Broccoli Latte at Homestead Coffee and more

My friends and I came across a Homestead Coffee in Daehangno after watching a play. Homestead Coffee is a chain restaurant and cafe with locations scattered throughout Korea. Some people love their coffee. My friend thought their Americano was average. I don't drink coffee, but I do eat food. Thus I will give an honest review of our brunch, dessert and broccoli latte. Yes, you heard right. Broccoli!

The interior is your average clean Korean cafe interior. Cozy yet nothing too unique. Brick walls with framed images. Chairs and light fixtures made of straw. Strings of purple lights hung on windows and trees. Decorations to create that likeable cafe vibe.

The Homestead Coffee menu contains interesting items. Two words popped out into our eyes: Broccoli Latte. Curious of its taste we challenged ourselves and ordered a cup. We predicted the drink would be a hit or miss.

The three of us took a sip each. The Broccoli Latte tasted more like a soup than a drink. We agreed it is not something we'd order again, but is something to experience once. It may be an acquired taste. The Broccoli Latte is comparable to juiced Unicorn Grass. The flavor is magical in a strange and memorable way.

Their Mushroom Omelette was oh-so-juicy and will wake your taste buds up! My friend said it tasted like a sunrise. To me it tasted like an alarm clock. Sunrise and alarm clock are siblings. We highly recommend this omelette, especially if you didn't get enough sleep from the night before. Your eyes will pop out from the deliciousness.

The Cajun Salad was not as eye-poppingly yummy. The chicken was dry and it didn't contain much nutritious vegetables. It's rare to come by a legitimate salad in Korea. As of winter 2014, the locals here are passionately in love with refined carbs (i.e. rice cakes, white bread, thick waffles, etc).

The Dojima Roll is soft and creamy as it looks. It is slightly sweet. For a stronger dose of sugar, dip your piece of the roll onto the caramel drizzled on the plate.

Would I go back to Homestead Coffee? Quite possibly at another location. Though for the rest of my stay in Korea, I'll be searching for the mom and pop shops.

Homestead Coffee
Phone number: +82 2-744-3359
Website: http://www.homestead.co.kr/
Address (in Korean): 종로구 동숭동 1-93 (대학로점), Seoul
Direction: Exit 2 at Hyehwa Station. Walk east on Daehak-ro 10 gil until street ends. Make right turn on Daehak-ro 12-gil. Homestead Coffee will be on your right.

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GALBI JJIM: Steamed Beef in Gangnam, Korea

In KWOW episode 123, my best buddy Yoonah and I had quite a laugh at Masizzim. In the world of our sense of humor we found the name to be hilarious. When our other bestie Judy visited us in Seoul, we decided it was time to fulfill our destiny: dining at Masizzim.

What's with the name? "Masizzim" is a combination of two Korean words: delicious & steamed. The restaurant is known for their beef and pork short ribs. Both dishes are steamed and can be ordered in four levels of spiciness. My friends and I ordered a bowl of level 1 spicy of beef short ribs. Boy, was it was fiery enough (below)! The meat comes with glass noodles, pumpkin and rice cakes.

The tropical-looking water kimchi was a refreshing contrast to the spicy steamed beef. The shaved ice in it was reminiscent of patbingsu.

We ordered a round of Jumokbap (rice balls/주먹밥). The literal translation of "jumokbap" is "fist rice."

Put on the plastic gloves. Blend the rice, seaweed, tuna/anchovy, scallions and rice until even consistency. Take a jumok (fist/주먹) of the mixed rice. Mold them into balls and place the balls on an empty plate. Enjoy!

Restaurants in Korea have a tendency to serve romaine salad. At Masizzim they sprinkle on sprouts.

Your standard acorn jelly. Another side dish commonly served at Korean eateries. The jelly itself has no particular taste. The flavor comes from the sauce on top.

The interior is mostly comprised of wood and concrete, a combination of warm and cold textures.

The walls of gridded wire filled with rocks was a unique method in partitioning the space.

It was packed and bustling when we first arrived at the restaurant. By the time we left it was quiet. A couple had the whole place to themselves. VIP status.

Masizzim
Address: 813, Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
In Korean: 강남구 역삼동 813 1층 (강남점), Seoul
Website : http://www.masizzim.co.kr

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P.S.: MASIZZIM.

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Hanbok Photoshoot at Goguan Studio in Seoul

Ladies and gentlemen, are you curious to try on hanbok? Head over to Goguan Studio in Insadong, a street home to Korea's traditional arts and crafts, cozy cafes, diverse street foods, restaurants that serve parades of colorful dishes and alleys that lead to smile-inducing surprises. Needless to say it's one of my top five favorite areas in Seoul. No matter how many times you visit, there's something new to discover.

Once you enter Goguan Studio, let the workers know. You'll then chill out in the Waiting Area on the third floor. The walls and ceilings are covered with writings left by customers.

To leave your own message, head over to the ink station. Paper and brushes are ready for action. On the right is a collection of eight traditional teas. However the particular day my friends and I went, the containers were empty.

I recommend arriving 30 minutes before your reservation. This will give you time to choose your preferred hanbok and to look at photos of previous customers.

Men can choose to be a king, warrior, yangban and many more. Pose with a sword or keep it simple and mighty with your fists on your thighs (see photo below for reference).

Didn't have time to grow your facial hair? No problem. The makeup artists will happily stick one on you.

The ladies can choose to wear the following types of hanbok: palace, marriage, basic and giseng (Korean entertainers). I had to go with the giseng hanbok. When else can you sport such a huge headpiece with so many ornaments?

For the full list of options, male and female, click here.

Getting your makeup and hair done is not mandatory and comes at an additional cost. My philosophy: wearing an outfit without the proper makeup and hair is like half-cooking a chicken.

The makeup costs 15,000 won (about $15 USD). According to your choice of hanbok, the artist will apply foundation, powder, eye-shadow, eyeliner, false eyelashes, blush and lip color. Doing your hair will cost 5,000 won.

Off to the Selfie Photo Area! There are themed rooms where you can shoot photos with your own camera and phone. The following photos are taken at the Selfie Area.

My friends and I. They both chose the royal hanbok. As a giseng I happily pour tea for them.

My friend readjusting her hairpiece. She makes such a pretty princess, doesn't she? :)

Our official hanbok photo taken by Goguan Studio. We're going to show this one to our grandchildren some day.

There are other hanbok studios scattered around Seoul. As much as I like to try new places, I'd come back to Goguan Studio for another round. Bring your family, friends or significant other to make some fun memories :)

Goguan Studio is near Tapgol Park, thus is located closer to Jongno 3-ga Station (exit 1) than Anguk Station (exit 6). Enter through the left corner of the building and walk up to the second floor. Here's the address: 2F, 143 Insadong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Korea.

Remember to make a reservation before you go! You can reserve a spot on their website or call them at 101-09-83326.

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