A pastry lover’s paradise in the heart of Sinsa-dong

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A pastry lover’s paradise in the heart of Sinsa-dong

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My friend S is a rice lover. During our summer in Europe a few years ago, she struggled during our meals of bread, pasta, pastries and more bread. She even says her favorite meal during that trip was a feast at a Chinese restaurant in Berlin because she was so happy to see the bowl of steamed rice.

I am a strange type of Korean who can survive for months without rice and kimchi. I guess I’m more of a wheat lover. I love anything and everything made of wheat - and butter - and I’ve never said “no” to a pastry. After I was dumped by my last boyfriend, I even went to Le Cordon Bleu in Seoul to learn how to bake pain au chocolat.

Last month, I took a day off and went to check out Le Alaska, because I have heard so much about their breads and pastries. I was told that the bakery/cafe is run by a chef who trained in Tokyo. I love French pastries, but what I love even more are French pastries in the Japanese style, so it was perfect.

Le Alaska is located in the Sinsa-dong area, away from the fashion shops and cafes. Loaves of bread were piled inside the cafe window and the building looked just like a bakery in a small alley in Tokyo.

As I stepped in, I was already in love with the aroma of sweet pastries and coffee. The place is decorated with a Scandinavian theme reinterpreted in a Japanese context. Cute drawings and beautiful ceiling lights add warmth to the atmosphere.

My companion and I ordered a raspberry pastry (2,000 won, $1.70) and a pain au chocolat (2,000 won). She had an Americano (4,000 won) and I had a hot chocolate (5,000 won).

Both pastries were moist on the inside and crisp on the outside, and the taste of butter just melted in my mouth. The glazed berries that topped the pastry were sumptuous. With my hot chocolate, the bittersweet chocolate inside the pain au chocolat felt a bit too rich, and I think I’ll try it with a simple cup of coffee next time.

It took just minutes for us to clean the plate. The portions are not big, but there are about 40 kinds of breads and pastries available, as well as sandwiches and drinks, and we were tempted to try some more.

Le Alaska has officially become my holy place in Seoul. Not only was I satisfied with what are perhaps the best pastries in Seoul, I was also happy with the price, especially since the cafe is located in such a posh neighborhood. It is probably no surprise that I love Le Alaska because I am a such a wheat lover, but I am confident that once I take my friend S there, she, too, will fall in love, no matter how much love she has already reserved for rice.

[Information]
Le Alaska
Location: Gangnam-gu, Sinsa-dong, 635-9
Telephone: (02) 516-5871


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