So now that I ranted about generic bread in Korea and the evil bakery corporation, let me bring some good news.
While wandering through the alleys of Hongdae, my friend and I found the most amazing bakery: Paul & Paulina. As soon as I walked into this tiny shop, I was wrapped up in the most heavenly smell of fresh-baked, rustic, artisan bread. There are so many things I love about this place, I don't even know where to start...
Well, first, every single loaf is handmade, right there in the shop, behind the counter. You can watch the bakers at work, kneading poofy clouds of dough and just doing their expert thang. I could be a fly on their wall and be satisfied in life.
What I appreciate about this place is that they don't complicate bread like most other Korean bakeries. There's none of that sweet garlic bread or butter-fried-toast crap going on. They just celebrate the simple ingredients, and make amaaaazing, real , bread .
I also find the prices here to be very reasonable. If you find high quality artisan bread at most department stores, you usually have to pay an arm and leg for them. Ofcourse, the prices here are probably slightly higher than your local Paris Baguette bakery, but the quality and taste is way superior. Well worth it.
I think this place is most famous for their ciabatta bread and herb bread, which are both to die for. The herb bread is soooo soft and chewy, while having a beautiful basil flavor. And the ciabatta is crispy on the outside while soft and light on the inside. And they are both vegan! They also list the ingredients on the cards, so (if you can read Korean) you can know that it's animal-free. They do have other stuff that might not have labels, but if there's anything else that you're unsure about, just ask the staff at the counter who is super kind and friendly.
They also leave generous amounts of samples on the counter for visitors to devour. You could practically have a meal right there- they are not stingy!
My dandelion and brown paper bag with ciabatta bread inside!
This place makes me want to move to Hongdae. I wish I could wake up every morning and buy fresh bread from Paul & Paulina's!
Directions : If you're at the main entrance of Hongik University, walk down the road between Starbucks and the Nestle coffee shop, and you will see it on your left.
Open from 12 - 7pm Closed on Sundays
Tel: 02-333-0185
Here's what I did with my ciabatta bread:
dericious.
