The Seach for a Good Cappuccino Ends Here

Last week I navigated the coffee joints I assumed could provide me with a good cappuccino. The results varied greatly and ranged from WTF!? to passable but never great. This week I am happy to announce a couple additions to the list, one being acceptable and the other being just outright fantastic in all ways. Coffee Apa comes out on top of all in every way a Westerner might want.

Business Name: Coffee Apa
Services provided: Coffee, baked goods
Address: On the corner by Paris Baguette in Central New Songdo, accross from Dunkin Doughnuts
Phone number: C 010-8745-6164 T 032-831-8555
Speaks English: A little. Enough for specific coffee instruction
Hours and days of operation: 10-8pm
Price: W 4,000
Elapsed time to make drink: 4 minutes
The good: This site is run by a man and wife and they are very warm and sweet to deal with. Coffee temp was about 150. Foam, milk, coffee ratios were about spot on with full thirds each. Coffee flavor was the richest in town with a great deep flavor and no after-bite. Foam was small celled and thick as cream. In my top 20 I've ever had. This was the first time I heard what sounded like properly made foam, I heard almost nothing. They may have hand frothed the foam which is fantastic. This place roasts their own beans! Great location. Non-tacky decoration. Nice benches give communal feeling. non-smoking.
The bad: Not a single complaint so far.
Final evaluation: This is THE coffee place for Songdo. See you there!



Business Name: Ediya Coffee
Services provided: Coffee, baked goods, smoothies, sandwiches, wine
Address: 1st floor of the Get Pearl tower in East New Songdo
Speaks English: No
Hours and days of operation: M-Sat 10am - 8 pm
Price: W 2,800
Elapsed time to make drink: 3 minutes
The good: WoW, great price on the drink. It's W 1,200 less than all others in Songdo. The flavor of the coffee was rather weak. Too much milk but not by much, maybe 50% milk, 30% coffee, 20% foam. Foam was medium celled but good enough. Served in nice ceramic. Manager was VERY nervous about what I was doing and asked my Korean friend who assured her I was not copying her store. That's Korea I guess. The layout of the store is fine but a little foo-foo for me.
The bad: Smoking is not allowed but men smoke freely in this store and nobody said a word. Despite great price and fair coffee, I won't return unless I have business that has to be done there. It was VERY thick with smoke. Coffee to go is fine.
Final evaluation: Acceptable, almost good, cappuccino but smokers ruined it for this guy.