Hotpot and Starbucks: The Jeju Edition
STARBUCKS
When I travel, I usually end my day with a photo or a collage of photos summing up my day’s highlights and share it on Facebook and Instagram. Since friends saw that I was in Korea, food recommendations came flooding in! One of these recommendations came from my former schoolmate in SMU, Wong Hui Ji, who I met while I was at an exchange program in the university. She told me NOT to miss out on the seasonal drinks offered exclusively in Starbucks Jeju.
I actually didn’t know how to fit in a Starbucks run in our schedule as we were booked for a full-day Jeju Discovery tour. Fortunately, the tour's last stop (the Teddy Bear Museum) was stationed right across a Starbucks branch. Talk about the stars all aligning!
BLACK SESAME AND CHERRY BLOSSOM
The branch's exterior steered away from the minimalist scheme that typically characterized the coffee chain as a gigantic animated monster literally mounted itself atop of the branch. The outrageous quirkiness (unfortunately) stopped once you enter into the branch as it started to conform to the standard brand-issued sleek and minimalist interiors we're accustomed to. As recommended, I opted for the latte versions of the Black Sesame and Cherry Blossom. The Black Sesame was amazing. The earthy and sweet flavor of the black sesame was pronounced and delicious that it would satisfy all fans of this dessert-favorite. The Cherry Blossom was mesmerizingly beautiful; with its delicate petals topping the drink. Unfortunately, this tasted like liquid candy. I never really had a sweet tooth to begin with, and my tolerance for sugar has been declining lately(because of age, perhaps?) so every sip of the Cherry Blossom needed a gulp of the Black Sesame Latte to balance it out. Overall though, these were drinks that you'd definitely won't forget about!
Starbucks Jeju Jungmun
2, Jungmungwangwang-ro 110beon-gil, Seogwipo, Jeju Island 63535, South Korea
Date of Visit: March 27, 2019 with Lily Chua, Beth Chua, and Jem Chua
YE GA
The unexpected highlight of our Jeju trip was discovering Ye Ga. Thanks to the helpful recommendation of the receptionists at Ramada Encore Jeju East Seogwipo (the hotel we stayed in), we wound up having the best hotpot experience I’ve ever had.
The other diners opted for grilled meats; but since we were still bloated from our Black Pig feast from Donsadon, the Shabu Shabu set appealed more to us. The server/owner of the establishment wasn’t so comfortable speaking in English but was beyond friendly and accommodating that we managed understanding each other despite the language barrier. Definitely his hands-on and beyond warm service is a good enough reason to schedule another visit.
Its broth started off as a clear miso broth with a handful of mussels; which were later loaded with fishcakes and mushrooms. Platters of breathtakingly beautiful slices of beef and bowls of vibrantly fresh produce slowly filled our tables within minutes.
The broth had a nice clean taste to it that made the shabu shabu experience light and refreshing. Dipping sauces: sweet chili sauce and a finger-chili laced soy sauce served as perfect accompaniments to the sliced beef.
A Korean meal will never be complete without its unlimited servings of banchan. It’s important to highlight that Ye Ga’s selection was easily the best I've had in terms of taste and variety. For example, its kimchi achieved a perfect balance between acidity and spice; while we were also treated to first time treats such as its spicy caramelized squid strips. which got so addicting to eat. I loved how the server/owner simply kept loading our table with freshly made banchan throughout our meal and giving us with proud satisfied grins everytime we finish a bowl.
At the end of the hotpot meal, you’re left with a thick viscous bisque-like version of the broth that's bursting with flavor; owing to all the good stuff boiled in that pot throughout the meal. We were actually given an option to either add in noodles or rice in it to scoop up all of the indulgent goodness in that pot; but we had to decline the offer since we were already too full to even breathe. Serving sizes and prices are determined per person; so it’s best to balance light-eating diners with diners with hefty appetites to maximize the experience. Each person would be charged a fixed rate of KRW12,000 for the entire experience. It's easily the best shabu shabu experience I've ever had!
Ye Ga
Near Ramada Encore Seogwipo East, Jeju, South Korea
Date of Visit: March 26, 2019 with Lily Chua, Beth Chua, and Jem Chua
