When in Seoul ... Dinner with Dance Performance !

As I'm rather short on time these days, here's some brief information about an amazing restaurant in Seoul that serves a fine full table of vegetarian Korean food with all the tables around an open area in the center where, while you eat there are several dance performances. I highly recommend it for a special night out in Seoul.

Here's a Korean language Naver Blog post about it. Dinner is, I believe 45,000won a person but it is well worth it ! Also you need at least 5 people in a group to make a reservation although I think they do make exceptions for 3-4 people possibly... I have put the location on my tea map as well.
Best wishes and do stay steeped !

Raise Your Pinky If You Would Care For An Afternoon Tea !

Here's a brief review of two of the few British style afternoon tea services on offer here in Busan. There is one more out there I am told but I have yet to find it...Once I do I shall pin it on the map as I have all the others (including the others to be read of below).

It's no occident : for more Orientation do see the Tea Treasure Map of Busan.

Park Hyatt Hotel  (Centum)
Come on up to the 30th Floor for a fine Afternoon Tea : Coffee or tea and a three tiered tray of savories (scones pastries etc.) (Extra charge for Champagne).

Afternoon Tea is served Mon-Sat 2-6pm Sun 3-6pm
Reservations and information : +82 51 990 1300. 
Do call and check the price as it's been awhile since I'd been there.

They also have an evening service from 6pm-11 providing a fine variety of fine cocktails, wines and beers. 70,000won for two.


Further details may be found via their website : Park Hyatt Hotel Busan Just click "activities" at the top.

Here is another review and blogpost regarding Afternoon Tea at the Hyatt that has wonderful pictures to gives you a good idea of what is to be found high up on the 30th floor via the blog An Irish Girl Abroad.


Adela 7 (Haeundae New Town)
Oh the delights of Adela!!!  One lesser known place is the Bakery Cafe Adela 7 located in Haeundae New Town.

They provide sandwiches cheese cakes and chocolates! Hands down they are indeed the most devinely delicious for afternoon tea in Busan !

Although they are hard to get to in Haeundae (so far inland and all from the actual beach and a bit up from the Jangsan subway), many have told me that there is indeed a second location in Someyeon.  Once I find it I shall duly inform all of you savory net-surfing tea sippers!

That's the only downside to the Adela 7 in Haeundae : It's tricky to get to, whereas one in Someyeon ?  - well, win win and win ! While the Hyatt has the view and tea equal to Adela, Adela has savories far superior ! Until next time, may you find yourself in fine condition over a cup of the Camellia.

A New Starbucks-Like Teahouse : Seomyeon

A rather excellent teahouse has opened up right in the center at the heart of Busan's downtown area of Someyeon! It's called Hyung-Cha 향차 or Scent of Tea and its 2 doors down from the Seomyeon Rotary intersection.

It has been said that many of the teahouses in Someyeon tend be rather small cramped and crowded But this one is an exception ! Its style is very Starbucks like in its atmosphere and front counter. 

  Much like Starbucks the menu is up on the wall behind the counter and they offer a wide variety of tea infused drinks. I highly recommend their Oolong Latte although it is also possible to get tea 'straight up' as well. 

 The teahouse is easy to get to : Just come up from the Someyeon Subway station Exit 11. As you come up from the underground do not U-turn, do not cross any streets : Just walk 2 doors straight around the curvy corner and you'll see...

Straight ahead the green red and black sign and there, on the ground floor Hyung-Cha ! There's lots of seats and a great place to meet! Best Wishes and Stay Steeped! --M.W.T.

Someyeon's Vegetarian Tea House DaJeon 다전

 5 Years ago I was wandering around Busan's busy downtown area Someyeon when to my surprise I happened upon a sign for a traditional teahouse. The sign was small and the tea house on the 4th floor. Upon ascending the flights of stairs I came to the 4th floor which was essentially the roof ! On the roof was a house which was the DaJeon tea house. Da Jeon in English is Tea Field (They used the Chinese characters).

The tea house has been there for many years now and although hard to find, is quite popular with Busan's vegans in the know as it has a very delicious vegetarian menu. While quieter on the weekdays, there is a steady flow of patrons on the weekends.

Essentially, there are two ways to get there :
The more complicated way is by heading behind the Lotte Department store in Someyeon until you arrive at the intersection pictured at left. There's a Pizza Hut and further down a Tom and Tom's coffee.
Go down the street further from the Pizza Hut to the Tom and Toms and keep going down. Eventually on your left you'll come to a WaBar

 This is a view of the earlier mentioned intersection facing towards the Lotte Dept.Store. The Nike and the Apple Store. From the Lotte you'll pass these stores and be facing the Pizza Hut which is across from these two.

 After the Pizza Hut, on the left a blurry Tom & Toms. Keep going down until you see the WaBar on your right.

Here's entrance to the  tea house. Not much for signage. These stairs are to the right of the much easier to spot WaBar.

 See here? To the right of the WaBar is a green sign that says 다전 4F.

 The second and much easier way to get to the teahouse is to start before the famous (and much easier to find) Pagoda Hagwon. Next to it on the first floor is a cellphone store and a side street. Across the small side street is ...

*ahem* here is the cellphone store and the side street. Looking more to the right across the side street you'll see....

 Dunkin' Donuts. Go between the cellphone store and Dunkin Donuts

 down the narrow street to the next intersection where you'll discover :

 The WaBar mentioned before and the 다전 sign.

 Up, up on the 4th floor you'll find plenty of seats.

 Here's part of the menu in Korean and English !

 A fine spread indeed! Their BiBimBap was excellent!

We ordered the Pumpkin Latte and their Green Tea Latte. Their Pumpkin Latte was very smooth indeed!
They also have various herbal teas on the menu.
Now you can count yourself as another 'in the know' as it is a rather hard to find tea house tucked in on the 4th floor up above several bars.

Gwangali TeaHouse Okada

 Spring is here and the cherry blossoms are in full bloom. The beach area is just starting to warm up. Down in the middle of Gwangali beach there is a new teahouse called Ogada or by its English name Korean Tea & Time. It is a great place to sit back and enjoy the seaview.

The tea house is centrally located right on the beachfront road.

Here's their phone number if you have trouble finding them though it should be rather easy.

I took these photos a few months ago, a week after they had first opened. They are much busier now and most likely will be very busy this summer. They have an awesome view of the beach and Gwangali and plenty of comfy seats.

Their teas are all distinctly Korean. They offer the traditional teas that can be found in most traditional teahouses around Busan and in Seoul.
However they also offer Korean tea blends : with nuts or cinnamon or other natural ingredients.

They do take-out as well as 'drink in'. Their website is www.ogada.co.kr
and there you can find their full menu. Most of it is in Korean however when you click the links you'll find that all their teas are written in English and in Korean making it very easy to select and order.

A great view and quite a menu. I'll post more details when I return there this weekend and check out another, though much smaller, teahouse in Gwangali. Until then stay steeped!
MWT.

PNUs Chabatgol Teahouse

 Lately I've been studying Korean at the PNU branch of KLIFF (Korean Language Institute for Foreigners). The classes there are excellent and tonnes of fun!
Often before class or after I've been dropping by one of my old favorite haunts : Chabatgol Teahouse. It is easy to get to:
Just go up the street as if you are walking up to Pusan National University's main gate. Up ahead you'll see the NC shopping mall on the right. Stay on the left side of the street and keep going up the street.

 Next you'll come to a GS25 Convenience Store and a narrow alley next to it. Take that left alley:

 At the end on the 3rd floor there's Chabatgol! On the 2nd floor there's a Pool Hall.

 Aha! Here is they're menu to study. Any questions? Post away on this blog or @Busan Tea Cozies on Facebook.

 Since the last time I'd posted they've changed their decor a bit with some calligraphy drawn by Beomosa monks and new lanterns over the lights. They are open every day from 10:30 am to 10:30 pm!

Someyeon's Busiest Teahouse

Located in the heart of Busan, in the bustling downtown area of Someyeon, 내고형전통찻집 Nae Ko Hyung Jun Tong Chat Chip: My Hometown Traditional Teahouse is one of the busiest teahouses in Busan. There is a constant, steady flow of patrons all day and on into the night there. Here's a brief tour of what you'll find:

Plenty of seating options: booths, chairs, awesome swivel chairs and a tatami flooring area (you can see the shoes off step in the picture).

All of the teas served here very fresh with strong flavors. It is easy to see why this is the busiest teahouse in Busan second only to Hanabang behind Lotte Dept.Store. NaeKoHyung is famous for their Omejacha (5 flavors tea) pictured here ask for it cold in summer. If you don't specify it may come hot or cold depending on the server ! ;-) The servers wear hanbok @ this place ! It is very traditional (It is near cluttered with antiques all over the place) and popular with the Buddhist monks of the Busan area.

This teahouse is located near Yonggwang Bookstore. (The bookstore across the busy street infront of Lotte Dept.Store in Someyeon). Next to Yonggwang is a bank across the small oneway street next to the bank is a small bakery. On the 2nd floor above the bakery you'll see a green sign that says 내고형전통찻집 and that's where you'll find one of, if not the best, teahouse in Busan.