La Marmite French Bistro

There are a few things that get me to Seoul: going away parties, friends, and the chance to celebrate human rights.  On Saturday two of those reasons presented themselves so I grabbed my handbag and headed in for some adventure.

The first stop of the day was supposed to be Fat Cat Neighborhood Bistro so I could finally say hello to an online friend, however, we arrived a bit earlier than planned and had an hour to kill.  Never wanting to waste a minute, I drug my companion up a side street "just to see what is there" and two or three shops down I saw a simple cafe front that said, "La Marmite". For whatever reason, it just seemed like a place I needed to be despite my previous plans for breakfast.  When the owner offered me a menu through the open doors I couldn't resist. The first thing I saw was the Goat Cheese Sandwich. At that point any plans for resistance failed me. There is no way I can turn down goat cheese.

Since we were there early on a Saturday, and the place has only been open three weeks, it was pretty quiet. The way I love my restaurants. We sat and chatted with the owner for a while about where they source ingredients and every answer was spot on, for example, they get their cheese from Waeg Farm (the best place for homemade goat cheese in the country).

When the meal arrived it was lovely. Presentation wasn't overly fancy or pretentious, just solid and straightforward. The meal itself was clean, cheesy perfection. They even provide a small pitcher of tomato dipping soup (that's also good on the potatoes) in order to give that extra zing to a refined sandwich. My teenage dining companion immediately gave it 5 stars and I wasn't going to argue. I mean, the salad as made with arugula which I obsess over as much as goat cheese.

To clarify, this restaurant is French for real but also unique. It's not French techniques with no French flavor. It's more like provincial cuisine with an international flair. The chef or owner or whoever I was talking too (I never clarify these things because I am the worst) is from France but has lived in other places as well. He wants the food to taste distinctly French, while also bringing in new elements that he has fallen in love with outside his home country. So go and be prepared to taste a life story, one that is based in France but then expanded to include the rest of the world.

For me, this is the first Seoul restaurant in years that is so good I will come to Seoul in the future simple to eat here. It's open for dinners Monday - Friday and open for brunch and dinner on the weekends. I'm going back for brunch because I need to try his Scottish Eggs. Yes, he knows these aren't French but neither is brunch so he reserves it as his time to explore and play.

If you are looking for the perfect place for a date, go here. Just be SURE to make a reservation. The place is small and it's amazing so it's going to start booking up and being too busy soon. Plan ahead if you are coming from outside the city and make sure you don't miss out on one of the best places to eat in Seoul.

Phone: 010-4061-5571

Address: 서울특별시 용산구 용산동2가 5-767

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Maree Dessert Cafe

Yesterday I was feeling pretty sad after going to a gorgeous restaurant and having had to send my dinner back to have it remade. Not because I didn't quite like the flavor, but because it was actually impossible to eat (Yes, this is going somewhere.) After I finished I needed to go drown my sorrows so I headed to the Songtan strip by Osan Air Force Base.

For a few months now I've been watching the progress on a new coffee shop above Kustom Works and - since the roaded I was on deadened there - I decided I would go see if anything exciting was happening. Sure enough, the new cafe was open! But the sign said "French desserts" and I rolled my eyes at that. I've been promised a lot of French desserts in the last six years and only Maison de Creme has ever delivered.

The place was quiet when I arrived (they have JUST opened) and there were only a few desserts in a display cabinet, to be nice I half heart-idly went over to check them out before I ordered my coffee. What I found made me stop and take a closer look. These weren't your average offerings. There were things that I haven't seen in the area before. Not only that, I looked behind the counter and realized the woman was making them right there and then for all to see. They ACTUALLY are made in shop. So I decided to order something. I mean, so many broken promises already tonight (Yah, I was feeling overly dramatic. The perfect mood to try something French) what's one more? I ordered a lemon tarte and espresso then sat down to be disappointed (As I said, I was feeling super dramatic).

Well, I was wrong. Nothing was a disappointment. It was so good I finished my tarte and moved on to the flowerless chocolate cake, a cake made with some of the best baking chocolate in the world (this cake is only for those who love actual chocolate. Like, dark, bitter, choco perfection).

The coffee must have been fine but I hardly remember it, I was too obsessed with the lemon and chocolate deliciousness.

Now, I've traveled in France a lot. I'm not telling you these are spot perfect French desserts. I've never had a perfect, perfect French dessert outside of France. I would never hold anyone to that standard. What I am saying is that this is the best European style dessert I've had in Korea outside of things cooked at home or Maison De Creme.

Also, I'm going to say there the baker is trying things, learning, and exploring her craft. There is going to be some error and some success, but I want to be part of that journey and eat along beside her. Watching her talents and growth. It's like a dessert adventure. I love it.

Maree Dessert Cafe is located in Songtan on the main shopping strip in front of Osan Air Base. It is above Kustom Works next to Centro.

*** This listing and all other restaurants reviewed by South of Seoul can be found in the South of Seoul app which can be downloaded from Google Play and the Apple App Store. ***

For the map and address visit MollaKorea.com 

(Because hosting a map is annoying to me)

 

 

France Gourmet

If you are a bit of a Francophile (someone in love with all things French) this recommendation will make you very happy.

As you know, importing cured meats is a pain in the arse in any country, especially in Korea where importing foreign specialty foods is a fairly new situation. Faced with living a life without smelly sausages, a couple of savvy French expats decided they could get around this by simply curing their own meats IN Korea. Thanks to this moment of genius and intense dedication to Charcuterie (the art of curing meat) France Gourmet was born. Although it's not always cheap, it is always tasty.

So there you have it. French foods shipped to your door www.FranceGourmet.com and you can order in English. Don't say I never gave you anything.

Maison de Creme

This place is so precisely sensual I would eat here just for that fact. 

The fact the food is also excellent just adds to it's dreaminess.

Sometimes, when I'm ordering, I ask myself, "Why am I spending all this money on this food. That's just a little cookie. That's just some meat on some rice." 

But then I eat said cookie and I eat said meat on rice, at which point I think, "Please, just take all of my money. Why didn't I give them more money?"

Maybe it's just me, but it tastes perfect. As perfect as the table setting and placement of each item in this cuter than cute cafe. Everything is just so spot on. The owners of Maison de Creme are obsessed with perfection and you see it and taste it.

In all honestly, I'm obsessed with their obsession.

It has nothing to do with it even being the best in Pyeongtaek,

I'd dig this place any where, any time, any place.

Address: 경기도 평택시 비전2동 871-6 1층