This post was written in 2008. Shop details and prices may have changed since then.
I came out to Apgujeong for the first time in a while, and there was this tourist spot called Garosu-gil that I’d never even heard of. I wandered up and down it for ages, just taking it all in.
It looks roughly like this
It feels a little cluttered compared with Japan, but they’ve done it up nicely. Walking along, I ran into countless groups shooting models for online shopping malls. Probably because the street is lined with so many stylish, European-style shops. Whether it was that or the lovely weather, I roamed around the middle of Seoul feeling like I was on a trip for the first time in ages.
Along the way there was even a tart specialty shop like this one.
Looks a bit pricey ^_^ Judging by the atmosphere, the food is probably above average too.
With weather this nice, a second-floor window seat at a café like this was tempting too.
Though you’d want to put on some UV cream first..
Today, out of all of them, I’m going to A Priori Thé, which is said to have a wide range of coffees and teas.
The building is bright blue.. it looked like the paint might rub off on you any second.
The exterior..
Going by the interior alone there are plenty of other nice places, but this one seems to have the most people. It looks like the popular café in this neighborhood.
The menu really is extensive. Lots of unusual items too.. that seems to be one of the secrets of its popularity.
Cappuccino
I didn’t drink it, so I can’t tell you how it tasted ^_^
Pomegranate ade
So-so.. At Coffee Naru even the non-caffeine drinks were pretty tasty, but this place doesn’t seem to put much care into that side. Service was so-so as well, neither bad nor good.. On the other hand, the staff seem to be pretty boys. Maybe that’s why it’s packed with female customers.
Inside
The atmosphere is nice. But the tables are close together and the chairs aren’t exactly comfortable. In one corner there’s a long sofa where you can linger over your tea, but the competition for it looked fierce.
The chandelier on the ceiling
The kitchen
Nice and clean.
If you want to try a good cup of tea around here, I’d recommend it. If you’re not too fussy about taste, there are plenty of other places worth going ^_^ The weather that day was so nice that drinking indoors felt a bit stuffy, but I imagine it would be lovely in winter, sitting in the warm room and looking out at the snow-covered street.
A priori means something you know without having to experience it (like an obvious truth such as 1+1=2), but I have no idea what that has to do with tea. Maybe it means the tea is naturally delicious.. Anyway, it does sound classy..