The back alley of Gangnam Station is always crowded. There are many colorful and stylish stores, but it's not easy to find the perfect space for you. Attractive stores with a unique sensibility found in places such as Hongdae and Yeonnam-dong, which are full of the feeling of young artists, are slowly appearing at Gangnam Station. Today, the SNS Taste Appraisal Group will visit charming stores in the back alley of Gangnam Station. Let's find your own hideout to heal your mind and body.
1. “The Dardal†is a sweet cafe in Jeong Gai
A cafe with a nostalgic exterior in a renovated house. The green artificial grass in the yard accentuates, and you can feel like you're on a picnic. The interior is simple yet vintage, perfect to recharge your senses with a cup of coffee. In addition to drinks, they also sell desserts such as chocolate, macaroons, and shaved water, and the gold contest trophy adds excitement to the chocolate tea on one side of the store. There are terrace seats on the 2nd floor, so you can huddle with friends and chat leisurely on a hot summer day.
[Image source: Dudal Dal's official blog]
â–²Shikigami Aplus review: As the name suggests, it's sweet â–²Business hours: 10:30 to 24:00 â–²Price range: 6,000 won to 8,000 won â–²Location: 1F, 618-7 Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
2. Japanese home-cooked white rice “Momosara†by a friendly owner
It is a specialty store that sells Japanese homemade hamburgers, pork cutlets, and curry. When you enter the store located on the 2nd floor, the interior decorated with wood gives you a warm and friendly feeling. Based on the “original (8,500 won),†which is a homemade hamburger with a rich demiglace sauce containing red wine, there are various hambak set meals such as garlic cream, kimchi cheese, and tomatoes. Shortly after ordering a meal, a delicious hamburger comes out on a wooden tray for one person with the right side dishes. If you put an egg on top of the hamburger, stir the yolk, and eat it together, you can enjoy it even more deliciously. They also sell tempura and hot pot, so it's a great place to enjoy beer or sake in the evening.
3. 'Director's Coffee', a coffee that you can enjoy leisurely in a sensuous space
If you want to enjoy coffee in a relaxed and luxurious way at a large single-family store in the middle of Gangnam, I recommend this place. A spacious table full of spring sunshine and a popping Indian tent add to the atmosphere. Even though the interior is vintage, the tables are widely spaced and comfortable. There are plenty of props to add atmosphere throughout the room, so it's fun to look at them one by one. There are small rooms that can fit 6 to 8 people, and they can also be rented as a conference room or meeting place on weekends. They sell coffee, cookies, fruit smoothies, etc., and the prices are reasonable.
â–²Eating Onion Ring Poisoning Review: The atmosphere is good and the coffee tastes great â–²Business hours: Sunday to Wednesday 10:00 ~ 22:00/Thursday to Saturday 10:00 ~ 23:00 â–²Price range: Coffee between 4,000 won and 7,000 won â–²Location: 615-18 Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
4. 'Jeongdeungjip (Sinnonhyeon Branch) ', a hot oden soup that comforts me on a sweet day
Jeongdeon House, located near Sinnonhyeon Station, is a place that reminds me even more when it's raining like these days. It has a Japanese-style exterior like an oden bar and is small overall, so it's a great place for a couple of close friends to come and talk about Dorando. The interior is decorated using wood grain, giving it an atmospheric and clean feel. They sell snacks that are easy to eat, such as Busan oden, deep-fried rice cake, shishamo, and grilled mushrooms, and you can enjoy sake and sake as a feast or dakuri. A hideaway-like space where you can relax your mind while talking with friends on a tired and happy day.
5. “Muchacho,†a Mexican dish filled with the passion of young people
Muchacho, which means “youth†in Spanish, is a Mexican food specialty store that sells burritos, tacos, quesadillas, and nachos. It's a perfect place to chat while enjoying simple meals and drinks. When you enter the entrance of the Banjiha store, you'll first see a cute character wearing a mask. The interior is very noisy, and you can immediately feel the youth of a young man in his 20s. You can easily watch food being prepared in a fully open kitchen while ordering food from self-service. The signature menu is the muchacho taco (8,500 won), which is marbled, tomato, and garlic topped on a tortilla.