*Update: The Eerang Tea Lounge 더이랑 is now closed.
Located in an area in Seoul that’s bustling with youthful energy, we certainly did not expect to find The Eerang Tea Lounge in a place like Hongdae. But who are we kidding, this is South Korea, a country that does cafes better than most of the world. Anything is possible!
Hidden Teahouse in Hongdae
The reason why the place is still unknown to most locals is because of its location. It’s located on the 5th floor of an unassuming building, with barely any signs of the tea lounge anywhere.
Also, there’s no elevator in the building, so you have to walk up 5 flights of stairs to reach The Eerang Tea Lounge.
Healing and Zen Vibes
Decked in simple wooden elements with a few pieces of modern furniture, it’s almost as if you’re stepping into a Japanese tea house. The café is also playing a mix of soft, zen music like those you get at a Balinese spa.
At this moment we realised those five flights of steps were worth it.
There’s a huge main table in the cafe, with 2 mini tables as well. The tea lounge can accommodate approximately 12 people at one time.
Most of the seats at the main table are facing the mini garden outdoors, which is perfect for sipping tea and zoning out.
Menu at The Eerang Tea Lounge
The Eerang Tea Lounge in Hongdae does not serve coffee, but a mix of tea and tea-based beverages.
They offer a wide selection of teas such as Sencha (7,000₩), Osmanthus Organic Oolong Tea (9,000₩) and even Champagne White Tea (8,000₩). They also have tea cordials such as Red (7,000₩), which is a blend of rose, hibiscus, fruit syrups and carbonated water.
Chrysanthemum Tea
The chrysanthemum tea (7,000₩) was part of their flower tea menu, which offered teas like Lotus Leaf (7,000₩) and Magnolia (8,000₩) as well.
You can see a couple of dried flowers in the tea, which had a nice fragrance of chrysanthemum. Unlike the usual ones sold in herbal tea shops in Singapore, the one here at The Eerang Tea Lounge felt a bit more sophisticated and luxurious.
Strawberry Cake
Desserts at Eerang Tea Lounge can vary from season to season. During winter, we had the Strawberry cake which was a sponge cake topped with layers of fresh cream and strawberries.
Knowing how Korean strawberries taste amazing, especially in winter, we kind of expected how it would taste like. The cream itself was really light, and the cake was airy and fluffy.
Strawberry Gwapyeon
The owner also kindly passed out a small plate of Strawberry Gwapyeon, a type Korean traditional confectionary, to the customers in the store.
Service, as they would call it in Korea.
The Strawberry Gwapyeon had a jelly texture, while the orange zest made the entire experience more refreshing. We don’t know what was more beautiful, the taste or how it looked.
The Eerang Tea Lounge in Hongdae
Definitely a nice change of pace from the usual cafes we see in Korea, and a great place for our friends who cannot take coffee.
The Eerang Tea Lounge manages to introduce the world of traditional tea and dessert in a fashionable way. It was also a great escape from the noise from the streets of Hongdae, allowing people to simply take a breather.
For more Korea Cafes:
- Cafe with A View of Eunpyeong Hanok Village
- Matcha Made Using A Robot Arm in Seongsu-dong
- Perception Coffee: Cafe with Award-Winning Interior in Hapjeong
The Eerang Tea Lounge
5F, 343-6 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul
Tues-Sun, 1pm-10pm
Nearest Subway: Hongik University Station, Line 2, Exit 9
*This is an independent review by MiddleClass.sg
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