If you take the subway to the end of the Ui-Sinseol Line, you’ll be at the most northern part of Seoul. Though technically in Seoul, coming out of the subway, station, you’ll feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere.Only 40 minutes from the city centre, this area is still being developed.
There are new looking buildings and empty blocks of land with building’s foundations being made. And behind that are the lush green woodlands of Bukhansan Mountain. Walking five minutes from the subway station, and after crossing a small stream, you will see Café Sanrae. Sanrae, translated in English means café under the mountain, and the name fits the café well.
You shouldn’t be fooled by the café’s dark stone exterior, what’s more important to note is the plant box out it’s front. This is because it's for shadowing what's inside; stunning greenery.
Although at the time of posting, leaves across the country have turned yellow, at the time of going it was still warm so the leaves were still lush and green. Entering into the cafe you are greeted with an abundance of green foliage. However though large panels of windows you could see the greenery from outside too.
The café had inside seating as well as an outdoor decking area, which is beside a man made river. The interior itself was relatively simple. White walls and ceiling, large light concrete flooring and furniture with mostly wooden furnishings. There were also a lot of windows, framed in black, that let in lovely natural light, giving the space an airy feel.
However, the focal point, and key decorative point was the greenery. This simple interior helped the greenery proudly shine. The whole space had a lovely ambience and was beautiful to be among the plants.
There were a variety of seating arrangements, from benches, four seater tables, two seater tables and private booths. However, while the tables were a nice height for working, overall there was a mood for socialising and relaxing.
As for the drinks, I got a hot chocolate, my friend got a vanilla latte, and we both shared a croffle with ice cream. The hot chocolate had a nice chocolate flavour and had a good balance of sweetness. My friend said that the latte was also quite nice.
The croffe was tasty, with a nice amount of ice cream. While there was no syrup, since there was a lot of ice cream the amount was enough. It also had a dusting of cinnamon powder, which my friend and I both appreciated, and added another flavour dimension to the croffle.
This is a café is a beautiful place to escape and take in nature's beauty. In dead beat terms, this is a great short escape to do while still being in Seoul. This café is worth the trip to be able to take a break among beautiful lush, greenery all the while enjoying a warm beverage.
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