Here is the last café that I visited on my Songdo trip. My friend and I rented a car and drove about 30 minutes to Shinpo-dong, a very old part of Incheon, near the sea port and Incheon Station.
Since Incheon was a port town, it has a very old history. And Gwandongohrijin is also a café with a history.
Gwandongohrijin is on a street that is full of either genuine heritage listed or replica buildings from around the early 20th century. Down near the end of the street, not far from Korea’s only official China Town, you will see the beautiful façade of Gwangdongohrijin, covered in vines of ivy.
The café is in a Japanese Kanto style building made during the Japanese occupation of Korea, and was refurbished into a café that hand makes it's own rice cake.
The cafe's interior had a Western vintage and homely feel. The walls were white, however the ceiling and floor were all made of real wood, and there were also beautiful aged wooden columns and dividers throughout the café.
All the chairs and tables were of different styles and shapes, however most of the chairs were upholstered and of antique style. There was also a traditional style table on a raised level for sitting on the floor. While there were some tables that were appropriate for working, the homely mood was more suited to socialising.
However, the most beautiful part of the café was a small courtyard in the back of the café. The courtyard was a pebbled yard with a Japanese style garden, and it had a tranquil and calming atmosphere. From the garden you could also see part of the building where they made the rice cake.
Speaking of rice cake, my friend and I shared a brownie rice cake, which was the day’s special. It wasn’t overly sweet and had the flavour of a brownie, but the texture of a chewy rice cake. It was delicious.
For the drinks, I had omija ade and my friend had an iced americano. The omija ade was made with omija which is a Korean berry that is known for having five different flavours. This berry is known for it’s health benefits and has a unique flavour.
For me the drink was slightly bitter and had an almost wine flavour, but had a healthy feel to it and was refreshing on a hot day. My friend also said that the americano was just fine. However the bingsoo was next level.
We shared red bean bingsoo, which is a traditional Korean ice desert made of thinly shaved ice and toppings. The toppings for this were red bean paste, ricecake, walnuts and dried red dates.
Unlike usual bingsoo that comes with a condensed milk syrup, here the shaved ice was actually made of condensed milk, which gave it a creamy flavour. This and the traditional flavours came together perfectly and added enough sweetness to the dish. This was one of the best bingsoo’s I’ve ever had, and my (Korean) friend said it was the best he’s had in his life.
If you’re in the area, Gwandongohrijin is a great place to stop by. In dead beat terms, this is a nice quaint café to enjoy some delicious bingsoo. But not only is it a comforting and homely café, it’s also a part of history.
Comments