As a dessert lover, I pretty much know all the decent dessert cafes in Korea. There is plenty of information on food blogs, but a book like Dessert in Seoul also lays it out nicely. A while ago I visited DesserTree and was very satisfied, so I had been thinking of trying Sona, which has a similar concept, and the chance came right before my move.

That day we ordered two of the 21,000 won three-course dessert sets. The petit four cart was so satisfying that I would have regretted not going for the three-course set.

Rooibos tea

The tea comes in a pot per person rather than a cup. It was good, so I drank it all.

Crimson punch

A tea with an impressive deep colour and berry aroma.

Grapefruit sorbet

A clean palate cleanser to start.

Oh! Chocolate

This is the signature dish here. So many people have had it and it has been written up so often that I had to order it.

At a place I am visiting for the first time, I usually order mostly the dishes the place is known for. It is my way of checking how trustworthy the other bloggers and gourmets are.

You pour it over and eat.

An attractive dessert that lets you enjoy many different chocolate flavours at once. To be honest, when I first heard a place called SONA had opened, I wondered if it was a knock-off of DesserTree, but coming here and eating for myself, I could tell the direction is clearly different. However many dessert shops open, as long as each has a distinct personality, they are all welcome.

Vacherin

A pretty dessert. The way each ingredient has a different texture, and the way the varied composition lifts the flavour, are both excellent. With dessert shops of this level in Korea, I do not envy Japanese desserts that much.

The dessert cart

The dessert cart is probably the biggest difference between DesserTree and Sona. DesserTree does not even have the space to wheel a cart around. The time spent agonising over which of the many desserts to pick is such fun. I imagine women in particular enjoy that moment. The desserts are small, but in return the flavours are very intense and full of character. Everything I ate was delicious, which took me by surprise.

My picks.

I chose a Paris-Brest with gorgonzola, a carrot cupcake, a canele, a blueberry eclair, a marshmallow coated in coconut, and a cheesecake. All delicious, but the Paris-Brest and the marshmallow were especially impressive. The eclair was rich too, and the other desserts were made far more properly than their cute looks would lead you to expect. Personally I found them even more satisfying than the main desserts. If I come again, I am definitely ordering the course.

I asked, and it turns out they sell the petits fours separately.

They are 2,000 won each, so I will have to buy some on their own sometime.

한국어로 읽기日本語で読む