Yes, Another Breakfast Post

“What do you want for breakfast?” Erin asked. “The Original Pancake House,” I replied, a little sadly.

She sighed and gave me a look. “And since we’re in Seoul, and that’s on the East Side of Milwaukee, roughly a gajillion miles away, what would you really like?”

I sighed. "I don't know. I kind of want to try something new."

"Okay, do you want western style or Korean?" she asked with a gleam of mischief in her eye.

I glared at her. Korean style breakfast meant kimchi, rice, and soup, probably of the fishy variety. We loved Korean food for lunch and dinner, but for breakfast our stomachs usually wanted something more familiar.

"What do you think?" I said.

"Alright, alright, cranky-pants. Let's take a look online." Erin pulled our her computer and started a search for breakfast restaurants in Seoul.

"What would you have done if I said Korean?" I asked.

"As if that was ever a danger," she murmured. Her computer flashed some results. "Okay, so we've got a couple pancake places that look promising, a few that have some good reviews," she showed me the list. "Anything catching your eye?"

I sighed. The truth was, I wanted the American Breakfast Restaurant Experience. I wanted a stack of fluffy pancakes covered in gooey maple syrup. I wanted an omelet so big, just looking at it raised your cholesterol. I wanted thick cut bacon, bottomless mugs of coffee, and hash browns that were that perfect shade of golden brown.

I wanted a heart attack on a plate, and while Seoul has many fine breakfast establishments (like Gecko's and the Egg and Spoon) they didn't quite fit the bill. I was in the mood for the Original Pancake House, and nothing else was likely to scratch that itch.

Erin sighed at the look on my face. "Well, I'm going to go brush my teeth. You look over the options, and tell me what you think."

So I did. I poked at the computer, trying to find something that inspired interest, but nothing really popped. On a lark, I typed "Original Pancake House, Seoul" into Google, and clicked search.

Then I did a double take.

"Erin? Seoul has an Original Pancake House."

She reappeared in the bathroom door. "A restaurant with the same name, you mean?"

"No! Seoul is their first and only international branch!" I showed her the news story.

So of course, after a little excited freakout and a gastronomic happy dance, that's where we went. We typed the address into Google Maps and got the following:

We got off the Sinsa exit of subway line 3, and after about a five minute walk, were at the front door.

We went in, got ourselves some coffee, and spent a good few minutes perusing the menu.

Now, the Original Pancake House, Seoul, is a bit pricey. Breakfast will run about 20,000 won to 30,000 won per person (or about $20.00 to $30.00), depending on what you're in the mood for. So it will not be a regular fixture of our Seoul breakfast circuit. HOWEVER, when the meal arrived, and we beheld the full scope and glory of it...

I'm not gonna lie... I got a little teary.

-Sam