A slice of Korea

Mumbairsquos obsession with Korean restaurants reflects its youthrsquos fascination with the Hallyu or lsquoKorean waversquo culture The newest on the block Aegyo Cafe amp Bakehouse is in a quiet lane in Santacruz West As we enter on a weeknight we are greeted by fairy lights and paper lanterns bearing the cafersquos name strung around the small outdoor area Aegyo is what Kpop fans call the quality of being cute and lovable A wall of photos of famous places in Korea draws attention as do the energetic beats of New Jeansrsquo Hype Boy playing over the speakers This writer a confessed Kpop stan has found her homeTteokbokkiWhile there are quite a few Korean eateries in the city already this is one of the first bakehouses It serves various popular Korean dishes including tteokbokki bibimbap and mandu We try the vegetarian tteokbokki Rs 449 which is riceflour dumplings served in a tangy sauce A popular street food in its place of origin the rice cakes are small and cylindricalshaped and have a slightly chewy taste The first bite is flavourfulmdasha blend of sweet and spicy notes in which the sweetness dominates and the spice which comes from the Korean chilli paste gochujang hits the taste buds laterCafe Aegyorsquos take on the dish also includes green bell peppers and carrots An etymologicalslashhistorical tidbit to chew on tteokbokki comes from two wordsmdashtteok which means rice cake and bokki meaning stirfried Initially it was sweeter in taste and served at the dining tables of noblesse during the Joseon dynasty After the Korean War of the 1950s it became a peoplersquos dish and further acquired its modern spicy taste after the introduction of chilli paste in the mid1900sWhat we are look forward to the most however are the Korean buns another street snack that the cafe makes inhouse from scratch We chose the Philly cream cheese buns Rs 249 Sprinkled with chopped spring onions and gochugaru red chilli flakes the buns are made such that the cream cheese oozes out from the centre The bread is crusty on top and gooey inside and the cream cheese tastes fluffy and slightly sour It is not entirely what we expectedmdashthe taste doesnrsquot hit you the way the flavours of the tteokbokki didThe interiors of this cozy minimalist cafe in Santacruz has elements that Kpop fans will relate to PicsNimesh DaveNext we order steaming vegetable mandu or Korean dumplings Rs 429 Four pieces are served in a bamboo basket with a side of sesame soy sauce which we consume with the bamboo chopsticks provided The filling is flavourful we only wish the portions were more The menu also has hot and cold coffees which we are warned arenrsquot sweet Yet we try the caramel frappuccino R249 and request additional sugar as a backup Healthconscious foodies will appreciate the bitter undertones but sugar lovers will like the lemonades and iced teas The milk cake R429 our dessert of choice comes with a fresh strawberry nestled in a plate of milk A bite instantly transports you to delicious milky heaven Given the relatively slow service the restaurantrsquos compulsory five per cent service charge fee seems unjustified Overall it is an excellent place to hang out with friends and you can stay for hoursWhat Aegyo Cafe amp BakehouseAt Gurukripa Plot 65 F Main Ave Vithaldas Nagar Santacruz WestWhen 11 am to 12 amCall 09867009594Rating goodThe Aegyo Cafe amp Bakehouse didnrsquot know we were there Sunday midday reviews anonymously and pays for meals