Balance Pâtisserie 카페 발렁스 (Seoul, SOUTH KOREA) ★★★☆☆

Balance Patisserie (카페 발렁스) used to be one of my go-to dessert spots in Seongsu-dong (聖水洞) a couple of years ago but since their relocation to Anguk (安國), I have yet to find the chance to check their new digs out personally.

While I had no dinner planned for tonight, I was determined to spend the evening all in Anguk for some bakery café hopping. Won’t that be great if I could also cross Balance Patisserie off my bucket list?

Tucked away on the second floor of an unassuming building near Bukchon Hanok Village, Balance Patisserie is a popular artisanal French patisserie and dessert café, known for its meticulously crafted, French-inspired creations.

I was in for a shock as soon as I stepped through the doors. There were only two kinds of pastries left in the display case. Worse yet, I’ve tried both of them on my previous visits (Tumon and pistachio tart).

Getting my order done was a nightmare. The staff didn’t speak much English, and when my Apple Pay didn’t work at first, he just stood there without offering to help. Since everything was in Korean, I didn’t hesitate to ask him to get more involved in resolving the issue.

Thankfully, the payment eventually went through, and I was all set.

Tumon (₩10,400) — On top was a thin, sugar-dusted crisp, torched to a crème-brûlée-like caramelized finish. Right underneath it was a light, silky yet rich vanilla mousse, layered with deeply satisfying Darjeeling tea-infused ganache, a soft coconut biscuit joconde, and a base of toasted, caramelized macadamia nuts for a bit of crunch.

It was just as enjoyable and pleasing as I remembered from a few years ago, although the vanilla flavor was sadly a little less pronounced. That was the only difference I could recall.

I was hoping to try more of their creations, especially some of the newer ones from recent years, but unfortunately, there was nothing new available this afternoon.

Food Rating: 6.9/10

Price: ₩₩₩

Address: 140-41 Gye-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Closest Metro Station: Anguk

Tel: +82 2-2194-1234

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

Opening Hours: 12:00pm - 7:00pm (Wed - Sun)

Tim Hortons City Hall (Seoul, SOUTH KOREA) ★★★☆☆

My getaway to Seoul has gotten off to a fast start. Soon after arriving at Seoul Station on the Airport Railroad Express, I transited onto a subway train to City Hall. It didn't take long for me to find my hotel next to Seoul Plaza. After breezing through a warm and efficient check-in, I stormed out heading straight towards Anguk (安國). Everything was working according to my original plan.

On the way to the metro, I spotted the President Hotel across from City Hall, just a few steps from my hotel. And there it was — a Tim Hortons, the legendary Canadian coffee-and-doughnut shop!

I decided to pop in for a quick look. Apart from the usual suspects, there was a limited-time-only chestnut cream doughnut. Could I squeeze in a quick bite before getting back to my busy day?

Chestnut cream donut (4,700 won) — I thought the dough was a bit of a disaster. 

But the chestnut cream wasn’t too sweet. That was the one redeeming quality.

At least I got my first bite of the trip out of the way. Here’s hoping the treats that follow are a lot more enjoyable.

Food Rating: 4.8/10

Price: ₩₩

Address: 188-3 Euljiro 1(il)-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Closest Metro Station: City Hall / Euljiro 1(il)-ga

Tel: +82 070-7450-1017

Opening Hours: 7:00am - 9:00pm (Mon - Fri), 8:00am - 9:00pm (Sat - Sun)

Australia Dairy Company 澳洲牛奶公司 (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★★☆

After a whirlwind July and August (at least the first half of August), things are finally settling down a bit at work. I still have an unbelievable number of meetings to attend every month, but at least there are fewer high-pressure situations than during our peak months. After an early-morning training session, I decided to stop by Australia Dairy Company (澳洲牛奶公司) for a quick lunch. I thought I haven't eaten there in years.

To my pleasant surprise, there were only two people in line at the famous Jordan cha chaan teng. Today must be my lucky day.

Fried egg, ham and buttered toast — Simple, but always satisfying. It arrived at my table less than a minute after I ordered. How cool is that?

Macaroni with barbecued pork — I wasn’t particularly hungry this afternoon, so something simple like this did the trick.

Iced milk tea — And, of course, one of my favorite milk teas in town to wash it all down. This is usually the first item to arrive, but I guess the drinks counter was especially busy during the lunch rush.

That was a quick 15-minute lunch. Time to head back to the office and finish up some work, cuz I’m flying out solo to Seoul tomorrow. Yeah finally, some me time in one of my favorite cities in the world. Looking forward to it!

Food Rating: 6/10
Price: $$$
Address: G/F, 47-49 Parkes Street, Jordan, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Closest Metro Station: Jordan
Tel: +852 2730-1356
Opening Hours: 7:30am - 10:00pm (Fri - Wed)