MOVED - Restaurant review: Seoulmate Café, Sai Ying Pun hits a Korean sweet spot

NOTE: Seoulmate Café has moved to 4/F, Kyoto Plaza, 491-499 Lockhart Road, Causeway Bay

With a courtyardunder a big tree and a wooden swing, Seoulmate Café in Sai Ying Pun has a cosy and soothing atmosphere. The desserts have a strong Korean flavour and the savoury dishes have fusion characteristics.

There are seven savoury dishes on the light meal menu. The barbecue pork burrito (HK$59) with carrot shreds and lettuce is spicy and delicious. Wrapped in a tortilla, the Korean rice mixed with pork is not too oily.

Another appetising fusion dish is bulgogi beef panini (HK$49). The bulgogi — Korean barbecued beef — is tucked into the Italian bread and has a rich, sweet sauce.

The kimchi chicken penne or rice (HK$66) is also a delight. Onions are added to the kimchi cabbage to make it less spicy to suit Hongkongers' tastes.

The dessert menu has a lot more options. We like the misutgaru cream green tea roll cake (HK$38). The moist cake is flavoured with misutgaru — a Korean multigrain powder that includes barley, sesame seeds and black bean. The misutgaru green tea roll cake has a lighter green tea taste than Japanese matcha cakes.