I saw on the news that Starbucks had brought in the legendary Clover coffee machine. Looking into it, it turned out it wasn’t at every store, just a handful of well-known ones. I was curious what it would taste like, so I went to find out.

Starbucks Coffee right in front of Apgujeong Rodeo Station

This is roughly what the place looks like. There’s a sign saying they serve Reserve coffee. The entrance is narrow so I didn’t expect much, but the inside was really well done. The interior was calm yet modern, and I was surprised that a chain store was on a far higher level than most cafes. The first floor is great, but go up to the second floor and the sofas are comfortable and the space is really roomy. I had no idea a premium Starbucks like this existed, and the preconceptions I’d had about Starbucks until now just vanished.

The Clover coffee machine I’d only ever heard rumours about, in the flesh

It really is a good-looking machine. Watching the coffee being extracted was somehow moving, too. Coffee is all about the looks, after all. They carry two kinds of beans, and you can choose between Zambia and Sumatra. This time I ordered the Zambia.

It comes in a cup like this.

I thought Starbucks was all green, but a black Starbucks has its own charm too. Neither I nor the friend I went with is a coffee expert, so it’s hard to give a proper verdict, but both the aroma and the taste were quite decent. The price is a little higher than a regular coffee, but if it were nearby I’d happily drop in for a cup now and then.

Inside

I was surprised that the Starbucks Apgujeong Rodeo store was better than I expected, but that’s only because the gap compared with an ordinary Starbucks is so big. These days specialty coffee shops are popping up all over the city, so I don’t think there’s any need to come all the way to Apgujeong. Well, I’m just an odd character who rushes straight over whenever I hear there’s something unusual, which is why I came.

Flowers blooming in Apgujeong

I spotted some pretty flowers as I walked along, so I took a picture. It was early spring when I took this photo, and now the weather is almost early summer. Sob. I need to catch up quickly. The good news is that I haven’t been to many restaurants lately, so there aren’t that many posts left to put up.

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