Artisan Bakers (아티장베이커스): Serenity in Paju
Paju is a city located in the northwestern region of South Korea. Given that it’s situated near the North and South Korean border, Paju does have a lot of army bases and other DMZ attractions. However, this city has a lot of other less intense things to offer. Namely, the Provence Village features pastel-colored buildings and local boutiques selling handmade products and clothing. Also, the Heyri Art Village, which is a creative sanctuary for over 500 writers, artists, and musicians.
For our quick morning trip to Paju, Annie’s dad took some time out of his day to drive us to this really charming cafe called Artisan Bakers (아티장베이커스). This cafe offers all the usual coffee shop items with some impressive baked goods. We opted for Double Chocolate Croissant and a Cold Brew. I can confidently say that this was one of the best (flavored) croissants that I’ve ever tried.
I’ve mentioned this in many other posts but the summer heat in South Korea is so powerful. I was a little nervous about sitting outdoors but the setting was just too cool to pass up. The outdoor area had a private interior garden. The surrounding buildings were designed in traditional Hanok-style architecture, which highlights wooden floors, tiled roofs, and careful placement with respect to the building’s vicinity. Not only does it have humble and eye-pleasing elements, this style is also praised for being eco-friendly and practical.
Even with the heat, I’m deeply grateful that we got to enjoy a few moments in this peaceful cafe. No doubt, this was a successful way to start our day.
As you can see, the outdoor space is embedded in nature. Despite the summer heat, it was still nice to sit outside. I felt so calm and relaxed here.
When Annie and I came around 11am, it was quiet and empty. The indoor seating area was well-lit with both natural and artificial light. The air-conditioning also felt incredible since it was so hot outside.
We didn’t try this one but this seemed like their specialty pastry. This was supposedly a Mont Blanc, which is a French pastry usually made with a chestnut puree, meringue, and whipped cream. It’s often topped with powdered sugar to mimic the snowy mountain in the Alps that it was named after.
At Artisan Bakers, it seems that they’ve created one that looks more like a crispy, baked variation.
Since we were only here for a short time, Annie and I shared a Cold Brew and Double Chocolate Croissant. Damn, that croissant was flaky with rich chocolate flavor. In the heat outside, the chocolate started to melt so things got a little messy but we still had fun eating it. The interior of the croissant was also so beautifully layered that each bite still felt light and airy.
Annie taking a break in the shade! Fool disclosure, the heat was causing me to feel hot and grumpy but somehow Annie was unfazed.