On the Border

Mexican is probably my favourite cuisine which is why I have to do a write up about On the Border.

It’s definitely the most expensive Mexican restaurant I’ve found in Seoul but it’s also the tastiest one I’ve found. It’s located in the COEX Mall in the south of Seoul.

They make fresh salsa and guacamole and if you pay extra they’ll make the guacamole at your table. I think they used lemon instead of lime but it was still amazing and zingy.

The mains are incredibly generous, you certainly won’t be leaving hungry – more like unable to move. If you fancy a drink try the Coronaritas – they’re delicious and refreshing and pretty strong 🙂

Coronorita

Double Stuffed Quesadilla

Getting there:

 COEX MALL: Samseong Station (Seoul Subway Line 2), Exit 5 or 6.

 

The Palace Cafe (Themed Cafe)

 

Situated up a side street in Hongdae is the Palace Cafe. It’s quite an interesting Victorian themed cafe, filled with antiques and velvety furniture. I stopped by there one evening and enjoyed a really tasty Bailey’s coffee in a nice china teacup.

It’s quite large inside and it’s sort of like someone’s house as it is divided up into rooms both smoking and non-smoking. It’s has very low lighting and had soft music playing when I was there. Although the division into smaller rooms makes it seem  cramped, it still has a very intimate feel with a sense of privacy the way it is laid out.

 

I recommend this cafe for couples or a group of girls who fancy some afternoon tea and chats.

Getting there: 

Take Exit 9 at Honkik University. Take the next main left going uphill and cross over the road near the top of the hill and the map shows it’s exact location below. (It’s probably earlier to walk up to the next intersection and take a right as opposed to cutting through the lane ways unless you know where you’re going)

 

Thanks Nature Cafe (Sheep Cafe)

Less than ten minutes away on foot from Honkik University Subway stop lies the Thanks Nature Cafe. This is also known as the Sheep Cafe in Hongdae. It’s quite a small cafe and the entrance isn’t obvious as it is set downstairs off the main street. (See the map below).

They have lovely coffee, a selection of sparkling fruit ades and smoothies including a very moreish oreo smoothie.

They have two sheep that look well cared for by the owner who is constantly checking on them and petting them. The sheep really are the only novelty to this cafe but their outdoor area is quite pleasant with a tree reaching up to the ceiling and it has a nice relaxed atmosphere.

Getting there:

Take exit 9 at the Honkik Universitay subway stop.

Walk straight and take the next main left turn, the road has a gentle uphill incline and it’s not the easiest to spot but it’s signposted “Thanks Nature” and is downstairs off the main street.

The DMZ

I had a friend come to visit at the weekend so we took the opportunity to visit the DMZ. We took the Panmunjom Tour with TourDMZ.com.

Their pick -up point was at Lotte Hotel in Seoul at 11.00am on a Saturday. They briefed us on the bus about etiquette such as “no pointing” and not to talk to any North Koreans. We stopped for lunch close enough to the border and had bibimbap 

Firstly they drove us to the Freedom Bridge and then we passed two checkpoints to get inside the DMZ Area. We were then brought into a briefing room where we were given a rundown of the history of the DMZ which was short and relatively interesting.

The meeting room we were then brought into lies directly on the border of the two countries so technically you get to set foot in North Korea itself. It is heavily guarded but despite recent altercations between the two countries, there was no sense of danger whatsoever.

North Korea…

After the meeting room they took us on a short drive around the DMZ area pointing out various villages and border markers in the distance. A lot of photography is prohibited in certain areas so it’s something you wouldn’t get to see unless you actually go  yourself.

It felt like quite a long day, approximately 3 hours are spent on the bus but I’m glad I went and got to see what it was like. It’s unlikely the DMZ will be there forever so I’d certainly recommend Tour DMZ for bookings. They also stated that they’re the only tour group who take groups there on Saturdays so if it’s true then that’s something to take note of.