Cafe Gongmyeong • 카페 공명

With the abundance of cafes in Hongdae (홍대), you would think that finding a spacious and comfortable cafe to catch up with your friends or do some work at will be easy. But no. Based on my experience, finding a spacious cafe with the right vibe (which for me means a place with nice interior, at least decent if not good non-coffee drink options, plenty of seatings, ample breathing space and moderate noise level) in Hongdae is actually pretty hard.

Since most cafes in Hongdae are small or medium sized and usually have more of a hip vibe, I was actually pleasantly surprised when I first came across Cafe Gongmyeong (카페 공명). This cafe is actually spacious and has the right vibe. I first saw this place when I accidentally saw a glimpse of their coffee bar through the window of the bus I was riding when it passed by this place at night. If it weren’t for the bright yellow lights emitting from the coffee bar, I wouldn’t even noticed that there’s a cafe there because the exterior of the building just seems like any other building in Korea.

After I looked up what’s actually inside that building and found out that Cafe Gongmyeong (카페 공명) occupied the space, I initially visited the place days later solely to check out their intriguing coffee bar. The canopy like structure that houses the coffee bar is made out of wide horizontal wood panels that are lined with lights emitting from the edge of each panels, creating a feeling of being inside some sort of a wooden spaceship (at least for me). There are also a couple of different things that are pretty cool inside this cafe including a projector that is set up facing the wall next to the coffee bar that plays old movies and two big book shelves next to the front windows that definitely add more character to the interior of the space.

They printed their menu items on the spine of books that are displayed in front of the cashier and I have to say this is probably one of the most creative and memorable menu display I’ve seen (took me a second though to realize that the book titles are actually the menu). I ordered their Cacao Latte (카카오 라떼) which was pretty solid. I came only a couple of weeks after their grand opening so their dessert selections were still limited. Although looking at their Instagram, it seems like they have now expanded their dessert menu and definitely have more selections compared to my last visit. And it seems like people are giving good reviews about them so maybe I’ll try their desserts on my next visit.

The place has plenty of seatings that have a good distance from one to the other, which works very well if you want some privacy while talking to your friends. It also has a big long communal table with power plugs that’s perfect for people who come to the cafe to study or to do some work. I originally wasn’t planning to stay for long, but after I finished taking some pictures and sit around for a while, I actually enjoyed the vibe of this place and ended up staying for almost two hours longer sitting there sipping my hot cocoa while reading. 

Note: These photos were taken before the pandemic.

A little fun fact, this cafe is also one of the shooting locations of the Korean drama Thirty-Nine (서른, 아홉) starring Son Ye-Jin. You can see the appearance of the place in episode 3, where Son Ye-Jin’s character, Cha Mi-Jo, visited the cafe with her love interest, Kim Seon-U.

Korean Drama: Thirty-Nine (서른, 아홉) Ep.03 | Photo Courtesy: JTBC/Netflix

Korean Drama: Thirty-Nine (서른, 아홉) Ep.03 | Photo Courtesy: JTBC/Netflix

 

Cafe Gongmyeong • 카페 공명

Address: 서울 마포구 연희로 11 1층 카페 공명
Telephone: 070-8869-6304
Hours: Everyday 10:00 - 22:00

Instagram: @cafegm_

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Jungsik Cafe • 정식카페

I went to Jungsik Cafe (정식카페) for an impromptu lunch during one hot summer day in June. The cafe is located near Apgujeong Rodeo station (압구정로데오역) in the same building as the two-Michelin starred restaurant, Jungsik (정식당), that is located on the second floor of the building.

Decorated with dark wooden furnitures and eclectic lamps with exposed wirings, the cafe gives off a high-end industrial vibes to anyone who stepped into the spacious space. The bakery section is located next to the entrance where you can see selections of pastries, baked goods, and cakes being displayed. And then there’s the dining area which is divided into three different sections: the main dining area, the bar area, and (what I’d like to call) the glass house area where you can sit under the sun during the day without actually being outside.

Their food menu focuses mainly on western cuisines, ranging from salads, tapas, pastas, tacos to fish and chips with brunch options that are served until 4 pm everyday. I ordered their Cheese Pasta (치즈 파스타), which was okay. The pasta was cooked right, lightly seasoned and the cheese is not too cheesy (if you know what I mean) which I like because it left me with the feeling of being full without being too overwhelming. 

They also have quite a selection of dessert options, one of the most famous one being the Dol-hareubang Bingsu (돋하르방 빙수) which is shaved ice with milk, chocolate ‘dol-hareubang’ ice cream, black sesame cream, and green tea brownie. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to try it because I was there alone and looking at the portion, I don’t think I can finish it all by myself. But for my next visit with a friend, I definitely want to try the Dol-hareubang Bingsu. 

Note: These photos were taken before the pandemic.

 

Jungsik Cafe • 정식카페

Address: 서울 강남구 선릉로158길 11 1F
Telephone: 02-517-4650
Hours: Everyday 10:00-23:00

Instagram: @jungsikcafe_
Menu: Food | Drinks

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Batik Restaurant & Bar

Located at the heart of Seminyak, Batik Restaurant & Bar is a South East Asian restaurant that draws inspiration from Indonesian traditional cultures and combines it with the influences from neighboring countries. Reflected by its name, you can find Indonesian Batik arts and crafts and Batik inspired decorations inside the restaurant while dining in the two story building that is a tribute to Indonesia’s cultural heritage.

Serving South East Asian food that focuses mainly in Indonesian, Thai, and Vietnamese cuisines, Batik Restaurant & Bar uses natural and fresh ingredients and put their twist in every dish while keeping the taste authentic to the South East Asian heritage.

The spacious colonial style dining area is decorated with marble tables, white sofas, rattan chairs, brass lights and wood panel accents that give a nostalgic vibe but still feel modern at the same time. Not to mention the high glass ceiling that is decorated with floating lantern lamps that opens up the space even more. They also have outdoor seatings if you prefer to sit outside. 

I visited this restaurant with my family and cousins at the time. The service was good and the food was good too. The place certainly can accommodate small groups as well as big groups/family gatherings.

 

BATIK Restaurant & Bar

Address: Jalan Kayu Aya, Seminyak, Kerobokan Kelod, Kec. Kuta Utara, Bali, 80361, Indonesia
Telephone: +6285 9213 24536
Hours: Everyday 12:00-23:00

Instagram: @batik_restaurant_bar
Website

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Oneunjeong • 오는정쪽갈비

Oneunjeong (오는정쪽갈비) is probably one of my favorite galbi restaurant in Seoul. I was first introduced to this restaurant by my friend, Winny, who took me to their Gwanghwamun location. This time around, I was craving it again and decided to check out their other location near Gyeongbokgung (경복궁) area.

Their recommended menu is Jjok Galbi (쪽갈비) which costs ₩15,000/per serving and it said on the menu that the meat is imported from France. Typical of meat restaurants in Seoul, they have a minimum order of 2 servings per table. So even though I came alone, I ordered 2 servings of the Jjok Galbi. 

First, came the banchans which consist of kimchi (김치), acorn jelly (도토리묵), pickled radish (단무지), and macaroni (마카로니). And then came the Jjok Galbi which are placed on top of the small portable pan on the table that’ll keep the meat warm. The galbi itself is super delicious. The seasoning is perfectly right on the spot, the meat has the right amount of chewiness without it being tough and the smokiness from being cooked on the charcoal grill really brings out the flavor of the meat. And if you eat if with the banchans, they actually enhance the flavor of the meat and make it more juicy (imo). At first, I was worried that I wasn’t going to be able to finish the two portions of the meat, but hey, I finished it all in the end. It was that good. All and all it was a very delicious meal and my craving was satisfied.

If you’re in Gyeongbokgung area or visiting Sejong Village Food Street (세종마을 음식문화거리) where the restaurant is located, I would definitely recommend you to try Oneunjeong (오는정쪽갈비), especially if you’re overwhelmed by the many food options you can choose from since the area is practically covered with restaurants.

Note: These photos were taken before the pandemic.

 

Oneunjeong • 오는정쪽갈비

Address: 서울 종로구 자하문로1길 22
Telephone: 02-735-5718
Hours: Everyday 11:00 - 23:00

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Ovadoz • 오바도즈

Ovadoz (오바도즈) is a cafe located in one of the quiet alleyways off of the main road between Hapjeong station (합정역) and Sangsu station (상수역). Honestly, if it wasn't for Instagram, I probably wouldn't even know that there's a cafe in this location (but I believe they have now put up signs that make it more obvious for people who passes by the main road). I remember when it first opened, there were lots of posts on Instagram of people taking ootd shots in front of their cafe and those posts made me aware of their cafe.

So then during one of my Sangsu exploration days, I decided to check the place out. The cafe itself is pretty spacious with lots of natural light coming in from the windows. The fairly neutral colored interior of Ovadoz is decorated with eclectic modern furnitures made from different materials that give the place different accents of colors. The cafe definitely is not one of those places where you can study or work at because most of the tables are so low. The mascot of the cafe, Genji the Shiba Inu, was also there when I visited. It's pretty cute to see Genji just laying and chilling on the floor before perking up every time somebody walks into the cafe.

I ordered their matcha latte when I was there. It was okay. They also have selections of cakes and other baked goods that I didn't get to try because I was there right after I had lunch. But it seems like their baked goods have good reviews online. Maybe I'll try them on my next visit.

Note: These photos were taken before the pandemic.

 

Ovadoz • 오바도즈

Address: 서울 마포구 독막로9길 3-4
Telephone: 0507-1393-3366
Hours: Monday-Thursday 12:00 - 22:00 | Friday-Sunday 13:00 - 22:00

Instagram: @coffee_ovadoz

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