waffle-y

Fluffy Waffles at The Waffle Factory

Waffles with caramel latte at The Waffle Factory

/ Korea Times Photo
by Cathy Rose A. Garcia

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter

Waffles are a dime a dozen in Seoul. Thin, usually tasteless waffles slathered with cream and jam, folded like a sandwich, can easily be found in street stalls and subway stations.

But real, honest-to-goodness waffles are hard to find. Most brunch places in Seoul serve nice, fluffy pancakes, but rarely waffles.

So it was great to hear about The Waffle Factory, a small restaurant located in Itaewon, (Noksapyeong Station Subway Line 6).

Lazy weekend mornings are perfect for having brunch, and it was good to find the restaurant wasn't very crowded. The place itself was smaller than expected with just about a dozen seats inside and two tables outside. It was also good to find the menu was written in clear English and Korean.

If you are hungry, then go ahead and order the combination set with either waffles or French toast. We ordered the French toast combination (12,000 won), which includes two thick slices of French toast, two sausages, two slices of crispy bacon, fruit compote and a serving of eggs.

The French toast was quite thick and tasty. It was served with a tangy blueberry-cassis that went well with the French toast.

The menu included several dessert waffles, which had tempting names like ``Very Berry Waffles'' and ``Brown Thunder Waffles.''

We eventually decided on ``Brown Thunder Waffles'' (9,000 won), described as cinnamon apple compote and caramel sauce on top of a pile of Belgian waffles. The description couldn't have prepared us for the overwhelming sight of thick waffles, a dollop of whipped cream on a plate drizzled with caramel sauce.

The waffles were thick, fluffy, and more importantly, tasty. While it looked like it was a diabetic's nightmare, it was actually not very sweet. The cinnamon apples and caramel sauce added just the right amount of sweetness. The sauce did not overpower the waffles.

We ordered caramel lattes, which seemed more like hot chocolate because of the overwhelming chocolate flavor. A friend commented the caramel latte didn't taste anything like caramel or coffee.

Service was quick and efficient. Another plus point is the reasonably priced items on the menu. It didn't seem overpriced like most brunch places in Itaewon.

To get to The Waffle Factory, go to Exit 1 or 2 and go over to the other side of the intersection using the overhead footbridge. Walk straight for about 100 meters, turn left at the first corner and you'll find The Waffle Factory. Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Closed on Mondays. Call (02) 790-0447.

cathy@koreatimes.co.kr