Parole & Langue • 파롤앤랑그

Parole & Langue (파롤앤랑그) is a dessert cafe in Yeonnam-dong (연남동) that’s famous for their delicious tarts. Opened in early 2021, the cafe has been really popular among the locals as well as tourists, evident by the crowd that’s always present in front of the cafe and the frequent sold out sign that they put out when all the tarts in the store are already sold prior to their closing hour. 

The cafe has been on my cafes-to-try list for quite a while since I first found out about it and I finally had the chance to visit them for the first time two years after their opening. It was a warm autumn Friday and I arrived at the cafe around 3 pm. There were a couple groups of people standing around the cafe waiting for their tables it seemed. Since there weren’t a lot of people waiting and I’m still waiting for my friend to come, thought waiting for a table probably wouldn’t be a bad idea. So I quickly put my name into the tablet available at the entrance to join the waiting list. Maybe because there are a lot of tourists visiting the cafe, the reservation system is actually pretty user and tourist friendly since it has the language options available (Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese). 

If you have a local phone number, you can put in your Korean phone number and they’ll notify you via Kakao Talk when your table is ready. That way, you can walk around the area while waiting if you choose to. But there is a disclaimer saying that if you don’t claim your reservation (as in informing the staff that you are present at the cafe) within 5 minutes after you received the notification, your reservation will be cancelled. So make sure you stay within 5 minutes range of the cafe to be safe. If you don’t have a local phone number, you have to wait around the cafe so they can call your name when your turn is up.

I waited about 20 minutes before getting a notification on my Kakao saying that my table is ready. So the wait time wasn’t bad at all. But worth noting, I went only with one friend so we’re considered a smaller group and I told the staff that we’re okay with sitting outside since the weather was kind of nice. I think if you have a bigger party and prefer to sit inside, the wait time might be a little longer.

After I was seated, I went inside the cafe to place my order. The inside of the cafe is pretty spacious and homey, but there weren’t a lot of seatings available. Maybe about 16-18 seats spread around the room, with mostly tables for two. There were six different tarts displayed on the counter and I ordered 2 tarts to share with my friend and took away 4 other tarts to eat with my other friends later that evening. This cafe also has the 1-person-1-drink rule so if you’re visiting, make sure everybody in your group order a drink (and ordering a tart doesn’t count as one drink).

After I tasted their tarts, I totally understand why the place is really popular. First of all, the pie crust of their tart is really, really delicious. It’s flaky, light and buttery all at the same time. When I had my first bite, I just fell in love with the perfect texture of their pie crust. Easily one of the best pie crust I’ve ever had. Second of all, the flavors of their tarts are not overly sweet, which is always preferable for me. And third, you gotta get all the layers of the tart in one bite to get the full flavor of each tart. I think eating it that way will give you a more complete and balanced flavor of the tart (at least it did for me). So those are the three overall comments I have for all their tarts.

Persimmon (홍시) ₩8,800 | 9/10

Iced Ripe Persimmon, Persimmon Cream, Walnuts, Custard, Crunchy Persimmon
셔벗처럼 사각한 홍시, 곶감과 호두의 쫀득하고 고소한 식감을 즐길 수 있는 디저트

Since they use iced ripe persimmon on top, you can’t do take away for this tart because the persimmon might melt. And so this is one of the tarts that I ordered for dine-in. I actually really like this one. The overall taste that I got is sweet, creamy and nutty. The iced persimmon also gave an interesting temperature contrast that’s really refreshing. I think this was actually the first time I had an iced persimmon on a dessert too so it was a nice new experience for me

Basil Tomato (바질토마토) ₩8,800 | 6.5/10

Tomato, Basil Cream, Tomato Jam, Custard
생 바질로 만든 신선한 크림과 토마토의 상큼함이 가득 찬 디저트

This was the other tarts that I ordered for dine-in. The flavor of the Basil Tomato fell on a more savory note for my taste. The combination of the creamy basil and the fresh juicy tomatoes worked really well creating a balanced flavor, but it did remind me of eating a pasta dish instead of a dessert. Or maybe I’m just not a big fan of a basil tomato flavored desserts in general. Overall, good flavors, but probably not my number one option if I’m looking for a sweet dessert.

Corn (옥수수) ₩8,800 | 7/10

Sweet Corn, Corn Cream, Custard, Crispy Oatmeal
노릇하게 구워진 옥수수와 크리스피한 오트밀이 어우러진 한끼 식사같은 디저트

The Corn reminded me of all those popular Korean corn-flavored snacks that I’ve tried in the past. The flavor profile is pretty similar and if you are a fan of those Korean corn-flavored snacks, you’d probably enjoy this one (more than I do since I’m just like mid on Korean corn-flavored things). 

Chestnut (보늬밤) ₩9,500 | 7.5/10

Sweet Braised Chestnut, Chestnut Cream, Custard, Almond Cream
달달한 밤조림과 풍미 가득한 밤크림이 어우러진 담백한 디저트

The Chestnut was probably the heaviest and the sweetest out of all the tarts that I tried. Not that it’s super heavy or sweet or anything since all these tarts are pretty much light and not extremely sweet in general. It’s just if you want something that has a bolder flavor (and if you like chestnut obviously), this is a good option to choose.

Yuja Shine Muscat (유자샤인머스캣 ) ₩9,200 | 10/10

Shine Muscat, Yuja Cream, Green Grape Jam, Custard, Yuja Citron Preserve, Almond Cream
향긋한 샤인머스캣과 새콤쌉쌀한 유자가 만난 싱그러운 디저트

The Yuja Shine Muscat is the BOMB. This one is absolutely my favorite out of all the tarts that I’ve tried. The Shine Muscat is sweet and fresh. And the combination of all the layers of this tarts just works wonderfully together. It’s sweet with a hint of fresh sourness from the green grape jam and the Yuja Citron preserve. And the almond cream adds a bit of nuttiness to the overall flavor. It’s so good, I ended up ordering this again and again on my subsequent visits. And I’m not even a big fruit tart kind of person in general so it should say something about this tart.

Choco Banana (초코바나나 ) ₩8,700 | 7/10

Banana, Custard, Banana Jam, Ganache
진한 가나슈와 바나나의 짙은 풍미와 맛으로 가득 찬 묵직한 식감의 디저트

The Choco Banana tasted like what you think a choco banana flavored dessert would taste like. It honestly kinda reminded me of a banana pie with a really good pie crust and chocolate layer inside. A solid option if you like banana. 

Milk Tea (초코바나나 ) ₩7,000 | 8/10

Ordered milk tea for my mandatory 1-person-1-drink rule and it was pretty good. Fragrant and not too sweet. 

Apart from the selection of six tarts they usually have readily available, they also have a couple of different seasonal flavors using the fresh fruits that are in season. They also serve coffee, tea and non-coffee beverages in the cafe. Overall, Parole & Langue (파롤앤랑그) has definitely became one of my favorite dessert spots in Yeonnam-dong and I would definitely recommend you to try this place, especially if you’re looking for some great tarts.

 

Parole & Langue • 파롤앤랑그

Address: 서울 마포구 성미산로29안길 8 파롤앤랑그
Telephone: 02-332-2527
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 13:00-21:00 | Closed on Mondays | (Check their Instagram for their monthly opening schedule)

Instagram: @parole_langue

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Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral Montréal

“Nestled among office buildings in Montréal’s downtown core, lies this cathedral, the third largest church in Québec. Built at the end of the 19th century in the heart of what was then the city's Anglo-Protestant sector, this ornate Renaissance cathedral is replica of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, a departure from the Gothic Revival style so popular at the time. Covering nearly 4,700 square meters, the cathedral is built in the shape of a Latin cross. In 1919, Pope Benedict XV conferred the title of Minor Basilica on Saint-Jacques-le-Majeur Cathedral, renamed to Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral in 1955.” —mtl.org

I ended up inside Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral purely by chance. This place wasn’t on our list of places to visit when me and my friends went to Montréal, but a couple having their engagement shoot in front of the building did make us stop to see the towering architecture they were using as their backdrop. My friend got curious and went inside the building to look around and came out a couple of minutes later saying that it’s actually a big cathedral inside. 

And so I also got curious and went in to check the place out. The view that greeted me the moment I stepped into the main hall was nothing short of amazing. The inside of the cathedral is enormous (at least bigger than what I expected it to be) and the architecture is pretty remarkable. There’s a familiarity that I couldn’t quite put my finger on but after reading that this cathedral is a replica of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, it kind of make sense. Maybe that’s what I was reminded of when seeing this place. 

There were other tourists like me who were admiring the architecture of the cathedral and there were others who came to sit on the pews or light a candle and pray. Everybody was honoring the quiet stillness inside the cathedral which I found comforting.

Although my visit to the Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral was unplanned, I’m glad that I got to see this place because this cathedral was one of the more impressive architecture I saw during my Montréal trip. 

 

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Dorchester Square Montréal

— Photo Diary —

Made an impromptu stop at Dorchester Square when me and my friends were exploring downtown Montréal because my friends had to sit down to take calls. We were there around 2:30 pm on a Friday and there were a good number of people walking and sitting around the square. Looked like people were trying to enjoy the great 20°C weather while it lasts. Also saw a couple of people feeding the birds and squirrels around the square which made a good entertainment and photo subjects for me.

 

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Pro Soy Crab Sinsa • 프로간장게장 신사본점

Pro Soy Crab Sinsa (프로간장게장 신사본점) is one of the most famous crab and seafood restaurants in Seoul that’s well-known for their Ganjang-Gejang 간장게장 (soy sauce marinated crabs). They use premium grade blue crabs that are caught fresh from the west sea of Korea and marinated them with their own special sauce made from fresh ingredients. Since the opening of this first flagship location in 1980, Pro Soy Crab is considered one of the pioneer of marinated crabs restaurants in Seoul.

If you have watched your fair share of Korean variety shows and K-dramas, you probably have seen a Ganjang-Gejang eating scenes on your screen before. And I bet most of you are probably curious if those soy sauce marinated crabs are really as good as how these Korean idols, actors and actresses who are eating them made them look like to be. At least in my case, me and my friends were definitely really curious, especially since every single one of them always boast on how good, expensive and special Ganjang-Gejang is. And that is how me and my friend found ourselves going to one of the most famous Ganjang-Gejang restaurants in Seoul to try these crabs for ourselves.

Pro Soy Crab Sinsa (프로간장게장 신사본점) is located 153 meters from Sinsa Station (신사역), a short 2-minute walk from Exit 4 and close to the famous Garosugil (가로수길). The restaurant occupies 5 floors of a tall building and accommodates about 320 seats for visiting patrons. My friend and I went for a visit on a Wednesday for lunch. As soon as we stepped into the restaurant, we were quickly seated at one of the empty booths and were given the menu book to look through while one of the staff placed six different banchans and two bowls of seaweed soup on the table. After we placed our order, all the food came up pretty quick so the service was really swift at this restaurant.

Sliced Live Octopus 산낙지 ₩30,000 | 8.5/10

Sliced Live Octopus with Sesame Oil and Salt

The octopus was fresh and seasoned nicely. It wasn’t fishy and the texture was soft and chewy. I also really like the fragrant sesame dipping oil that was served with it. If you haven’t had this before, the moving octopus pieces might look scary. But honestly, after you put it in your mouth and start chewing, you’ll get over the sensation of the pieces sucking and sticking to your tongue pretty fast. Just make sure you dip the octopus in the sesame oil and chew thoroughly. If you haven’t had this before and want to try a good one, I’d recommend this place to try since this is one of the better sliced live octopus that I’ve had in Seoul. 

Soy Sauce Marinated Blue Crabs 간장게장 ₩78,000 | 8/10

2 Female Crabs (Medium Size)

Their famous Ganjang-Gejang (Soy Sauce Marinated Blue Crabs) was actually pretty good. The crabs were definitely fresh with a good amount of meat and roe in them. They were also marinated and seasoned well with the salty soy sauce flavor being up front and prominent in every single bite. You’ll definitely have to eat the crab meat with rice and/or banchans to balanced out the flavor if you don’t want it to taste too salty. Also worth noting, if you are not a big fan of seafood or sensitive to the fishy or briny taste of seafood, this might not be your cup of tea. There was a good amount of fishiness and brininess that I tasted when eating the crabs so if you’re really sensitive, you might not like this dish. 

Sweet and Spicy Marinated Blue Crabs 양념게장 ₩82,000 | 9/10

2 Female Crabs (Medium Size)

For their Yangnyeom-Gejang (Sweet and Spicy Marinated Blue Crabs), I actually like this more than I like the Ganjang-Gejang. The yangnyeom sauce was seasoned really well. It’s a bit spicy for me who has a low tolerance of spicy food, but the spice level was still manageable when I ate it with rice. I also think since the flavor of the yangnyeom sauce is a bit punchier than the ganjang sauce, it did a better job at masking that fishy taste from the crab meat. I actually didn’t really taste the fishiness at all on this one. So my recommendation is for you who’s more sensitive to that fishy seafood taste, definitely try the Yangnyeom-Gejang instead. I think you’ll enjoy it more than the Ganjang-Gejang.

Crab Roe Bibimbap 게알비빔밥 ₩25,000 | 8.5/10

Bibimbap made with steamed rice, fresh crab meat, crab roe, egg yolk, seaweed seasoning, sesame, sesame oil

We also ordered the Crab Roe Bibimbap to eat with the crabs and this was also pretty good. The bibimbap itself isn’t strongly seasoned. You mix the crab roe, egg yolk, seaweed and the rice together and you’ll get a creamy bowl of rice that’s actually a perfect pair for the stronger flavored marinated crab meat. Eating them together in a bite certainly cut the saltiness and spiciness from the marination sauce and gave a more balanced flavors. Wrap it in the seaweed sheet if you want to add a little crunch to your bite.

Overall, would I recommend this place? If you’re looking for a good place to try a good Ganjang-Gejang, Yangnyeom-Gejang or Live Octopus, then yes. I think this place is worth trying, especially if you’re visiting Seoul and you want to try Korean food that is not Korean BBQ or meat. Pro Soy Crab Sinsa (프로간장게장 신사본점) does serve fresh blue crabs that taste good. And judging by the number of photos and signatures of Korean public figures that are hanged on the wall around the restaurants, I believe the locals also love this place. Whether the crabs are really as good as how these Korean idols, actors and actresses who are eating them on screen made them look like to be or not, I’ll let you be the judge of that.

 

Pro Soy Crab Sinsa • 프로간장게장 신사본점

Address: 서울 서초구 강남대로97길 7 지하1.2층, 지상1층(잠원동)
Telephone: 02-543-4126
Hours: Everyday 10:00-23:00

Instagram: @prosoycrab
Menu

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Knots

Knots by Union Group is the newest bakery in Kemang, South Jakarta that specializes in viennoiserie, baked goods and pastries. The bakery cafe also serves a variety of desserts, cakes as well as food and drinks if you want something heartier. 

If you’re living in Jakarta and a fan of Basque Cheesecake, you’ve probably heard of Knots prior to the opening of their flagship store. Knots was first known for their delicious Basque Cheesecake that they sell through online ordering and at their pop-up booth on various bazaars. Now, joining hand with the Union Group, they finally opened their offline store that serves as a place where people can come and experience their more extensive menu fresh out of the kitchen.

“Our Chief Croissant Officer, @thathousehusband, and Chief Pastry Officer, @letaresiregar, are on a mission to roll out the good stuff fresh every day.” —Knots

The bakery cafe is pretty spacious with coffee bar, cake display area and dining area with multiple tables for four to five people that accommodate about 60 people or so. The space is designed by Bitte Design Studio, an architecture & interior design studio who’s responsible for some of the most popular dining spots in Jakarta.

The Ritz (55k) | 7.5/10

Hazelnut, Valrhona Dark Chocolate
We name this pastry “The Ritz” to honour Ritz Le Comptoir Paris, the original creator of the distinctive shape.

The Ritz has a more prominent dark chocolate flavor that’s actually quite delicious. The outside was crispy and flaky, but the inside was a little bit dry when I had mine. Not sure if it’s because it’s been sitting out for a bit since I was taking pictures, but I wished the inside is more buttery. But overall, I think this could be a crowd pleaser for anybody who likes chocolate flavored pastries.

The Knots (85k) | 9/10

Hazelnut, Custard
Our commitment to classic viennoiserie led us to reconsider this whimsical design for the menu. But it became such a hit that we found the little edge we needed among the classics - introducing THE KNOTS.

The Knots was my favorite out of all the pastries I tried. The unique ribbon-shaped pastry is flaky on the outside and soft of the inside. The generous hazelnut filling was also delicious and the combination of that and the Valrhona Dark Chocolate definitely reminded me of Ferrero Rocher. Although I have to say, if you don’t really like sweet pastries, this one might be a tad sweet for you (at least that’s how I feel. But I still enjoyed it).

Parisian Melt (65k) | 8/10

Brisket, Caramelized Onion, Honey Dijon Mustard
Ham in a pastry is common, but using beef brisket brings a new dimension. Inspired by the Parisian melt sandwich, take our word for it - this is truly something else.

A great savory option for breakfast or brunch. All the components of the dish work well together giving you a good mix of umami flavors with a hint of sweetness from the caramelized onion and honey dijon mustard. 

Jet (100k) | 7/10

Valrhona Guanaja 70% Creme, Knots’ Knew Nothing White Coffee Mousse, Cocoa Biscuit, Chocolate Slice
A delightful mystery that intrigues with its shape, concealing layers of flavors within.

Jet is probably the most visually unique menu that they have. A 10 out of 10 for design and execution for me. As for the flavor, since it’s made mainly out of chocolate and coffee mousse, it is very intense and sweet. A little too sweet for my taste and for some reason, the flavor also reminded me of tiramisu. If you’re not a big fan of sweets but want to try it, would definitely recommend you to share this with the table because the portion is also not small. 

Knots Basque Cheesecake (65k) | 8/10

Here’s our version—the Knots Basque Cheesecake—featuring a melted-center creamy filling to give you that ‘ahh’ moment with every bite. We often say that there’s KNOTHING NEW under the sun, much like the timeless Basque Cheesecake. Though it’s been enjoyed for years, we’ve decided to try our hand at making it because it’s something we truly love.

First time trying their Basque Cheesecake and it’s pretty good. I’m not a big fan of cheesecake in general and by no means an expert in cheesecake but I know a lot of my friends also like their cheesecake.

“While viennoiseries and pastries are our heart and soul, people will likely expect us to serve brunch as its pairing. However, we’ve chosen to take a different direction by offering a selection of Asian fusion dishes, Think bold flavors, unexpected combinations and meals that strike the perfect balance between comfort and modern flair.” —Knots

Disco Fries (75k) | 7/10

Miso Apple Sauce, Smoked Brisket, Pickles, Parmigiano Reggiano

Bold flavors and generous portion. This is something that I think will pair really well if you have drinks on the side. But I do wished that the fries were crispier and this dish was overall a little too salty for my personal preference.

Dry Ramen (115k) | 8.5/10

Tare Sauce, Duck Breast, Onsen Egg

One of my favorite dish from the hot meals option. This Japanese inspired dry ramen has a really good, bold flavors. It’s umami and creamy all at the same time. Love that they serve it with chopped kimchi which adds a little kick to brighten up the dish. The duck breast was also seasoned and cooked well. Although I have to say, if you are really sensitive to gamey meat, you might be able to taste a little bit of the gaminess on the duck meat. 

Chicken Chop Butter Rice (100k) | 7.5/10

Dan Dan Sauce, Peanut Crunch, Furikake.

If you like peanuts, you’d probably enjoy the sweet nuttiness of their Dan Dan sauce. The chicken chop has crispy skin with juicy meat. It comes with butter rice topped with furikake that compliments the sweetness of the Dan Dan sauce. I think you have to eat the chicken with the sauce and the rice to get a more balanced flavor out of the dish. 

The Secret Menu (75k) | 8.5/10

Noodles, Chicken Katsu, Kimchi, Furikake, Onsen Egg

Knots’ secret menu is called The Secret Menu. You can order this as long as you know the name of the secret menu. First thing that hit my nose when mixing the noodles was the smell of Indomie Goreng. And turned out, it also tasted like Indomie Goreng, but the flavors are bolder and more complex. Perfect option for a hangover food. This dish also pretty spicy for my spice tolerance (although for my friend who eats spicy food well, she said it’s only a bit spicy).

Noise level at this place is pretty high. The music was blaring pretty loud when I was there. Not sure if it’s because it was their soft opening day so they have special sound system rented for the space or it’s just the regular volume level for their music. Parking is also limited and I believe they only do valet parking if I’m not mistaken. 

If you’re looking for a place that serves good pastries and food in Kemang area, with the numerous options that they have available, Knots is definitely a place worth trying.

 

KNOTS

Address: Jl. Kemang Timur Jl. Kemang Raya No.46A, RT.9/RW.3, Bangka, Kec. Mampang Prpt., Kota Jakarta Selatan, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 12730, Indonesia
Telephone: +6281188811004
Hours: Everyday 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Instagram: @knothingnew

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