Neighborhood: Garosugil #1

I've been meaning to check out Palette in Garosugil for weeks now but didn't get a chance to until yesterday. Garosugil has become my go-to area lately, which is baffling to me as it's got a lot of characteristics I despise the most in Seoul. It's rather totally charmless with an air of unnecessary pretension. 100% urban planned, it's predictable but easily navigable. It also has some of the best bakeries in Seoul.

Palette is tucked away on a perpendicular street. It's a bit of a hike, and the walk isn't that attractive. Lots of construction is happening around the area, and lots of cars roam around the street with hapless ajummas behind the wheels. That said, the cafe is a great place to take a book or catch up with a friend. Spacious with limited seating means that you're not sharing the table with couple next to you. Although they serve canneles, their main line of business is clearly macarons. Traditional flavors include vanilla, pistachio, and caramel, but they also offer seasonal flavors like cassis, black sesame, and wasabi.






L to R: Passion Choco, Earl Grey, Roseberry, Orange Choco, Cassis, Chocolate.



L to R: Black Sesame, Pistachio, Lemon, Caramel, Roseberry, Cinnamon.



Verdict: the filling in the macarons at Palette had a different texture than the other places, as you can see from the photo. Overall, I found passion choco and lemon the best flavors. The flavors I enjoyed the least were black sesame (though I can see this being popular with Korean taste buds, as the flavor is really similar to the sesame seeds - nutty and creamy) and chocolate (too sweet). The earl grey had too strong hints of chocolate. I also had an issue with the softness of the macarons. A part of me is suspicious that these weren't made the same day, as they felt a little less fresh.

Price: 24,000 for 12 pack (also sold in 6 and 15 packs)

How to get there: take line 3 to Sinsa Station (신사역) and use exit #8. Walk straight until you see the phone shop and turn onto Garosugil (가로수길). Walk straight and take a left at the 2nd Starbucks. Walk straight down this road for approx. 5 minutes. Palette will be on your left. (Next to a 7Eleven, I think.)