty, but believe me, Cafe De Seoul is spacious and almost every spot seems perfect. Whether you sit by the windows, at the long table, or by the couches, you'll never fail to feel like you're in an airport cafe in Seoul.

Would you believe, some tables are even equipped with Samsung Galaxy tablets?

There are even more awesome things you'll see when you check out the trinket-filled corners at Cafe De Seoul. They have a shelf full of cute merchandise, magazines you can read, and even a working Dutch coffee drip. But the most eye-catching feat I found were the table tops installed with Samsung Galaxy tablets! Of course, if you brought your own gadgets, fret not as Cafe De Seoul offers free Wi-Fi and even network sockets.

The Food and Drinks

Sorry if I became too giddy sharing the light, creative, modern and techie ambiance of Cafe De Seoul. It's not usual for me to gush over a cafe's interior, but this is an exception since the place is really my cup of tea. But of course, ambiance is not the entire selling point, so let us now move on to the food and drink offerings at the cafe.

Brussel Waffle (P245)

I always get a waffle when I'm in cafes, so it's nice to have tried the Brussel Waffle which is a popular Korean snack that's lighter, crisper and has larger pockets than other European waffle variants. It's served with your choice of gelato, fruit slices and 3 kinds of sauces -- chocolate, white chocolate and strawberry. I know price is a little steep, but this serving is indeed one of the best waffles I've had. Even without the sauces, I can actually enjoy every forkful (and finish the whole thing) with just fruits and a dollop of gelato. Yum!

Chocolate Lava Cake (P130)

Chocoholics shouldn't miss the Chocolate Lava Cake. It's one of the cafe's best-sellers combining elements of a moist chocolate cake, and a creamy soufflé. Flavor-wise, I loved that this serving is rich and super chocolatey. Normally, I can finish chocolate desserts instantly. But since this cake has intense chocolatey goodness, it helps to have a companion to share this with. Personally though, I would've preferred if it has oozing molten chocolate. But this dessert's moist, almost-molten center is a good consolation.

✓ Rice Cake (P50 each; P400 set of 10)
Available flavors include melon, mango, green apple, strawberry, wild strawberry, blueberry,
orange, banana, peach and grape.

The prettiest dessert we had were the Rice Cakes which are called tteok in Korean. Unlike traditional tteok, this modern take is quite similar to Japanese rice cakes called mochi. Outside every bundle is a casing of pounded glutinous rice. The inside on the other hand, is a mix of fruit flavors and sweet bean paste perfect to pair with the cafe's teas. For this trip, I was fortunate to have sampled 9 with the exception of the peach flavor. And for someone who has tried quite a number of Japanese mochi, I can say that these colorful treats far surpass the ones I've had in terms of flavor, texture and appearance. Honestly, I loved every flavor equally, and that has never happened before!

Gangnam Balls (P145)
Available in beef, tuna and kimchi.

For savory rice lovers, you can try the Gangnam Balls which are a variation of Korean rice balls called jumuk bap. Served with 2 kinds of sauces, these savory bundles of rice are perfect for people on the go, or for those who just want an easy-to-eat meal while studying or working in the cafe. I got to try both the beef and tuna variants, and they were quite good. The next time I visit Cafe De Seoul, I'll be sure to order the kimchi flavor.

✓ Seoul Bing-Soo (ECO P210; BIZ P260)
The ECO size is good for about 2-3, while BIZ is good for about 3-4 persons.

My most-awaited dessert for the trip was the Seoul Bing-Soo which is the Korean equivalent of our halo-halo. While our local summer dessert is certainly more colorful, there's no doubt that this bowl looks as enticing. Every serving has finely-shaved ice, red beans, sliced almonds, peanuts, tteok (Korean rice cakes), and a scoop of vanilla gelato drizzled with chocolate syrup. Although our own halo-halo is more elaborate, I can't deny that the medley of all the flavors in this Korean dessert is just addictingly good! Every spoonful is refreshing, with a warm and earthy hint from the nuts and red beans.

✓ Green Tea Bing-Soo (ECO P200; BIZ P250)
The ECO size is good for about 2-3, while BIZ is good for about 3-4 persons.

Another variant of this refreshing summer treat is the Green Tea Bing-Soo. It has almost the same combination of ingredients, except that there's green tea syrup in the mix and is topped with green tea powder. While both bing-soo variants brought me to shaved ice heaven, I'll only recommend this flavor to the exciting folks who love matcha as it might be too much for those who don't really fancy the taste of matcha green tea. Oh, and just a tip, make sure to mix all the ingredients thoroughly so you can enjoy every dimension (flavor and texture) of this refreshing Korean shaved ice dessert.

Ddalgi Sonagi (ECO P155; BIZ P165) and ✓ Honey Citron/Yuja (ECO P130; BIZ P145)

For drinks, we got to enjoy the Ddalgi Sonagi which literally translates to "strawberry rain" in Korean. Like what its name implies, it's a mixture of ice-blended green kiwi and strawberries sure to quench your thirst from the scorching summer heat. It was humid outside when we got to Cafe De Seoul, so we really appreciated this refreshing and not overly-sweet concoction. However, I have to admit that the Honey Citron/Yuja won me over. Its appearance had instantly refreshed my senses, and more so when I took a sip. It had hints of honey and sharp citron, perfect to both invigorate and provide comfort.

✓ White Choco Mocha (ECO P130; BIZ P145) with Blueberry Syrup (P20)
and ✓ Honey Schisandra/Omija (ECO P130; BIZ P145)

On another trip, I got to take a sip from my friend's ice-blended White Choco Mocha with Blueberry Syrup. Although it was my first time to have tasted blueberry-infused coffee, I actually liked it. It was creamy and has fragrant and sharp notes of blueberry, yet the coffee taste is still there. On my next visit, I'll be sure to try its hot coffee counterpart. As for my order, I had a hot Honey Schisandra/Omija Tea which was super comforting and tasted a little similar to the Honey Citron/Yuja, except that the sharpness was more evident here. Every sip was very comforting though, the perfect cup for a rainy day.

You can easily spot Cafe De Seoul if you enter the rear entrance of One Archer's Place.

THE VERDICT

My visits to Cafe De Seoul have left me impressed not just with its food and drink offerings, but more because of its ambiance and great service. While I already have a list of my favorite Cafe De Seoul items, as well as another list of my next-to-try drinks and pastries, it's the unwavering charm of the place that pulls me to come back. It's not often that you come across cafes exuding creative atmosphere capable of invigorating and inspiring its patrons. Even if the price tags are leaning more toward the steeper side, the overall value I got not just from the food and drinks at Cafe De Seoul, but from the whole experience, is definitely worth it. So if you're a cafe lover who's not just after the flavors but also for a holistic experience, then try Seoul-searching at Cafe De Seoul.

Insider Tip: You can actually have your papers photocopied at Cafe De Seoul. Just inquire! *wink*

Taste - 4/5
Ambiance - 5/5
Service - 4/5
Price - 3.5/5
Novelty Factor - 4/5
Overall Value - 4/5

Cafe De Seoul, One Archer's Place
2/F One Archer's Place, Taft Ave., Malate
Manila, Philippines
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