The Beastro (Brunch) – Hongdae

It’s easy for me to get carried away when I talk about this place to friends – Eric often reminds me not to be hyperbolic about how much I love the food, but I can never help myself. Beastro has comfort food down to an art, and adding brunch to an already outstanding menu makes me grumpy that I live so far from Hongdae.

Our friend started things off with the salmon eggs Benedict on homemade biscuits, smothered in thick Hollandaise – what’s not to love? The fish was great quality and the sauce was the perfect consistency. The home fries were understated, but seasoned nicely.

Our other friend ordered the biscuits and gravy. I miss the white, peppery Alabama style southern gravy to which I’d grown accustomed while living there, so I was a bit bummed to find the brown variant instead. The biscuits were the definite highlight of the dish – I would eat any kind of gravy if it was smothered on these babies.

Beastro knows how to prepare meat – even when it’s in a cocktail. I love this concoction with breakfast. The bacon garnish isn’t just kitsch and actually tastes delicious dipped in the mixture of  whipped egg whites, whiskey, maple syrup and cream.

In keeping with the Southern comfort theme, Eric ordered the fried chicken. While it’s not necessarily a brunch dish, I would still recommend it for any visit. The batter is perfectly crispy, the chicken tender and moist, and the garnish and sauce a perfect compliment to a scaled-up version of the classic. It doesn’t hurt that they give you another biscuit as a side either.

Lastly, I sampled the breakfast sandwich, served with house-made potato chips. Everything from the bacon to the bread to the fresh pico de gallo was spot on. I can’t remember ever having a breakfast sandwich this good – the balance of ingredients and expert preparation of the toppings made this dish a star. It’s another example of how you don’t need to be heavy handed with complicated preparation or presentation to make a stellar dish – you just need to pay attention to the quality, freshness and combination of ingredients to create an instant favorite.

Click to enlarge

 

Williamsburger – Baekhyeon/Pangyo

Baekhyeon is a really pleasant place to walk around. During summer weekends, there are hand-made craft vendors set up along the fountains that flow all the way down the main cafe street, and throughout all the seasons, the pedestrian-friendly area has countless events and festivals. It’s also a neighborhood with a wide spectrum of restaurants of many themes, and a few standouts like Williamsburger.

Williamsburger keeps it simple and tasty – a handmade patty seasoned and topped with hot sauce, bleu cheese dressing and a fried onion ring on a soft sesame seed bun. They have a variety of toppings, but one thing all the burgers have in common is a simple flavor profile. They don’t rely on gimmicks to sell their fare – the meat is good enough to stand on its own.

One dish I hadn’t yet tried was the “Hole French Toast”. The toast is soft on the inside, crispy on the edges. The hole in the center is filled with a perfectly cooked over-easy egg and covered with mild cheese. I found the combination a bit strange when I ordered, but once I tasted it with maple syrup, it made perfect sense. The dish also came with a salad, small biscuit with fruit chutney and a couple of slices of bacon that were thick and delicious – the house-cured breakfast meat may have been my favorite part. You wouldn’t expect to find great brunch food at a burger place, but this was quite good.

The Oreo flavor of the milkshake was a good break from the traditional vanilla/ strawberry/ chocolate you usually find. The creamy cookie concoction was well blended without being too thin and one was big enough for two people to share.

The wings were very well cooked, but fair warning – the sauce has a heavy Tabasco content. The meat was still moist, and the skin was a bit crispy on the edges.

If you’re craving some grilled meat, Williamsburger will suit your needs nicely. The food is fast, delicious and a good price. The neighborhood is also a great place to window shop or grab dessert after you chow down.

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge