KMK: London Tea

Pip, Pip! Cheerio old fellow! Tea anyone? Sorry, it’s just that whenever I think of tea I picture Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady trying to fit in with the upper crust folk. So trust me when I say that I I know what you’re thinking when you hear the words tea time; it’s a boorish affair for Elizabethan wannabes. And that may be the case elsewhere, but at London Tea in Itaewon it’s a whole new experience of delight. Chef Si-Yoon has opened a cute café perfect for a morning treat or an afternoon bite to eat. Si-Yoon attended culinary school in New York. She just updated the menu this past April. And let me tell you she’s put together an amazingly unique and all together appealing menu.

I found some unexpected surprises. Take for instance the sandwich selections. You can choose between the Thanksgiving sandwich with turkey, ham, muenster cheese and cranberry sauce on whole wheat bread. Then there’s the curried chicken salad sandwich with almonds and raisins on a croissant. The pan fried oyster sandwich speaks for itself. All sandwiches are 9,800 KRW.

For brunch London Tea doesn’t disappoint. I had Chef Si Yoon’s cranberry cream cheese stuffed French toast. It comes with maple bacon. It’s divine with moist French toast, a burst of cream cheese and a nice thick of succulent bacon. You can also decide between the super banana pancake, the “when apple met cheddar” cheese omelet, gruyere’s French onion soup omelet, or the irresistible apple, bacon, blue cheese salad. Prices range from 9,800KRW to 14,000 KRW.

If you’ve noticed anything at cafes in Seoul then you know that desserts always have a place. London Tea with Chef Si-Yoon’s “not-yet-but-soon-to be-famous tunnel of fudge cake and her signature cookies. She has also put together a few specials like iced rose tea, smoothie classico, and a seasonal ice flake dish with red bean, dried blueberry, corn flake, chocolate chips and cranberry. I also recommend the Mexican hot chocolate. It’s oh so delicious and done right with a spicy chili flavor that works well with the sweet chocolate. Dessert prices start at 3,000 KRW for cookies up to 10,000 KRW for the ice flake seasonal special.

As an added temptation you can also have afternoon tea if you order ahead and make a reservation.

I have to say that London Tea has been a welcome addition to the Itaewon café scene. I’ll definitely be coming back. I’ve got my eye on the Eye Opener: cranberry walnut baguette with eggs any style, bacon and an Americano for 8,000 KRW.

Chef Si-Yoon especially recommends the pan-fried oyster sandwich and Thanksgiving sandwich.

Directions: From exit 3 Noksapyeong cross the street toward Itaewon. While facing Suji’s turn right and walk downhill past Crown Hotel and Yongsan Administration building. Turn Left at the corner.

Address: 1F 34-158 Itaewon, Yongsan

Phone: 02 795-0754