Today’s post is special because it is a double feature!
Okay confession time- tbh I am not a huge fan of dessert…BUT there are rare moments when I do crave certain sweets. I was not expecting to get so many sweets, on my outing to Ikseon-dong, a street in Seoul that is known for its hanok style buildings and trendy cafes, but there were so many choices for cafes and dessert that even I could not resist!
The streets of Ikseon-dong are maze-like, but you will find yourself mesmerized by all of the choices for food. Jong-no, the larger town that the street is located in is also known for Korean BBQ, so you will see a lot of outdoor BBQ places lining the surrounding streets as well.
Macau Egg Tarts, also referred to as Portuguese Egg Tarts (although there are some subtle differences as The Woks of Life points out) are one of my favorite dessert options.
When I passed by OTAR, bakery and café, I knew I had to try one of theirs.
The bakery offers a variety of egg tarts ranging from Cheese tarts to Apple to Durian egg tart and the tarts all ranged around 2,700 Korean won (~$2 USD).
You order on the bottom floor and then take your food up to the second floor, where there is indoor seating with a view of the street! They do not have outdoor seating.
The Macau Egg tart was delicious with a flaky crust and juicy inside. It had a medium level of sweetness that paired well with coffee.
I was excited to try the Durian egg tart, which actually had small chunks of durian in it, and had the unique taste and smell of durian. I like to describe it as being a flavor party of avocado, banana, apple, and a slight onion taste all in one! If you are a fan of durian, I would recommend!
Next, I went to Mangwon-dong Tiramisu, which carries many different kinds of tiramisu, including Earl Grey Tiramisu, Strawberry Tiramisu, Mint Chocolate Chip Tiramisu, Injeolmi Tiramisu, and even Tiramisu ice cream.
You ordered on the bottom floor and then they had indoor seating on the second floor. They do not have outdoor seating.
Injeolmi, a type of roasted soybean powder usually combined with sugar and coated on Korean rice cake, is my favorite type of flavor so naturally I picked that one!
The Injeolmi Tiramisu was more of a cake, as it was made of layers of Injeolmi powder, cake, and whipped cream topped with more powder and two tiny cubes of rice cake. It was a little too sweet for me, and was missing the slightly bitter espresso layer that I love in Tiramisu, but it was worth a try.
If you are a Mint Chocolate Chip lover with a sweet tooth, the Mint Chocolate Chip Tiramisu would be a good choice for you.
The Tiramisu cups range around 5,300-5,800 Korean Won (~$5 USD), which seemed a little high, but also makes sense since they use quality milk. You can also purchase milk tea!
The Tiramisu ice cream (3,300 Korean Won, ~$2.80 USD) was surprisingly good especially on a hot summer day, with the slight bitterness and smooth taste of milk.
If you do end up going to Ikseon-dong, just avoid going during prime time on the weekend as the narrow streets will be packed with people! Sadly I could not make it into some popular restaurants and cafes because of the wait, so I hope you have better luck than I had!
Address for OTAR (오타르): South Korea, Seoul, Jongno-gu, Ikseon-dong, 169-2번지 1층 2층
Address for Mangwon-dong Tiramisu (망원동 티라미수) : 22 Supyo-ro 28-gil, Nakwon-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Address for original location: 87 Poeun-ro, 마포구 Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
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