The first thing that you will notice when you enter the “Aa Design Museum” in Hongdae is the multi-orbed light fixture that looms over head like a spiteful alien from H.G. Well’s War of the Worlds. But as your eyes focus on the spacious interior, you realize that lamp “fits.” Then you get comfortably settled in one of the designer chairs, open up your book, and settle into an hour or two of personal reverie. The high ceilings and bricked walls make you feel like you’re in a converted loft apartment in NYC owned by a very affluent, hip artist. It’s a nice escape from the hustle and bustle of Seoul.

The Americano coffee is robust- no complaints here-and it was served in a mug with a very peculiar handle. All their drinks range in normal café prices (W4,000-6,000) and they have a nice selection of beers, including Guinness, on tap. Their wine selection ranges from the affordable to the extravagant and their food is on par to bistro dining in other parts of the world (This is a rare feat in Korea; they should be commended.) I had a wonderful club sandwich that was served on toasted foccaccia. The bread had nice density- not too soft- and it had nice accents of rosemary and black olives. This is clearly one of the better sandwiches in Seoul. Their salad was great, too. I got the chicken salad with grilled vegetables. The leaves looked as fresh as a child on the first day of school, the dressing was piquant, the chicken was juicy, and the grilled vegetables were done right. They had other items on the menu such as a sausage dish and a variety of spaghetti; however, I like to stick to my perceived, “regular,” café fare.

Desserts. 1 word: yummy. They have a nice selection of cheesecakes, chocolate cakes, and opera cakes. The cheesecake is velvety and with a nice crunchy crust (this in my view, is the mark of a good cheesecake) and the opera cake had enough complexity to keep me intrigued till the last bite.

Oh, and if the café is not enough to lure you, there is a fabulous design museum in the basement (hence the name). The museum is chock-a-block with mind boggling chic furniture. All in all: very hip, very cool.

Basic Info:
Location: Hongdae
Style: Light Café fare
Hours: 12:00pm-12:30am
Phone: 3147-7312

Food: **
Atmosphere: ****
Service: ***
Value: ***