[CUP]
Binge on brunch at an authentic French bakery

The St. Honore at Guillaume, a concoction of French toast, orange custard, whipped cream, fruit and yogurt. By Ser Myo-ja

Breakfast is by far my favorite meal of the day. I love all breakfast dishes, from hot oatmeal porridge to eggs and bacon, but my weakness is for sweet stuff like pancakes and waffles. And my favorite of favorites is French toast.

I like my French toast simple. My loyalties lie with fat and fluffy French toast with maple syrup, maybe with fresh strawberries, just like at Sarabeth’s on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

I have sampled French toast in numerous cafes and brunch restaurants in Seoul. Unfortunately, their attempts are often too thin, too dry, too complicated, or buried underneath streams of syrup and many other sticky things. Then I discovered Guillaume, a gourmet French bakery that recently opened in Cheongdam-dong, Seoul.

Guillaume offers a wide range of scrumptious baked goods, and serves fantastic all-day brunch dishes from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. It’s owned by Guillaume Diepvens, who, after six years in Seoul, missed real French breads and pastries.

Guillaume

Last Saturday, I tried the St. Honore (15,400 won, $10.25), which came with two thick slices of French toast topped with pieces of pink grapefruit, orange custard, whipped cream, meringue, caramelized banana, strawberries and a small cup of home-made yogurt with blueberries.

Visually, the dish was complex, but I was instantly hooked by the new taste. Instead of sweet maple syrup, the orange custard and grapefruit added fresh flavor. The citrus in the custard was subtle, but it mixed delightfully with the soft, melt-in-the-mouth toast.

My companion tried the Musee du Louvre (15,400 won), a piece of mushroom quiche, greens and a cup of vegetable cream soup. Quiche is rare on menus in Seoul, and the soft layers of earthy mushrooms and creamy eggs were a delicious harmony. We also loved the richness of the broccoli and potato soup.

Adding 4,400 won to the meal gets you either an espresso, Americano or tea. Both the Americano and Earl Grey tea were a disappointment. My coffee was plain and lukewarm, while my companion was crestfallen with his tea bag. At that price, we had expected the fun of brewing loose tea. Still, Guillaume is a place definitely worth visiting for a taste of Saint-Germain-des-Pres in Seoul.

Information

Guillaume

Location: 88-37, Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam District, southern Seoul

Hours: 8 a.m. to midnight on Monday to Thursday, 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to midnight on Sunday

Telephone: (02) 512-6701

By Ser Myo-ja Staff Reporter [myoja@joongang.co.kr]

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