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Disappointed but not disappointed

I want to write this while it's still fresh in my mind. This is a new place to be. If you want to experience Korean like cafe without having to go to Korea (South of course but no harm if you can go to the North), then come to Seollem Cafe. I have not been to Korea, north or south, so I have nothing to compare to. Reportedly, the cafe was patterned from cafes in Korea. The food and drinks were as served in Korea. The only thing lacking are Koreans. There were minimal indicators of Korean here. The name of the cafe on the windows and Korean welcome on one of the window and the menu are the only things I saw. I haven't watched a lot of Korean movies and series to refer the cafe to.

The yard and walkway to the cafe gives you a nice welcome. I like the bamboo trees and other plants for they give a refreshing contrast to the stark white building. The open yard doesn't give you protection from rain just like when we went there. Good thing we had an umbrella.

The interior has minimal decor to it too. Although the walls are bare and gray, the warm lights give a relaxing mood. Plus the almost floor to ceiling windows give natural light to the place. Thus, the bamboo trees that you can view outside is more appreciated.

I find the seats to be a surprisingly comfy. When we arrived, we were led to our designated seats. You have to make a reservation before coming to Seollem. You can find them in facebook and Instagram. We didn't know that you need to make a reservation the first time we came here and we were informed about it when we got there. So this time we made sure to make a reservation first. You were allotted 2 hours of stay there. They have limited seating and to practice safety, they require reservation. They were trying to follow the physical distancing so as much as possible, tables and seats are placed as is and you are not allowed to rearrange them. It's a self-service cafe so one must go to the counter to order. Once you ordered and paid, wait for your name to be called then get your order at the pick-up counter. Sometimes the staff would be kind enough to serve them to you just like what they did to us.

These were the drinks that we ordered. I forgot the names of the other drinks. Those were ordered by my friends. Me and my partner ordered beers - Butter Beer and Vanilla Hazelnut Beer. The first few sips were fine and there was a kick right away but then it tasted sweeter and sweeter as you finish it. If you don't like the taste of beer, then this is for you for you can taste sweetness in these drinks instead.

We ordered Bulgogi Pasta to go with the beers. We originally decided chickens but the staff said it will take 30-40 minutes. We can't wait that long so we settled for pasta and spicy chicken kimbap (sushi roll). Only to find out that our friends ordered chicken and their order were served with a few minutes wait. It's okay though for we may not be able to finish it for the serving is plenty. That's a plus point.

The pasta was sweet which my partner didn't enjoy that much. For someone who loves sweet, that might work for you and the noodles were firm. Some may not like the way the noodles were cooked for they prefer tender. The kimbap on the other hand is really spicy and you get taste it right away on your first bite but it doesn't linger that long. This is for those who love spicy food.

We then decided to order for their Bingsu or shaved ice desserts matcha flavor that is topped with two scoops of vanilla and matcha ice cream. This is the only flavor available that time. So far, this is the best order we have had. The ice cream is not that sweet and you can taste matcha in every spoonful. We finished that quicker than expected. If I am go to back to this place, this is the one thing I will keep ordering. There are other flavors that should be tried. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNJ_b4TRKP0 I have a mixed feeling about this place. I do like how secluded the place is but nothing jumps right at you right away. The food and drinks were not that great though. There's nothing that makes me feel it is that unique or something that makes me want to order again. The meals are affordable. The drinks are a bit pricey. Of course, we have different tastes and preferences so don't take this as is. One must still go and experience for themselves. I have to say the shaved ice dessert is highly recommended. The staff are accommodating and welcoming. That's good customer service. I am under the impression though that one of the customers is observing them maybe one of the owners or co-owners. Nevertheless, it was overall all an okay experience.

There is a second floor of this cafe but I forgot to check it out. Maybe next time.

How is your weekend so far? I'm productive but not productive. While I am writing articles daily, I feel demotivated to go about checking out your articles. I think Ernesto is eating me up somewhat as what fantagira calls it. That's why I can't visit a lot these days. I hope tomorrow will bring a better day.

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