Bakery:
Rencontre [랑콩뜨레 본점]
Address:
308-2 Hwangnam-dong, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do
Website:
n/a
Style:
Korean
Price:
$$
Pretty much the only bakery in the touristy areas surrounding Gyeongju's famous tombs, Rencontre is a busy cafe with hints of an old-school Parisian bakery, at least on the outside. Inside, the space is large enough, but not enough of it is devoted to the baked goods, so circling around the table of treats is a bit hectic and impractical, especially since it does seem to get busy, both at the selection and pay stations.
Rencontre, for me, had the distinction of being one of the few bakeries during my Korea trip that had kouign amann. It was also one of the best. With its classic swirl shape, this kouign amann (2,700 won) had everything I love about this pastry: the candied sugar top, the flaky, incredibly buttery dough. This bakery really was one of two places that got it right.
An irresistible original, there is also the "monster" (3,800 won). Look at this thing - it's amazing! Inside, it's an incredibly rich, chocolatey treat basically consisting of a brownie with some sort of chocolate cream and then coated with yet another layer of chocolate. Maybe I was expecting something a bit more intricate on the inside instead of just pure, unadulterated chocolate, but if you love chocolate, you'll definitely enjoy the monster. Easily Gyeongju's best bakery.
Rating: ***1/2
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