Cafe imA -- Seoul, Korea

Cafe imA is an outrageously popular cafe located in Seoul's Gwanghwamun area. For those of you who have been to Seoul, you probably know that trendy cafes and coffee shops are prevalent throughout the metropolis; however, Cafe imA seems just a bit out of place in this older part of town....its modern and sophisticated ambience seems to fit more with the likes of Cheongdam-dong or Apgujeong than in Jongno-gu. Nonetheless, it seems to be relatively well-known among Seoul's foodies and dessert enthusiasts, and is always sure to be packed.

The undisputed specialty here is the fresh waffles with ice cream. The waffles are a masterpiece in themselves, coming out at just the right temperature; the outside is perfectly crispy, while the inside is warm and moist like a freshly-baked cake. The waffles are accompanied by two scoops of premium Haagen Dazs ice cream of your choice of flavor (green tea and vanilla are a personal favorite, although chocolate and strawberry are also on offer), then finished off with two dollops of whipped cream and a sprinkling of powdered sugar. The contrast between the warm doughy waffle and the sweet coolness of the ice cream....heaven I tell you!

Fresh waffles with Haagen Dazs ice cream (12,000 won or  ~$11)

Aside from waffles, Cafe imA also offers an array of Western savory items (along the lines of brunch dishes such as croissant sandwiches, paninis, hamburger steak etc.), as well as more sweet tooth-satisfying selections such as pies, cakes and patbingsu (shaved ice). Nonetheless, the winner still remains the waffles....as can be attested by the sight of this divine delicacy on every table. 

If you find yourself craving a sweet treat for refueling after exploring the Gyeongbokgung Palace, Cheonggyecheon Stream or any of the other numerous nearby attractions, Cafe imA should definitely be high on your list. It's quite convenient....located on the ground floor of the Ilmin Museum of Art, immediately visible on your right after coming up from Exit 5 of the Gwanghwamun subway station. Once again, it's extremely popular....so do expect a wait. Cliche as it sounds, although the queue can be long, the prices a bit steep, and the calories equally steep....it's worth every bite!

Cafe imA

139 Sejong-no, Jongno-gu

Seoul, Korea

Map

02 2020 2088

Tues-Sun 10:00AM-10:00PM

Closed Mon 

ilmin.org

(Korean page only)

After You Dessert Cafe -- Bangkok, Thailand

Initially, I intended to make this a California-centered food blog, but I decided it'd be more fun to add a little variety from time to time, you know....to spice things up a bit ;). Therefore, from now on every once in awhile I'll devote an entry to an eatery located outside California. Hope you all enjoy!

Without further ado, I'd like to introduce one of my must-visits while in Thailand. After You is very well-known among Bangkok's trendy twenty- and thirty-somethings, as can be attested by the large crowds of people constantly waiting in queue at one of their numerous branches located throughout the city. A visit to this dessert cafe is an absolute must for anyone in Bangkok, and with all their convenient locations there's honestly no reason not to, especially if you're a dessert-lover like myself!

After You Dessert Cafe -- Siam Paragon branch

When mentioning After You to any Bangkok college student, the first thing that will pop into their mind is the famous Shibuya honey toast. This divine food is notable in that it is so simple, yet so amazing....warm and buttery brick toast, served together with two scoops of vanilla ice cream and whipped cream, accompanied by honey that is brought separately so that you can personally monitor how sweet you would like it to be. The toast is perfectly baked, brought to the table at just the right temperature....and the warm saltiness contrasts well with the cool and sweet ice cream goodness. Yum!

Shibuya honey toast (165 THB or ~$5)

They offer other variations of the classic version, including matcha toast, chocolate strawberry toast and sticky toffee toast, although the original still reigns as champion. Aside from their signature toast, they also serve a variety of other dessert items that will prove to win over the hearts of even those with the most discriminating sweet-tooths. Other noteworthy choices include the chocolate lava cake, mixed berry panna cotta, honey buttermilk waffle and the cookies (the latter make an ideal gift for loved ones at home).

After You also boasts an extensive beverage menu, consisting of both hot and cold coffee and tea drinks. My personal favorites include the earl grey milk tea, iced apple cider, and their various frappes. 

Sticky toffee toast (185 THB or ~$6)

Honey buttermilk waffle 

Left to right: mixed berry panna cotta (145 THB or ~$5), iced apple cider (85 THB or ~$3), and iced earl grey milk tea (95 THB or ~$3)

What I love about this place is that they are constantly thinking of new creative dessert items to introduce to their customers. Some work out, while others fail....so always order the honey toast as a happiness fallback! Be aware, the queue will be long...waits of up to an hour or two are not uncommon. It's definitely worth it though. After all, biting into something that will change your life is indeed worth it no? Okay, that may be somewhat of an exaggeration, but not by much ;)

After You Dessert Cafe (Original Branch)

J-Avenue

Soi Thonglor 13, Sukhumvit 55 Road

Bangkok, Thailand 10110

Other branches located throughout the city

02 712 9266

Mon-Sun 10:00AM-12:00AM

afteryoudessertcafe.com

Up2you Cafe -- San Diego, CA

Up2you is a relative newcomer to the San Diego dessert scene. Its somewhat random setting in a nondescript location off Convoy in Kearny Mesa might be a tad difficult to find, but this doesn't seem to deter the legions of college kids, young people and families who can always be seen here on any given evening of the week.

The venue is slightly on the smaller side, and thus during their busier times it may be hard to find a table, but believe me...it's worth it! The interior decor is quite unique and sets its apart from other dessert places and tea houses in the area.

The hands-down bestseller at Up2you seems to be their honey toast. It's slightly different from the other more-common boba shop brick toasts, but nonetheless it's mmm mmm good! Fresh out of the oven, the butter and honey flavors complement each other quite well. There's also an option where you can add fruit, a cream sauce and/or a scoop of ice cream at a small additional charge. My personal favorite is the pandan cream sauce and green tea ice cream combination.....deeeelicious!

Honey toast ($3.75) with pandan cream sauce ($0.50) and green tea ice cream ($1)

Other highlights include the Japanese crepe (with the same accompaniment options as the brick toast) and the snow ice (a variation of Taiwanese shaved ice which, although doesn't quite compare to the likes of Class 302 up in LA, still hits the spot nonetheless). 

Green tea batter Japanese crepe ($3) with chocolate ice cream ($1)

The drinks here are tasty as well, including the Up2you milk tea, green milk tea, and Thai milk tea, as well as an assortment of coffee drinks and smoothies. 

Left and right: green milk tea ($2.95), middle: Up2you milk tea ($2.95)

This place definitely gets crowded, especially on weekend nights. Parking in front of the cafe is limited, but there is abundant street parking nearby. It's a great place to come chill with some friends, play some card games, or even get your study on. Remember kids, "stressed" spelled backwards is "desserts". ;)

Ps. They have a great stamp card deal, so don't forget to pick one up at the counter!

Up2you Cafe 

7770 Vickers Street, Suite 101

San Diego, CA 92111

Map

619 663 6388

Tues-Thurs 12:30PM - 11:00PM

Fri-Sat 12:30PM - 1:00AM

Sun 12:30PM - 10:00PM

Closed Mon

up2youcafe.com

Opera Cafe & Patisserie -- San Diego, CA

Opera Cafe was introduced to me last year by a friend who recommended it in particular for their desserts. Located in a small plaza adjacent to other eateries right off the 805 Freeway in Mira Mesa, it's a quaint French cafe open only for breakfast and lunch, and seems to be especially popular with the lunchtime crowds that flood in from neighboring office buildings. 

Front view

The restaurant itself is not too big, and although they do get busy during the peak lunch hour, we haven't had too much trouble finding a seat so far. There's also an outdoor dining section as well, which is perfect in San Diego's balmy sunshine! It's quite a casual place....you order up front at the counter, receive your number, find a seat and within minutes your food is brought to your table (think Panera....but yummier!).

The savory items that have by far stood out the most for me were the Croque Madame sandwich (flavorful and complemented with a small greens salad), the seafood crepe (stuffed with generous amounts of salmon, baby shrimp, and scallops in a creamy white wine sauce), Quiche Lorraine (buttery crust ftw) and the truffle oil parmesan fries. I've been told that the Ratatouille crepe is tasty as well!

Croque Madame sandwich ($8.75)

Seafood crepe ($9.75)

Quiche Lorraine ($8.95)

In my opinion though, what really shines at Opera are the desserts! There's quite an appealing variety on display at the counter before you order, and the ones I've had all really do taste as good as they look. You can select them while ordering your main meal, and they'll hold it for you until you're ready. My favorites are the cappuccino praline and the opera cake, although I recently discovered the tiramisu. All I can say is...om nom nom! In addition, the mini sampler trays, although a bit on the pricey side, were good in that they allow you to sample various kinds of desserts. 

Clockwise from upper-left: cappuccino praline, raspberry mousse, tiramisu, chocolate bomb ($4.95 each)

Opera cake ($4.95)

Mini sampler trays ($7)

I still haven't been able to make it for their breakfast, which ends at 11:30AM on weekdays (all day on Saturday though). Nonetheless, a nice casual place to meet up and relax with friends. So far I haven't been disappointed! 

Opera Cafe & Patisserie 

9254 Scranton Avenue

San Diego, CA 92121

Map

858 458 9050

Mon-Fri   7:00AM - 2:30PM

Sat   8:00AM - 2:00PM

Closed Sun

operapatisserie.com