Korean fashion and pop culture are not new to Filipino youth, who are keen followers of such trends. In fact, Seoul is a vacation hotspot for experiencing the Korean wave.
Step into Café de Seoul, though, and realize you don’t have to fly to South Korea to experience that country’s distinct cultural revolution.
If you happen to pass by the De La Salle University area, you will notice a baby blue container van-like structure that seems to extend from the walls of One Archer building.
Upon entering, there is a dedicated escalator going to Café de Seoul that seems to replicate an airport setting. This fairly large Korean café started operations on March 3, and is gaining popularity among students from different universities and colleges like the University of Santo Tomas, Ateneo de Manila University, University of the Philippines. Thus, it is becoming a destination café.
Filipinos are into coffee, and we have been exposed to different coffee shops with a homey and cozy ambiance, with dim orange lighting fixtures and walls painted in hues of browns.
Compared to other coffee shops, Café de Seoul’s design aesthetic is quite unique.
One noticeable thing is the space. The store seems to be divided into two areas—one for those who like being alone, and the other half for groups.
I like that the tables for groups are spacious and conducive to conversations.
Jeffrey Manansala of Café de Seoul says that the owners gave emphasis on the character of its design concept: “It is modern and brightly lit, which is the spirit of Seoul.”
Settling in
It wouldn’t be South Korea without the Samsung gadgets. That’s one of the things Café de Seoul is known for. Every gadget you find in this coffee shop is sponsored by Samsung’s main headquarters.
It even has “Galaxy tables,” coffee tables mounted with Samsung Galaxy tablets.
“The inclusion of technology in our concept is the most unique trait we are proud of. Our coffee tables’ design is matched with Samsung Galaxy tabs. This concept is in partnership with Samsung. The company actually designed the first coffee table with tablets for us,” says Manansala. “Samsung is also our technology collaborator.”
With tablets around the store, costumers are allowed to download any apps or software they like, as long as it won’t damage the tablets. They update all the tablets twice a week. Manansala says that the cafe is also upgrading the models of tablets soon.
As the coffee shop boom continues, I am not surprised that Café de Seoul picked Manila to build its brand. But in fact, it is not a franchised Korean coffee shop, but actually homegrown in Manila.
Since last year, Korean coffee shops have started to be known for their quirky design, as showcases of Korean pop culture, and for their unique coffee offerings. But they are still largely influenced by Western coffee lifestyle brands. Thus, Café de Seoul needed to be born.
“Considering that the Philippines’ café industry is booming, and the owners have been residing here for 10 years, it’s appropriate that they came up with an authentic Korean café. There’s no authentic Korean café in the Philippines right now. We saw some establishments that are Korean, but the authenticity isn’t that strong because they are still very Western,”
says Manansala.
Authentic Korean
As for its food menu, Café de Seoul is true to its promise. The pastries, drinks, and even the coffee are from South Korea. One of the bestsellers is Bing-Soo, or sweetened red beans, rice cakes, sliced almonds and shaved ice, topped with gelato.
I am not a sweet tooth, but the Bing-Soo has a balance of sweetness that does not give you a sugar rush. The sliced almonds break the mushy-soft texture and make it fun to eat. This reminds me of our halo-halo.
Next in line is the Sweet Kies. It is an engaging food, because you need to use a hammer to enjoy this biscuit coated with Belgian chocolate. It is the perfect snack while doing school projects or just reading a book.
If you’re a first-timer, Ddalgi Sonagi should be on your try-out list. Aside from its pretty pink and green color, it is a mocktail that surprised me; I thought the kiwi might overpower the strawberry due to its sour taste, but it did not. The play on sweet and sour is unexpectedly cool; it’s a good thirst quencher.
Last, but the not least, is the Honey Yuja, or lemon-honey tea. It is a good tea variety for non-tea drinkers. Aside from aiding digestion, it is supposed to cure hangovers.
Café de Seoul also serves breakfast food like waffles and donuts, sold in two sizes—“eco” and “biz.” The eco size is the regular portion, while biz is the bigger version. The price difference is around P10.
Most of the ingredients of the food items are imported from South Korea. Manansala says that quality should be communicated well to Café de Seoul customers.
The prices of food items range from P150 to P300++. If you plan to go for the biz size, it is better to share it with a friend because the servings are good for two to three people.
Big servings of biz-size food items make people share their food with their friends, which a Filipino trait, and is a good conversation starter.
“The Filipino influence is in our service. It’s very hospitable,” says Manansala.
Café de Seoul is a hit with Filipino youth. It arrived just in time, because it is a place that is conducive to creative thinking and collaboration. So, if you happen to pass by La Salle in Taft Avenue, I think Café de Seoul is worth a stopover.
PHOTOS BY MARIELLE MAPUGAY