I heard a rumour that The Old Croissant Factory in Hongdae had started doing scones, so I decided to go back for the first time in a while. Their bread never disappoints.
The front entrance
It was really crowded. Seeing a place that makes good food doing well makes me happy, even though I am not the one making the money.
Scones
They look delicious at a glance. I seriously struggled to decide which ones to pick.
The scone I bought
Well, as expected, it was the best. The only thing is the calories are a bit worrying. Each scone has its own strong character, so it is worth trying every one of them once.
Chocolate croissant
I had seen this one on Chef Yang’s Instagram a lot and wondered what it would taste like, and the chocolate flavour is really rich. I can hear myself putting on weight somewhere..
A cookie with an olive in it
My first Hongdae visit in a while was a big success, just as I had hoped.
Since I was at The Old Croissant Factory anyway, I also dropped into Aoitori right across from it. It is famous for Japanese-style bread made by a Japanese chef.
The front entrance
Quite a crowd here too. Who knew there was this much demand for Japanese bread in Korea..
Breads
Exactly what I used to see in Japan. Where The Old Croissant Factory is French in style, this place has a distinct character of its own.
Breads
The yakisoba bun must be popular, because it was already sold out. Overall the prices looked reasonable too.
Breads
They have curry bread as well. Curry bread looks easy, but it is not that easy to make it taste good.
I bought a modest selection.
I would not expect too much in terms of taste, but it is a good place to go when you are craving Japanese-style bread. Sometimes you just want something very plain, like a melon pan.
The breads from my second visit
Not bad, but something was a little lacking. Then again, that in itself brings back nostalgia for anyone who has lived in Japan. Personally I think L’atelier Monique does the best Japanese-style bread, but it is too far from home now, which is a shame because it is not easy to get to.
Ruben’s
I hear it was opened by the chef from Hongdae Macaron, the dessert shop that has since closed. There seem to be a lot of sandwich shops around these days. When so many open at once, I worry a little about whether they can all do well. Not that my worrying will change anything.
Join the Discussion