The Page at Little France in Seoul

Sunday brunch. It was the first time my native Korean cousins and I went to Seorae Village (서래마을). People also refer to it as "Petit France" (Little France). As we walked to The Page (더페이지) for a hearty meal, we concluded that there's nothing very French about Korea's Little France. Trust me. I've been to Paris twice. Starbucks and other chain business were more present than French words. Nonetheless we enjoyed our meal.

The Oatmeal Steak with tangy salad and pickled veggies. Oatmeal is sprinkled on the buns, but where's the steak? The more appropriate title for the dish is "Caramelize Onion Sandwich." Aside from the name dispute, the Oatmeal Steak was the tastiest part of our brunch.

The cheesy Mini Gratin with three crispy breads. When it came to flavor, the sausages were a close first place with the Oatmeal Steak.

Our brunch from top. It must be awesome to be a bird. Everything looks more exciting from the top.

Rye Berry Scones for 3,000 won each.

Bread so fresh your eyes will evaporate. These babies go fast. Better buy them while you can!

Carby Clouds~ These guys look so cushiony. I was tempted to jump on them and bounce right off.

The view when you enter The Page. Order and pick-up your meal on the right. Seating areas on left, right and up the stairs. Many places to sit yet the restaurant gets packed.

Second floor. The architecture is made of neutral colors: wood, concrete and metal. The colorful art stands out.

Third floor. We finally find a place to sit.

The art on every floor is made by and dedicated to none other than the precious generation who will one day rule the world: children ♥

Afterwards we went to Cafe O'Fete for coffee and tea.

The Page
Address (in Korean): 서울 서초구 방배동 796-29 796-29
Address (in English): Bangbae-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul ‎
Phone: 02-536-5961

---

---

Colorful Korean Feast at Yeonji Restaurant

Entrance to Yeonji Korean Restaurant.

In a neighborhood detached from the busier part of the Yongin city sits unassuming restaurants. Exteriors appear bare and camouflage into surrounding snowy mountains. Yeonji Korean Restaurant is one of these eateries. 

Yeonji offers set courses. The lunch course is ₩15,000 per person and is more than enough food. You get porridge, jellyfish, salad, pancake, japchae, fish, banchan and more (see below for all photos). For an extra ₩3,000 order Course A to add on bossam (steamed pork) and fried octopus. The pricier courses offer additional dishes, however I recommend you grow another stomach first!

Only a small handful of many banchan.

The courses are served one to two dishes at a time as opposed to your whole meal placed on the table at once. Because of this serving system, you end up finishing the beginning dishes clean and become full in the first half of your dining experience. When the waitresses didn't come for awhile, my food buddy and I thought we finally reached the end of our meal. Then came the rainbow of sidedishes, stew, stone bowl of rice and other goodies.

Looks like kelp noodles, but it's actually a Cold Jellyfish Salad (해파리냉채). Spicy due to the hint of wasabi.

I've noticed many Korean restaurants have a tendency of serving iceberg salads. It's quite sad as this lettuce contains little nutrition. However better to eat iceberg lettuce than a triple fried hot dog. At least the iceberg salad at Yeonji is embellished with a pinch of sprouts.

Perilla leaves are an acquired taste. However the Perilla Seed Salad (들깨샐러드) can be enjoyed by many customers. Only a hint of perilla leaves. Not overpowering at all.

The mild to medium spicy Seasoned Raw Fish (회무침).

Many rice cakes I encounter have a tough and chewy texture. Yeonji's Rice Cake Japchae (떡잡채) has a delightful softness.

The Fried Octopus (낙지볶음) with perilla leaf salad. If the octopus is too spicy, district your taste buds with the herby perilla.

The crispy yet bland Mung Bean Pancake (녹두전).

The oh-so-juicy Beef Patties. One of my top favorites from Yeonji Restaurant.

Banchan, banchan, banchan... Never enough banchan. Anchovy and kimchi on the top, eggplant and spinach on the bottom.

They don't serve too many slices of Bossam (보쌈), but what they give you is enough considering all the other dishes to consume! The garlic chips are a fun concept, though I'd prefer crunching on them while watching a movie rather than pair it with my bossam.

There was also the Seasonal Soup (계절탕), which was made of rice cakes and mushrooms. At the end of the colorful feast, our waitress brought us maesil tea. It's typical to drink a dessert drink at the end of a hansik meal.

Interior shot of Yeonji.

Walking by Yeonji on the main road.

Yeonji
Address: 경기도 용인시 수지구 신봉동 608-7
Phone: 031-896-5678

---

---

Hanbok Photoshoot at Unhyeongung Palace

On my way to Insadong I spontaneously decided to visit the Unhyeongung Palace (운현궁). Little did I expect to end up having a hanbok photoshoot. For only 3,3000 won in fact. That's approximately $3 USD.

After paying the hanbok wearing fee, you walk into a room filled with Korean decorations. To the right is where the colorful hanbok costumes are. The ladies choose a jeogori (the blouse jacket) and chima (long skirt). Men wear a jeogori and baji (pants). Traditional hats are also available.

Once you wear your hanbok, it's time for portraits around the palace. You'll feel like a princess. Or a prince, if you're a dude. Being a chilly winter day there weren't many visitors. Thus I was lucky to score what must've been a 30-minute photo session.

Sometimes I wish everyone wore their country's traditional attire on a daily basis. However Western clothes do have their functionality. Perhaps the romance of wearing hanbok would diminish if worn everyday?

You know the concrete block Professor Oh is standing on (above)? King Gojong used to step on it to get on and off his horse.

It was on my bucket list to wear a hanbok and pose in front of a wooden door. One dream realized, a thousand more to go!

When you wear a dress, you must twirl. That's when it feels most alive :)

---

---