Tag: coffee

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Oo-kook Korean BBQ and Coffee

All You Can Eat BBQ and Heyri Coffee

Before the weather completely changes and my tastebuds switches to soups I visited another Korean BBQ restaurant in Koreatown.  The most recent restaurant is a little different as it’s not located directly on Wilshire Blvd.  Oo-Kook specializes in an all you can eat Korean BBQ, with various servings of banchan.

Oo-Kook BBQ

I met up with my friend again whom I met while we lived in South Korea.  She said I should try another restaurant beside our usual hang-out at BCD Tofu House.  We met at noon at Oo-kook to eat, catch-up and discuss our returning to Korea.

Oo-Kook Korean BBQ and Heyri Coffee House

The restaurant allows three servings per order which include an order of white rice, and or cheese corn.  We started off with three of the most popular choices of meat which includes pork belly, beef steak, and marinated rib.

Oo-Kook Korean BBQ and Heyri Coffee House

The beef steak was my favorite out of the different meat options that we sampled.   It costs $24.99 per person for the all you can eat menu and is well worth the price and service.

Oo-Kook Korean BBQ menu, Koreatown, Los Angeles

*Tip: The restaurant offers valet parking and there’s two-hour metered street parking nearby.  If you would like to visit Oo-Kook, the restaurant is located at 3385 W 8th St, Los Angeles, CA 90005 or call (213) 385-5665 for more information.

After consuming so much meat and vegetables we decided to go to a nearby coffee house.

헤 이 리 – Heyri Coffee House

Oo-Kook Korean BBQ and Heyri Coffee House, Koreatown, Los Angeles

The inside of the restaurant looks cozy and comfortable.  There was plenty of seating and I was surprised the coffee house offered lunch menu items as well as dessert.

We choose outside seating as it was a nice day and the Coffee House offered covered patio seating.  *Tip: There are a smoking area and non-smoking area available for customers.  I choose the standard iced americano and my friend choose the sweet potato latte.

Oo-Kook Korean BBQ and Heyri Coffee House, Cafe, Koreatown

I tried my friends’ sweet potato latte and I thought it had a creamy texture and the sweet potato flavor wasn’t overpowering.  The real attraction here is the outdoor seating location.  It allowed for friendly conversation in a relaxed atmosphere.  The next time I go back to this restaurant I want to try the Bingsu because it looked really yummy.

In addition to street parking, Heyri also offers valet parking for two dollars.  Heyri Coffee House is located at 755 S Hobart Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90005.  To find out more information visit Heyri Coffee House or call (213) 389-6138.

If you like this blog posts check out similar stories on:

  1. K-Town Food Tour Review
  2. 24 Hours in L.A.’s Koreatown
  3. Insadong Street Shopping And Gyejeol Bapsang Korean Buffet
  4. Themed Cafes in Seoul, South Korea
  5. Visiting Dongdaemun Design Plaza Seoul International Handmade Fair

Do you have a favorite restaurant or place you like to visit in Koreatown?  I would love to read your thoughts in the comment section down below.

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Themed Cafes in Seoul, South Korea

Blue Flower Cafe Themed Cafes In Seoul South Korea

Blute Flower Cafe, Tartine Bakery, and Mochi

Where to begin when you discuss themed cafes in South Korea?  Although I went to several cafes there are still so many I wish to enjoy.  The first being the new Harry Potter Cafe in Daegu that just opened.

If you’re looking to get warm from the cold weather outside or just past the time, a cafe is a great place to visit.  Whether you visit with friends or a good book, here are some of the places I visited while in Seoul.

Tartine Bakery & Pie Cafe

One of the best cafes that I experienced in Seoul was the Ruby Edwards Tartine Bakery & Pie Cafe located in Itaewon.  I was first intrigued by this cafe because they’re known for their “Crack Pie.”  I wondered how good could it really was so I decided I would try it for myself.  The cafe first opened almost ten years ago and their pastries are still created fresh every day.

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Crack Pie  La Mode And An Americano

The cafe was really busy since we visited on a weekend.  After taking my first bite, I realized the pie had been appropriately named.  The pie had the right balance of salty and sweet with a flaky pie crust.  The ambiance was good but the pie was better.  I ate every crumb and I didn’t feel guilty about any of the calories.  If salty-sweet is not your preference they had a lot of other classic pie choices, including Blueberry, Banana Cream, and Pecan.

There are several different flower-themed cafes that you can visit while you’re in Seoul.  It really depends on the atmosphere you seek, whether it’s a date night or hanging out with girlfriends.  The Blute Cafe is more geared towards the latter.

Blute Cafe

Blute Cafe

Blute cafe is a flower themed cafe in Hongdae.  If you like Korean dramas then this is a place that you will want to visit because of the dramas that have been filmed at this location.  You can enjoy the romantic white lights, floral-scented flowers, and the indoor/outdoor seating areas.

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I sat outside towards the front of the cafe avoiding any foot traffic.  Towards the back of the cafe, there was a small bench where you can take all the selfies your heart desires.  Just off to the side of the bench, there was a small enclosed gazebo with potted plants.  The potted plants had plant markers describing each flower that was used around the cafe.  While the cake and beverage didn’t leave a strong impression, I did enjoy the ambiance.

Mochi Story Made by Minsu

Lastly, Mochi Story Made by Minsu Cafe is also located in Hongdae.  It’s decorated with small Japanese animation toy figures.  I am sure there is a technical term for them and someone who knows all things anime would be able to tell you exactly.  However, I was there for the food, specifically, the rice cake.

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Mochi otherwise known as Chapssaltteok or (찹쌀떡) in Hangul, main ingredients include red beans, and rice that has been pounded and a piece of fruit.  My favorite is definitely the strawberry, but the orange and traditional mochi pictured above was also very tasty.

Whatever your taste, there are plenty of cafes to explore in South Korea.  What places would you recommend?  Would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

If you want to read about additional popular tourists attractions in South Korea check out the related posts: