Korean Job Discussion Forums

helly · Joined: 01 Apr 2003 Location: WORLDWIDE

my coffee comments:

Starbucks only bought Seattle's Best Coffee's US business. Outside the US, they are still separate.

Still think Starbucks is the best in town. A bit weaker than back home but I'll just order a double.

Actually, the best is at the Hyatt. More expensive but I'll pay for quality at times.

I liked Pascucci when it was Segafredo. Don't like it now.

Agree with an earlier poster, espresso is the way to go.

Best way, though, is to buy the beans and make it at home. You control the strength. Depends on your purpose, though. Most homes don't come complete with the Kangnam princess option. Some do.

mack the knife · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: standing right behind you...

One of my students just brought me back a bag of dark roasted from Brazil. Too bad I don't drink coffee. Wife's loving it, though.

Now if I could just wheedle one of my students into visiting Belgium, I might just score a ten-year-old Flanders, or Lambic...MMMMMM...Yessss. That would be something...

purrrfect · Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2003 4:32 am Post subject:

I really miss Tim Horton's Crying or Very sad

But life goes on... I've gotten used to Korean-style coffe shops, like Rosebud. I wouldn't have gone for it in the past, but I think my taste buds have changed since coming to Korea, and I like that coffee now. The price, compared to Seattle's Best, etc., is really nice too.

But I WILL sometimes pay more money to go to a coffee shop with better ambience. I, too, love to work and study in coffee shops.

Bulsajo · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

Bendrix · Joined: 14 Oct 2003

helly wrote:

helly · Joined: 01 Apr 2003 Location: WORLDWIDE

I believe ALL Segafredo stores are gone. Most of them have been replaced by Pascucci.

Generally speaking, its the same place. Same coffee menu, same panini sandwiches. I just think the quality has gone down a bit and the cool barista type folks working there have been replaced by clueless highschool kids.

Oh, and its no smoking now but lots of places in Seoul have made that change.

erlyn · Joined: 08 Jun 2003 Location: Incheon, South Korea

The best coffee I've had in Asia was in Vietnam. Perfect cup, every time. Anywhere. (Good bread too *sigh) According to them, they even roast some of the beans in butter. I brought half a kilo back with me when I came, and every luscious drop of it is now gone - I brought back a special Vietnamese coffee maker, so I could drip the perfect amount for myself, without wasting any of the sweet bean. I'm even considering Vietnam as a future teaching post - JUST FOR THE COFFEE.

Well, and the bread and pho, but those are separate threads.

I'm interested to try Pascucci now that so many of you are recommending it - I've been here over a year and I've never tried it. It always looked like one of those overdone frou frou Korean dating places, with subpar coffee. I guess I should judge a book, blah blah blah....

jacktar · Joined: 04 Jun 2003 Location: ��

Starperson · Joined: 23 Mar 2003

Look I've only been to Pascucci a few times. I got peeved off. I went in there wanting one of those silly big drinks in the plastic slurper, with all the cream on top. Everything on their lifesize displays had cream on it. So I ordered some overpriced 5000 won thing (AU$7.00!). Low and behold, it doesn't have cream on it, which was why I ordered the thing in the first place. I got my interpreter boyfriend to ask her what was going on. She had the hide to tell me it was an extra 500 won for the bruddy cream! I mean, I can understand charging extra for the cream if the drink was 3000 or less, but I was already paying half her hourly wage for it! I kind of said oh come on give me some cream please, but nope I had to pay the obegwon. I think I haven't been back since.
Anyway what I was going to say was I've only been to the Jongno3 Pascucci. So they might not all be the same. I'll go to another one and give a review tomorrow.

Melbourne person - I've lived and worked in New South Wales, Tasmania and Queensland and I can't remember going to a place where they haven't offered a mug. Maybe it's the places I'm going.
My most memorable coffee moment was when this guy served me an afogato with dead cold espresso.

Bulsajo · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

crito03 · Joined: 30 Jun 2003 Location: Seoul

Man what I wouldn't give for some Tim Hortons. I was in London and I found their coffee terrible so I guess it is not only Korea. Of course I didn't search very far in London, whereas I have spent hours in Seoul just trying to find the cafe that smells the best so that I won't waste money.

I also discovered that they reuse their expresso shots, disgusting!!!!!!

Can someone give a location for the paccinni that everyone is mentioning, I have never seen one.

Starperson · Joined: 23 Mar 2003

They really don't wanna give freebies, do they? Unless it's an official freeby like socks from Lotto.

When I first arrived here I went to this coffee shop near Namdaemun. I ordered a cafucino for about 4000 I think. It turned up and it was some hideous cinnamon watery thing. I was sure it was an instant packet item. I was really angry. Now I'd send it back, but then I thought hey I'm in Rome. They also charged 7000 for pat-bingsu, which I thought was going to be some magnificent ice-cream sundae. I was less than impressed to find a bunch of ice with some fruit and jellies. What a ripoff.

Now I go to Burger King for my pat-bingsu needs. They put some icecream on it. And you get a huge bucket for 2500, 1500 if you order an unavailable burger.

Starperson · Joined: 23 Mar 2003

Go to Jongno Sam-ga, sorry I can't tell you which exit. It's not the Insa-dong one. I think it might be 9. Then follow all the hords towards the eating district. Oh there's a Burger King just opposite Tapgol Park, and it's just next to the BK round the corner a bit. On the other corner is the clothing store Eigen Post.

I'll be embarrassed if the coffee's bad there. I think just compared to everything else I've had here it was satisfying.

There's also one in Sinchon, take the Exit opposite Exit 4 and go down the road until you come to it. Sorry that's the best I can do. You might cross a road on the way.

matthewwoodford · Joined: 01 Oct 2003 Location: Location, location, location.

Bendrix · Joined: 14 Oct 2003

I'm wondering if I should bring my french press with me. I don't want to break it in transit, though. If they're readily available in Seoul, are they terribly pricey? OH, any information on the availability of coffee grinders would be appreciated too.

From what I understand from reading this thread is that I should bring pounds and pounds of coffee. Does anyone know how much I'm allowed to go through customs with?