Be Meal [Mimi's World Tour]

Bakery: Be Meal 
Address: 48 Ewhayeodae 7-gil, Daehyeon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul
Website: instagram 
Style: Korean 
Price: $$$

Be Meal... yes, a rather unusual pairing of English words written in Korean on their sign makes for a bizarre bakery name; until, that is, I discovered their so-called "let bread be a meal" campaign. Perhaps it's also a play on words (bimil [비밀] meaning secret)? I don't know.

Be Meal, a small bakery located off the main road in Sinchon and across from the metro station of the same name, is as chic and minimalist as it gets when it comes to bakeries. The tiny space with a distinctive linear block motif throughout doesn't have a lot, especially in terms of sweets. Rustic breads, both loaf and individually-sized, in a variety of toppings and flavours seem to be their specialty. Those with a sweet tooth are left with a little less, most of which looks so decidedly.... English: muffins, pound cakes and tarts. They have a few types of the latter and, for me, it looked like this was the primary focus. When it comes to dessert, that is.

I had the Earl Grey tart (5,000 won). First of all, I had to say they made an excellent shortbread tart shell: flavourful with the perfect texture. I don't often stumble across places that get that shell just how I like it. Second of all: the filling. Incredibly creamy and decadent, this had a smooth, rich texture that perfectly complemented the hardness of the tart shell. The only problem was that I saw there was a black tea theme going on, but if I hadn't known it was supposed to be Earl Grey, I would have never guessed. Stronger citrusy tea flavours were needed.

Rating: ***