I've been thinking about the madeleines from Etoile since my last trip to Seoul. Located in the upscale Sinsa-Dong and Apujeong shopping street, this small French inspired bakery is a gem of a find. Visit Etoile for some of the best madeleines in Seoul.
Etoile has a wide variety of Madeleines to choose from. From the plain to citron glazed, citron with earl grey, matcha, houjicha, pistachio, chocolate and their locally flavoured bean powder which is a common ingredient in many of Korean pastries.
My pick is the citron glazed madeleine. The icing glaze was super citrusy and tangy. The matcha, houjicha and chocolate versions had a thicker glaze coat. Although the madeleines were on a pricey side, they were well worth the price to try and sample all the flavours. The sponge cake like texture and buttery fragrance of the madeleines is very addictive.
Besides madeleines, Etoile sells financiers too. Madeleines are usually shell shaped while financiers are bar shaped. Made with a brown butter base, financiers are heavier and denser than madeleines.
Serving up a range of other classic French pastries, we ordered one of their custard croissants and had it the next morning for breakfast. Was very impressed that the pastry was still flaky and buttery.
Etoile is a small rustic bakery store with a Parisian charm. Serving artisanal bakes made with flair and finesse, it's a great take-out spot for the perfect afternoon tea.
Located right next to Etoile is a coffee shop by the name of Ikovox. Ikovox is highly popular and buzzing with people during the weekends. Roasting their beans freshly, Ikovox offers single origin coffee blends - Jazz, Mello and Cello blend (ranked according to their level of roastedness). I opted for the milder tasting Jazz latte.
The madeleines from Etoile paired nicely with coffee and we chomped them down with our lattes.
While shopping in the area, pop by Etoile and Ikovox to have your afternoon fix of coffee and pastries and don't leaving without ordering a madeleine or two.
Etoile
Address: 534-8, Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Opening Hours: 12:30 - 21:00
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Etoile/
Ikovox Coffee
Address: Apgujung-ro 10 gil-37, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.
Opening Hours: 09:00 - 23:00
Seoul, Korea