Bingsu, a classic Korean dessert, has been around
since the Joseon era and was
originally only served in the summer. However, as the summer
grew longer and food culture changed, an increasing number of
establishments are now selling bingsu year round. Originally, bingsu was
just broken up ice topped with red azuki beans. This variety of bingsu
is the most representative of Korean bingsu even today, but for young
people who like to try new and unique desserts, this may not be enough.
Read on for the Korea Tourism Organization’s top nine unique dessert
treats
in Seoul.
Danggojip, offering various dango flavors
Danggojip is the only place in Korea that specializes in Japanese dango (also called danja),
a type of rice cake made of glutinous rice flour that has been steamed
and shaped into round balls, and then served on a skewer. These chewy
desserts are often made without a
filling, although peanut powder can be sprinkled on top
according to one's preference.
The café's most popular item is the cherry blossom
bingsu, which is a milk bingsu topped with cherry blossoms, red azuki
beans, strawberries, and a pink sauce. The dish is a pleasure to both
see and taste. Try their popular bingsu, and if you are still not full,
add on one
of their dozen varieties of dangos. Some of the café's
clientele include artists from the Hongdae area and celebrity actor Cha
Seungwon.
Sobok, healthy and delicious treats
An establishment that emphasizes natural flavors, Sobok
first opened in the Hongik University area in early 2014. They offer
fresh and nutty ice cream prepared daily every morning, mixing
brown rice and various grains with milk.
In general, bingsu is made with shaved ice topped with
various ingredients.
In contrast, the bingsu at Sobok is made with grain ice cream
topped with small
amounts of sweet pumpkin, dried persimmon, rice cakes, grain
syrup, and other natural ingredients.
Each bowl of bingsu is garnished with a small chrysanthemum
flower. The paper bowl the bingsu is served in is also environmentally
friendly, as it is made of corn powder.
Imi, where fresh cream and oranges meet
Imi is located in Seogyo-dong, a quiet neighborhood near
Hongik University. This café is run by two brothers, one a barista and
the other a baker. Imi
serves a one-of-a-kind fresh cream orange bingsu. It is served
in a
large coffee mug and topped with so much fresh cream, you might
mistake
it for coffee at first glance. Take a spoonful of it, and you
will instantly feel rejuvenated by the refreshing orange taste. Also
popular, especially among the young female clientele, is the
French-style cake made of oranges and cheese.
Ice cream bungeoppang, a delicious street snack
Bungeoppang, fish-shaped bread filled with red
bean paste, is a common winter-time snack in Korea. At A-boong, this
treat takes on a new spin during the summer. There
are three flavors of ice cream bungeoppang, which became
instantly popular online thanks to its pretty and unique shape. The
big-size bungeoppang features red azuki beans, fresh cream or sweet
potato sauce, and comes topped with ice cream and a skewer of
chocolate-covered fruit.
Penguin Macaroon, where lines form in an instant
Penguin Macaroon was the first ice cream shop to offer
macaroon ice cream sandwiches in Korea. All the macaroons and ice cream
sold at Penguin Macaroon are made the same day.
In addition, there is a limited quantitiy of sandwiches sold
each
day, making these treats a hot commodity. Due to their limited
numbers,
a long line of people begins to form in front of the store as
the store’s opening hour approaches, all
hoping to get this sweet and fun morsel.
There are five flavors of ice cream: green tea, fresh
cream cheese, strawberry, banana, and chocolate. When you order ice
cream, it will be served between the macaroons that go best with it (the
colors of the macaroons change every day). Some say that macaroons are
too sweet, but eat it with ice cream and you will quickly agree that the
two are a perfect match.
Gaongill, a trip to classic taste
Gaongill is a café similar to Ogada or Tea Oreum. It is a
franchise café that sells traditional Korean snacks and beverages.
Their traditional bingsu, the most popular menu item, is
generously topped with red azuki beans, rice cakes, jujubes, chestnuts,
and mung beans. Unique treats on their menu include Sujeonggwa bingsu, royal honey bingsu, and pea bingsu. The pea bingsu features peas boiled in sugar
and is quite popular as it is low in calories.
Sammat Hootteok, a cozy and charming snack place
Sammat Hootteok is a snack place run by a young
brother-sister duo. By opening this establishment, the pair bet
everything on their hotteok, a variety of Korean fritters. Sammat, or
three tastes, refers to the three varieties of hotteok filling
they serve: red azuki beans, cheese, and seed.
Eventually, the owners developed an ice cream version.
The ice hotteok features cold ice cream stuffed inside a hotteok that
has just been deep-fried in oil. The taste is beyond description
and amazingly good, earning
this snack the chance to appear on many TV shows. Also highly
recommended is Sammat Hootteok’s tteok-bokki, an all-time favorite
Korean snack food, and the Italy hotteok that is full of cheese.
Tasting Room, serving elegant ice cream
Tasting Room is a restaurant run by a married couple, one
is an architect and one is a lighting designer. The restaurant sells
popcorn salt ice cream, which is vanilla ice cream covered
in popcorn and served on a chilled dish sprinkled with salt. Dip
the ice cream in some salt to enhance its sweetness,
but be sure you don’t use too much salt or it will ruin the ice
cream’s flavor. This combination of popcorn and ice cream has become
more common on the Korean street food scene and you will also find
similar ice creams at movie theaters.
Bardot Bars, delicious and decadent ice cream bars
Bardot Bars is a decadent ice cream brand from
California. With
the motto "We sell Love on a stick," the store's main product is
decadent ice cream bars. The shop
interior is designed as if selling luxury goods and the
packaging is also unique and lavish. The ice cream is coated with
Belgium chocolate, while the inside comes in ten or so flavors,
including walnut, cheese, and green tea.
The flagship store in Cheongdam-dong is run side by side
with Klatch Coffee, a specialty coffee shop from the U.S. Bardot Bars
was also featured several times in Korean dramas and Yoon Eun-hye, EXO,
and 4minute also filmed here.
<Last updated on July 20, 2015>
* This column was last updated in July 2015, and
therefore information may differ from what is presented here. We advise
you to check details from the official websites before visiting.
|
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| Date 10/12/2015 |
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