Apgujeong / Taste of Home

Last weekend I met up with BK in Apgujeong, which is an area of Seoul known for its rich people and snazzy neighborhoods. It is an area of Seoul located in the Gangnam area. BK and I weren't there to stare at all the Lexus' driving by or count the number of Louis Vuitton bags, for our mission was to find the infamous Butterfinger Pancake restaurant.
Stepping into Butterfinger Pancakes was like walking straight into a diner in America. The smell of sizzling bacon and pancake mix was an everlasting experience. It was as if I had stepped out of the streets of Seoul and into my Berkeley neighborhood restaurant joint. But of course this only lasted a little while as everyone around me was mostly Korean. There were some foreigners there and actually quite a few groups of them. So I could tell this place was certainly a favorite amongst us foreigners.You may ask: "Joy, couldn't you just make pancakes and bacon at home? Why travel all the way out to Gangnam for them?" The answer simply put is...atmosphere. You gotta have that diner feeling and the aroma in the air. Plus I think the place gives a foreigner a moral booster, if only temporary.

Above all else, though, the true reason one should come out here is for the food! The menu is quite extensive and even resembles a typical breakfast / lunch diner back in America. For there are combo specials where you can get waffles + eggs + sausage + bacon + potatoes. I think that is a classic American menu item. But if eating half the world doesn't seem appetizing to you, other parts of the menu list sandwiches and desserts.

BK ordered a Waffle sandwich, and of course I was a little curious and apprehensive just how it would turn out.

That is a real sour pickle in there folks! Not the sweet kind, too. (Most pickles you find in Korea are sweet.) On top of the waffle sandwich is a dollop of sour cream, and inside you would find melted cheese and ham. As strange as it looks, the taste was fulfilling.

I ordered a waffle combo, and boy was it worth the 11,000 Won. You can get the eggs done any way you like, and my choice was scrambled. The waffles had a great light texture and were easy to break apart and eat. Yes, there was a jar of maple syrup to accompany the dish. The potatoes were seasoned and cooked perfectly, actually rivaling some breakfast potatoes I have had back in America. The eggs were all right, not too runny, but they could have used more seasoning. All in all, it was an excellent taste of home!

Some satisfied customers!