Flower Cafe: A subterranean delight

The subway system in Korea is clean, punctual and efficient. It is the major form of transport that commuters use to go places. Due to the sheer volume of people, some stations have restaurants, little clothes shops and even cafe's to stimulate people's consumer desires. It was at Incheon's Dongchun station that I discovered a cafe with an assortment of flowers and plants outside. Curious I went in to see if the menu was as diverse as the flora.

Immediately, an assortment of Bungeoppang a fish shaped pastry caught my eye. Bungeoppang is a popular street food that has sweet fillings like red bean paste. I previously had one with cream inside but the Flower Cafe's versions had a more savoury twist. There was a gold pizza, pizza, sweet potato and Bulgogi Bungeoppang. Bulgogi is one of my favorite Korean dishes, so no prizes for guessing which one I chose!

It is a beef stew that is normally served with rice/rice noodles, so the thought of having it in a pastry was exciting. I imagined that it would be as filling as the meat pies I used to have back home in Zimbabwe. So in a way, my desire to try it was to replicate the experience of biting into a pie back home.

There was another another surprise waiting for me in the Bungeoppang, teriyaki sauce. Koreans experiment with a lot of flavours but I was sceptical about this one. How would a slightly sweet Japanese sauce combine with the stew-cooked beef? The answer is seamlessly. Bulgogi and teriyaki both have soy sauce in them. The sweetness of the latter added to the Bulgogi's soft chewy chunks and saltiness.

The pastry itself gave that warm feeling of biting into something warm and crispy. I enjoyed it so much that I ordered a second one, which made the waitress smile. If you want to show your appreciation while eating out in Korea... eat more!

The vibe in the cafe was very relaxing, with colorful warm light and walls, supported by the green of the plants and a jazz playlist. At times I stopped thinking and observed the commuters outside, rushing to their next destination.

As a pie lover and experimental eater, The Flower Cafe gets my approval. It's a great place to try popular Korean staples inside a pastry and take a break from your commute, which let's be honest, can get pretty hectic at times. Check it out!