Pub 210 – Seohyeon

Wednesday is wing night for me and my excuse to overeat my favorite bar food. The anticipation of the binge is the best way I’ve found to get through the first half of the week.

My favorite spot to grab my hump day celebratory reward is Pub 210 – it’s a small, English-friendly bar located on the third floor on the main walking street of Seohyeon near AK Plaza. They have darts and pool, and for all you crazy kids, a beer pong table. For my fellow nerds, they have Monday showings of Game of Thrones. During the week, it’s an unassuming atmosphere where you can relax, watch some hockey and chat with the friendly staff. On the weekend, it can be loud and packed and fun. In short, it’s a nice neighborhood spot.

Creamy Buffalo

These wings are crispy, fresh, and piping hot. Done in a variation of the classic bar style you’d expect from an American or Canadian pub, they easily leave your hands sticky and your appetite satiated. A small (around 8) and a large (around 16) order is usually enough for Eric and me. If you can’t pick just one flavor, a large order can be split between two sauces for a small fee. The creamy buffalo is the most delicious, but all the sauces I’ve tried have been pretty tasty.

Spicy Barbecue and Thai Chili

In addition to wing Wednesdays, they also have 10,000W burger Thursdays. This particular Thursday, it was two nicely seasoned patties, bacon, cheese, lettuce and tomato on a soft bun served with a side of steaming hot potato wedges.

Their regular menu also features a bunch of finger food to keep you upright while you take advantage of every day happy hour or the Wednesday night bottomless draft. Pepperoni fries, pulled pork sandwiches, and other offerings make good snacking to share while playing pool or darts. Word is, they’re also coming out with a brand new menu that is supposed to widen their offerings.

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Phillies Pub – Itaewon/HBC

As soon as I walked into Phillies Pub, I felt like I was back on the American east coast. Between the hockey highlights playing in the background and the jersey-clad staff, I immediately liked the place – I would have preferred a Bruins jersey, though I suppose the Flyers are a more appropriate choice for a place called Phillies. All hockey aside, the small pub is an obvious neighborhood favorite, and the welcoming atmosphere is filled with the smell of bacon and the banter of regulars.

You can get your eggs Benedict three ways – with standard breakfast bacon, real Canadian back bacon, or salmon. The Hollandaise was thick and tasty and the eggs were poached sous-vide, ensuring each egg was perfection. The flavor of the runny yolk on the slab of Canadian bacon and toasted English muffin was close to flawless. The salad was a nice addition to the plate – dark greens topped with red onions, walnuts and pomegranate seeds.

The peach Bellini I ordered was fruity and generous. Those and the Mimosas were very popular with the brunch crowd. In addition to the sparkling beverages, Phillies also offers two varieties of bloody Mary and, of course, beer.

White ladies be loving their pumpkin

The pumpkin waffle was stellar. It was light and almost yummy enough to eat on its own. The amaretto whipped cream was fresh and sweet, and along with the walnuts, the whole thing made me feel like they had somehow transformed a pie into a waffle. I mean that in the most complimentary way possible – if pie were a person, I would marry it. It was delicious.

Phillies is a comfortable pub and a surprisingly good brunch spot. They may just serve the best waffle in Seoul, and while the brunch menu looks short, the food is delicious and fresh. Next time you’re craving breakfast and American sports highlights, you know where to go.

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Craftworks brunch – Baekhyeon/Pangyo

Every Sunday from 12-3pm, Craftworks in Pangyo has an all-you-can-eat brunch buffet. Many may be familiar with the Itaewon location, but I’ve always preferred the one in Pangyo. It’s a much more comfortable atmosphere and feels more like a bistro. It’s completely normal to have a chat with the bartender or cooks, no one wears a uniform, and the food is undeniably delicious. In short, it’s a terrific place to stuff yourself full of breakfast food and acceptable-because-it’s brunch adult drinks.

The mainstays are the same every week – breakfast burrito, BLT sandwich, peanut butter muffins, egg scramble, home fries, fresh fruit, unlimited coffee, etc. – but the specials are where this place really shines. This week saw the introduction of cinnamon rolls, which were frankly to die for. The weekend after American Thanksgiving, they served up some leftover inspired hash and chimichangas. Another week saw them serving bacon pancakes with Bailey’s whipped cream.

We also discovered this week that they recently began to serve milkshakes. We tried the Bananas Foster rum variety. It was an excellent addition to the menu – the balance of ingredients needs a little tweaking, but the flavor was great. I look forward to trying the coffee Kahlua version next time.

Craftworks brunch is a gem. There’s always something new to try, and they take reservations right on their Facebook page. Brunch is 15,000 Won per adult, 5,000 per child.

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