A cafe designed for comfort, with chocolate on the side
To my eyes, Papergarden captures the quintessence of industrialist interior design. The cafe’s ceiling, about two stories high, is what gives the atmosphere its feeling of openness. That feeling is highlighted when the weather gets warm, because the facade is opened up to the street, bringing fresh outdoor air into the space.
Industrial design can often make you uncomfortable because of its cold and dry feeling, but Papergarden has effortlessly resolved the problem with warm lighting and green plants.
After carefully observing the space, I decorated my apartment in a similar style years ago by painting the walls and ceilings white and placing a vintage Scandinavian couch and a table in the space. Whenever I go back to Cafe Papergarden, it reminds me of the excitement of that time.
A chocolate souffle and iced chocolate drink from Cafe Papergarden By Ser Myo-ja
On a recent visit, I was in the mood for some serious chocolate, so I ordered an iced chocolate drink (9,000 won, $7.55) and a chocolate souffle (8,000 won). Minutes later, a warm dark chocolate souffle with a scoop of vanilla ice cream arrived on my table. The fluffy cake was submerged in chocolate sauce and sprinkled with small chocolate bits and a dusting of powdered sugar.
It’s always a joy to watch the warm chocolate lava flowing out from inside the souffle. I think that is precisely why I order this dessert whenever I have a craving for chocolate. After admiring the scene, I devoured both the cake and the ice cream. I think it was a regular scoop of Haagen-Dazs vanilla, but it would have been better if the ice cream had been homemade.
While the chocolate souffle was overwhelmingly rich and sweet, the iced chocolate drink had a somewhat more reserved chocolate flavor. Its ice and chocolate chunks were coarsely ground, and it actually felt fresh to crunch them. I did enjoy the drink, but I thought it was a bit too pricey.
The cafe also has a stack of fashion and design magazines that are available for visitors to read. Papergarden is the place I would choose to spend hours flipping through magazines, admiring the effortless chic interior design and enjoying a great dessert - when I am given a free afternoon away from the hectic deadlines of the newsroom, that is.
Cafe Papergarden
Location: 653-11, Sinsa-dong, Gangnam District, Seoul
Telephone: (02) 3443-8880
By Ser Myo-ja [myoja@joongang.co.kr]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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