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RSSSaturday, July 3, 2010
The 1st Shop of Coffee "Princess"
Feels good finally getting back on the "Bila Orang Tak Selalu Blog, Blog"-osphere after the most gruelling 2-3 months of exam preparations. Unfortunately (or not, for me) the 1 month break was long enough for me to actually start getting bored and back on the blogging mode. Haha.
Albeit this time, the title may seem pretty unapt, what with the absence of coffee or the fact that Seoul Bakery is hardly a coffee shop at all.
Being inside this half-food stall, half-hairdresser downtown (off New Oxford Street, Underground: Tottenham Court Road), I somehow got the expression it call itself Hoho Cafe, yet the sign outside says "Seoul Bakery."
In any case, I'm sure you know what I'll be talking about already, although for Korean Drama fans out there, the title of this post should already have given it away.
The FIRST time I was at Seoul Bakery, I had Sondoboo Chige. I was already crazy about anything Korean so finally being able to hold that long-ish round spoon and steel chopsticks I was euphoric, but secretly acted cool. Though I couldn't help mouthing every single Korean tune I recognized on the speakers- trying to make it obvious. It was so lame almost like a teenage crush. Except this time, on no particular guy.
Everything they serve here, after graduating from a few more Korean series, are mainly really basic, hawker-stall-like food. Bulgogis for example, is NOT on the menu. Although the Bulgogi and Hotpot craze has been going on wayyyy before I came to London back in KL, I REALLY cannot find a reason why I never had the opportunity to go even once, now that I think about it!
Seoul Bakery was more like, Bibimbap (Mixed Rice), Kimchi Chige (Kimchi Soup) and Ramyun (Ramen) type eateries. Which you can guess from the simple interior it shares with a Korean Hairdresser (I found that hillarious). But I guess it was a very Korean area- a few other eateries, (and my guess is dance/ cultural classes) that go on on the same block/ row of shops. Also, I can guess UCL-ians tend to find themselves there for a quick lunch. The 2 hijabbis we saw eating inside before we went in, also gave me a shot of confidence.
So sondooboo Chige, was this spicy clear but red broth soup, of Prawns, Tofu and egg. We loved it since it was rather distinct from the tasty, flavourful, spicy and sweet and sour and savoury and every other flavours that existed in the soups we usually have down in South East Asian region namely; Malaysian and Thai food. It was spicy yet clean and simple tasting soup, encouraging diners to concentrate on the ONE or TWO flavours that the dish wants to bring out.
They serve it with rice and a choice of Kimchi OR Seasoned (with sesame oil) Bean Sprouts. Which explains a scene in Cinderella Unni (Sister) where the stepmother asked her stepdaugther to "season" and "prepare" the vegetables for lunch, which before SB, I couldn't imagine how and what she meant. We will see in my 2nd post that they steam/ boil their veges, (rather than cook them like Chinese/ Malaysian) and seasoning them with, well.. seasonings; one of which is sesame oil. My favourite ever god's creation on the face of the earth.
To top it, we ordered seafood pancake, which I can't remember what its Korean name was. It was really to my liking since the egg changed texture to become rather creamy and well, a soggy but not-BAD-type of soggy. The squid and prawns just accustomed themselves so well amongst the insides of the omelette, and contrasting flavour of the green salad onions.
Overall I loved the whole idea, of good food and Korea. 2 of my favourite things in life. Was rather bummed that I didn't know about this place earlier or else my goal of being best friends and recognised weird customer would have been a more plausible reality.
More in my next few visits!
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