The Spot Fabulous (Seoul, SOUTH KOREA) ★★★★☆

The Spot Fabulous was a place I have been wanting to check out for a while. Conveniently located right next to the currency exchange shop we used to get our Korean Won and directly across from the Chinese Embassy, this cozy dessert café offered the perfect sweet escape in the heart of Myeongdong (明洞).

The charming little café spans two floors with a take-out section on the ground level and a dine-in area upstairs.

Interestingly, we were supposed to place our order downstairs before heading up to the café but it was a small detail that I overlooked when I first got to the upper level.

So, back to the take-out counter I go. I've been here on a couple of occasions for my take-away late-night snacks so I knew this section pretty well.

I have already read a number of positive reviews about this place on Naver but to experience it in person was a totally different story. The café had a warm and inviting vibe, with soft lighting, comfy seating, and a peaceful atmosphere. Exactly what we needed for a sweet escape from the hustle and bustle of Myeongdong (or city life in general).

We have a pretty open schedule this morning so I took the opportunity to grab a drink and dessert to sit at a quiet corner to relax and chill. Life back in Hong Kong is always hectic and stressful, so this simple act of sitting still and doing nothing felt like a small luxury we could never afford.

Iced milk tea (₩7,500) – A refreshing choice. It reminded me of a royal milk tea which was mild on the tea flavor but rich and creamy thanks to the generous amount of milk. Smooth and satisfying.

Corn cheesecake (₩9,000) – The Spot Fabulous is known for its wide range of tiramisu (Fig tiramisu is a pretty good start) and cheesecakes, so I thought either one would be a good choice for my sweet breakfast this morning. 

Not surprisingly, my corn cheesecake was light and not overly cheesy. Instead, the natural sweetness of the corn really came through making it the star of the show.

Just when I was about to finish my sweet treat, I saw my team walking on the street right underneath me! I guess my Me Time was up. 😥😥 

Food Rating: 6.1/10

Price: ₩₩₩

Address: 105 Myeongdong 2(i)-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Closest Metro Station: Myeongdong

Tel: +82 507-1422-1981

Opening Hours: 10:00am - 10:50pm daily

Café De Lyon 코엑스점 COEX Mall (Seoul, SOUTH KOREA) ★★★☆☆

I promised myself some Me Time on this trip — a quiet first evening alone in Cheongdam-dong (淸潭洞) while Jelloman and little nugget stay behind in Myeongdong. But that plan never materialized after our flight was delayed and traffic from Incheon International Airport slowed us down further.

Still, I never gave up on reclaiming my Me Time — and eventually, I did.

One of the main reasons I wanted to visit Cheongdam-dong was to explore Starfield Library, one of the area’s most iconic attractions. Although it was slightly out of the way, the nearby Bongeunsa Station made the journey much more effortless.

After snapping a few selfies at Starfield Library, I wandered through COEX Mall soaking in the atmosphere before it was time to meet my team in Sinsa for dinner. But before heading off, I made a quick stop at Café de Lyon (코엑스점), a charming French cake shop known for its authentic Parisian pastries and beverages. 

Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to check out their cozy café.

They are known for having some of the most authentic French pastries including mille-feuille and opera cakes.

Parisian chocolate (₩7,500) – This reminded me a bit of Angelina’s famous hot chocolate. Thick, indulgent, and absolutely decadent.

Vanilla mille-feuille (₩7,800) – I knew someone who’s a sucker for anything with vanilla.

I ended up sharing this with that 'someone' (who is fat and short).  The pastry was perfectly crisp and buttery, just as it should be, and the vanilla custard cream was rich, smooth, and spot on.

I also stumbled upon a few familiar names while cruising around COEX Mall. Remember DORÉ DORÉ? 

They were once a staple in Seoul’s dessert scene before quietly fading into the background during COVID. They’re still around offering the same old rainbow cakes, carrot cakes, and angel cakes. Honestly? A little boring.

While I didn’t find any gifts worth buying at COEX Mall, I didn’t leave the place empty-handed — thanks to that mille-feuille and Parisian-style chocolate drink.

Food Rating: 5.9/10

Price: ₩₩₩

Address: Starfield COEX Mall, 159 Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Closest Metro Station: Bongeunsa

Tel: +82 2-6002-3175

Opening Hours: 9:30am - 11:00pm daily daily

Deux Amis Café (Seoul, SOUTH KOREA) ★★★☆☆

Garosugil and the streets of Sinsa-dong (新沙洞) haven’t quite been the same since the onset of COVID-19. Many designer boutiques, cafés, and restaurants that once defined the area have since moved on. Still, a few stalwarts have remained and among them, Deux Amis Café, a dessert café known for its refined French pastries with a touch of Japanese influence.

It was a quiet Wednesday afternoon and not surprisingly, the café wasn’t too busy — the perfect setting to spend a slow, relaxing hour for me.

As always, their display counter was lined with a nice selection of cakes including some Japanese-style strawberry shortcakes and matcha creations sitting alongside traditional French classics like chocolate cake and mille-feuille in a variety of flavors.

Since I have a pretty light schedule this afternoon, I decided to come in and spend a lazy hour just chilling out.

Earl Grey milk tea (₩8,700) – I noticed the slightly reddish color in the drink while snapping a few photos. Just as I was about to take a sip, my server came over to apologize as they had mistakenly served me a strawberry milk tea instead. To their credit, they quickly offered to replace it with the correct order.

Praline mille-feuille (₩9,000) – Deux Amis is always known for its superb execution of French classics and I was pretty happy with my choice of the praline mille-feuille. 

The layers of pastries were textbook-perfect. Wonderfully flaky, buttery, and crisp. Sandwiched between them was a delicate praline cream, rich and silky with deep, nutty undertones that made every bite incredibly satisfying.

Honestly, with the calming atmosphere and beautifully crafted desserts, I could have easily spent a few more hours soaking in the ambiance. But the clock was ticking.

I had one more stop on my itinerary this afternoon, a place I had planned to visit on our first night if not for the flight delay — the iconic Starfield Library in COEX Mall. So, I better get going as my team’s expecting me in Sinsa in less than two hours!

Food Rating: 6.2/10

Price: ₩₩₩

Address: 535-9 Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Closest Metro Station: Sinsa

Tel: +82 2-3443-0030

Opening Hours: 11:00am - 9:30pm daily

Midmé (Seoul, SOUTH KOREA) ★★★☆☆

Midmé was my latest discovery while I was making my way to Asia Best 50 restaurant Onjium this afternoon.

Tucked away in a discreet corner just off busy Jahamun-ro 10-gil, Midmé is a charming little French bakery and patisserie offering a refined selection of traditional French pastries alongside their viennoiseries. Think Mille-feuille, Paris-Brest, éclairs, as well as canelés, financiers, madeleines, croissants, and pains au chocolat — all showcased in a minimalist yet inviting space.

Pistachio Paris-Brest (₩10,500) – This was a nice surprise. Unlike the classic Paris-Brest typically find in Paris, Midmé’s version came with a creative twist. 

Shaped more like a burger, it featured rich pistachio cream sandwiched between two choux pastry “buns”. The top was finished with a delicate biscuit sablé and a dusting of pistachio powder. Simple, elegant, and visually appealing.

The choux pastry itself was both crispy and slightly chewy, striking a satisfying balance in texture. The pistachio cream was thick and luscious, with a deeper green hue that hinted at the intensity of flavor within. None of that artificial neon green here — just bold, nutty goodness that truly shines. A must-try for any pistachio lover.

What a lovely little retreat to a corner of France if only for 10 minutes! Now I'm back on the road, continuing my journey towards Onjium, where a modern Korean culinary adventure awaits.

Food Rating: 6/10

Price: ₩₩₩₩

Address: 108 Tongui-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Closest Metro Station: Gyeongbokgung

Tel: +82 507-1352-5906

Opening Hours: 11:00am - 8:00pm daily

Biscuiterie M.O. (Seoul, SOUTH KOREA) ★★★★☆

We took some time to wander around Central City and the neighboring Famille Station before eventually making our way to The Shinsegae Market.  The atmosphere here has a bit of resemblance to the famed Harrods Food Hall in London, though with a sweeter twist as this one caters more to those with a serious sweet tooth.

Our first stop was Biscuiterie M.O., the sister shop of Maison M'O Patisserie, which has been on my radar since 2017. Tucked away near Naebang Station, its original location was always a bit of a challenge to visit thanks to its slightly-off-the-beat location and limited opening hours. Thankfully, this outpost at The Shinsegae Market offers a far more convenient alternative, even if it comes with a limited selection.

With its own in-house kitchen, Biscuiterie M.O. offers a small but elegant selection of bakery items like madeleine cakes, financiers and cookies alongside classic French pastries like mille feuille, Paris-brest and Mont Blanc.

There was a small dine-in area for those looking for a sweet treat with a sip of coffee.

By the time I reached the front of the lineup, most items were already sold out except these two.

Mont Blanc (₩10,000) – This was dressed up like a cup cake with chestnut vermicelli and fresh cream on top. I think one could never get tired of having a classic Mont Blanc.

It is about all the time we have before dinner. Time to venture over to Yeoksam station as we have a highly anticipated meal ahead of us. Hopefully, little nugget gets to meet his favorite Chef Son at Eatanic Garden tonight. 

Food Rating: 7/10

Price: ₩₩₩

Address: The Shinsegae Market, 19-3 Banpo-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Closest Metro Station: Express Bus Terminal

Tel: +82 507-1412-3553

Website: http://www.maisonmo.com/

Opening Hours: 10:30am - 8:00pm (Mon - Fri), 10:30am - 8:30pm (Sat - Sun)

Jaein Patisserie (Seoul, SOUTH KOREA) ★★★★☆

My first stop following our yakiniku lunch was supposed to be a visit to Jaein Patisserie, a French bakery and dessert shop nestled in the heart of trendy Hannam-dong. But I was struggling to decide whether to visit the Blue Elephant showroom upstairs first. Decision, decision.....

Jaein Patisserie is tucked away on the second floor of an unassuming building, just one level below the Blue Elephant store. Despite its modest exterior, this little gem is one of the most exciting French patisseries in Seoul right now.

At the helm is Chef Jae In Lee, the owner-pâtissier known for his playful creativity. He enjoys blending Korean flavors with classic French techniques, which has led to some truly imaginative creations including a Paris-Brest with ginkgo nut curd and cream, or soy sauce-infused madeleines.

Although none of those more unconventional treats were on display this afternoon, there were still plenty of intriguing options to tempt us like the SAE-DAM (featuring basil and tomato) and a Pear Charlotte that looked too pretty to eat.

And there he was, Chef Jae In Lee right behind the counter!

In a perfect world, we would’ve found a cozy corner inside Chef Lee's café and lingered over our sweet treats but this being a typical Sunday, the waiting time to dine in was close to two hours. So, we ended up taking some of these outdoor.

Corn financier (₩4,200) – Very very flaky and buttery at the same time. Simple but so satisfying.

Watermelon (₩12,000) – I chose this over the SAE-DAM (the basil and tomato cake) only because little nugget was the one having it.

This beauty had three distinct layers, each offering a different flavor and texture.

Below the refreshing top layer of watermelon was a rich pistachio cream, all sitting on top of a crispy pastry base subtly infused with hibiscus. The combination of textures and the harmony between flavors made this one truly memorable.

Jaein Patisserie reminded me of another sweet discovery — Balance Patisserie in Seongsu-dong, which I stumbled upon back in 2023. It instantly became one of my favorite spots for French pastries in Seoul (They have since relocated to Anguk). Today was a bit like déjà vu, another unexpected find (well, it was on my itinerary to start the trip), and another patisserie that completely won me over.

Food Rating: 7.5/10

Price: ₩₩₩

Address: 683-47 Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Closest Metro Station: Hangangjin

Tel: +82 507-1449-2454

Opening Hours: 1:00pm - 7:00pm (Wed - Sun)

Sous le gui 수르기 (Seoul, SOUTH KOREA) ★★★★☆

Sous le gui (수르기) is an itch I have long wanted to scratch in trendy Hannam-dong (漢南洞) but its tricky opening hours have been a little difficult to fit into our schedule in my recent trips. So, this time around, I made sure that I left my weekend wide open for this long anticipated visit.

Hannam has earned its reputation as the trendiest and most upscale neighborhood in Seoul thanks to its vibrant fashion, design, and luxury shopping scene. It's a hugely popular destination for locals and tourists seeking unique, designer goods, with a range of boutiques and concept stores showcasing both Korean and international brands. Ever since my visit in 2018, I have been eager to come back and visit some of these shops I have missed out on including Sous le gui.

Situated on hilly Itaewon-ro 42-gil, the French dessert cafe has a very simple dessert menu featuring four éclairs, an apple and jasmine tea tart, and its signature Korean brown sugar dessert Gongi.

With only 10 minutes to burn before our lunch appointment, I couldn’t afford the time for their signature Gongi due to its 3-5 minute of preparation time. So, instead I went with one of the éclairs.

Blueberry éclair (₩11,500) – The choux pastry was beautifully decorated with toppings of blueberry cream, fresh blueberries and hazelnut.

This is probably one of the rare times where there was more cream (more like a purée) on top of my éclair than inside the choux pastry. Not surprisingly, the blueberry cream was full of the unique berry flavor blueberry is known for. Both fruity and floral at the same time and with a vibrant freshness. And of course, there were the fresh blueberries and hazelnuts to provide the lovely crunch. Very very nice!

The staff here briefly described its signature Gongi for me and she said it as their unique creation with Korean brown rice and “a lot of stuff” underneath. I’d love to know what “those stuff” are on my next trip.

Food Rating: 6.8/10

Price: ₩₩₩

Address: 683-65 Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Closest Metro Station: Hangangjin

Tel: +82 2-6053-0462

Website: https://www.instagram.com/souslegui

Opening Hours: 12:00pm - 6:00pm (Fri - Sun)

Passion 5 (Seoul, SOUTH KOREA) ★★★★☆

I was telling little nugget on our way to Passion 5 that it was the summer of 2014 when I first discovered Hannam-dong (漢南洞). It was such a trendy little spot brimming with local and international designer brands, and dotted with charming little cafés for shoppers can take a quick break from shopping.

Back then, our experience at Passion 5 was alright and I’ve noticed they’ve significantly upped their pastry game since then. What used to be ordinary fresh cream cakes have transformed into Instagram-worthy desserts that everyone comes to enjoy.

They also have a corner at the pastry section dedicated to their exquisite éclairs.

Time to kick off our first day in Seoul with a sweet breakfast!

Queen Strawberry (₩16,000) – We had the pleasure of having an apple-shaped pastry here back in 2014. Eleven Years later, it was a strawberry-shaped one getting the nod.

This was a mix of fresh berry compote, strawberry mousse and sponge all encased in a strawberry crust made of white chocolate. Pretty decent.

Flowery hill with love (₩18,000) – A pretty long name for a cake, I thought.

The bouquet-shaped cake featured mascarpone mousse, green grape compote, Italian cream cheese and white chocolate. The refreshing flavors and contrasting textures made it a pure joy to have for breakfast. 

Green apple éclair (₩8,300) – I like the presentation of this with all the tiny little green apples on top.

This came with a delicate mascarpone mousse, green apple compote and mousse in the middle. By far the best of the trio.

Passion 5 seamlessly combines five distinct dining experiences under one roof: bakery, patisserie, chocolate, gelato, and café, and here's the gelato café right next to the dine-in area where they were handcrafting some of their homemade gelato.

Fat boy thoroughly enjoyed our sweet breakfast and eagerly asked, What is next?". I grinned and replied, "More sweet stuff!" 

Food Rating: 6.4/10

Price: ₩₩₩₩

Address: 729-74 Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Closest Metro Station: Hangangjin

Tel: +82 507-1416-9505

Website: https://www.catchtable.net/shop/passion5?operationType=DINING_GLOBAL

Opening Hours: 7:30am - 10:00pm daily