Fell + Cole. Gastronomical Ice Cream

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Let's be serious for five minutes. Wandering through Hongdae in Seoul, is like walking through the Taste of Colorado minus the tickets. Taste of Colorado is a one weekend, three day experience in the heart of Denver where restaurants bring a selection of simple foods and recreate them for you to try. It's a teaser menu. A menu big enough to entice you to their restaurant. Hongdae, is like this everyday. There are little eateries everywhere. And since bumping into Justin about a month ago (again). We've been indulging on eclairs, ice cream cones, artisan breads, pretzels, macaroons, barbeque beef, noodle dishes, sweet bean pies, fruit shakes and more. It's been one heck of an edible cornucopia adventure!

One unexpected Friday evening, Shauna and I take off into Seoul after work for dinner. Justin calls says, "hey what are you two doing tonight?" It's a quick conversation. "Coming to Seoul." "Great. Do you want to meet for dinner?" "Yep. Let's meet up at CGV in 20." "Perfect. See you then." Twenty-ish minutes later we meet up in front of the Hongdae cinema house. Honestly, we walked down the street all of us chatting and discussing dinner. What to eat? What not to? What our week looked like? Whose hungry? All of us. Simple. We found a restaurant. Kicked off our shoes, sat on the floor and Uro, ordered for us all. It came. We ate. We talked some more than Justin said, "do you two like homemade ice cream?"

"Yep we sure freaking do! I once waited nearly 7-years to try homemade ice cream in Cochrane, Alberta. Let me tell you, it was well worth the wait," I said explaining to him the story about Mackay's Ice Cream. Shauna use to brag about it. Always comparing ice cream she had to Mackay's. I'll tell you this. If you are ever in Calgary, rent a car and get to Cochrane. Mackay's Ice Cream has been around since 1942. And they know ice cream.

Justin laughed. Uro smiled. "Let's go get desert then?" "Sounds good. Lead the way." Twenty-three and a half minutes later we turned down a narrow alley beside a large beige stone building. At the rear of the building a glass archway with a door stood open. Behind it an ice cream refrigerator. To the right of the door, a four-foot blue sign with large white letters stated: Fell + Cole Gastronomical Ice Cream.

Stepping inside the doorway, Shauna, Uro, Justin and I went. Four patrons sat on four stools to our left enjoying short white paper cups overflowing with ice cream scoops. Each person held a small wooden spoon and a gigantic smile across their faces. Looking right then left, I decided the shop was no bigger than an average American walk-in closet. On the right stood a glass partition from the restaurant next door as did a commercial air conditioner. Reevaluating the space, I decided it must have once been a seating area for the restaurant or a storage closet. Either would have worked.

Stationed in front of us the six-foot ice cream refrigerator with two two-foot counters on either end. On the left a computer, business cards and debit card signature pad. On the right, ice cream supplies. Across the back wall were a couple of cabinets, a sink, churn and standard commercial stainless steel freezer. Inside the ice cream refrigerator were ten select ice creams. Each one's name scrawled across the glass in both Korean and English. They were listed with simple names like Chocolate Peanut Butter, Blueberry Sorbet, Salty Caramel and Honey Lavender. Plus a few exotic ones such as Hokey Porky and Olive Oil.

Smiling we asked to sample each flavor peaking our interest. The attendant would reach across to the supplies table picking up a metal scoop. Open the storage glass, dipping it into the soft ripples, picking up a small sample. Shutting the case. He'd hand you the metal tasting spoon. Slowly, the taster would melt across the tongue. It's scent and flavors exploding inside your mouth. With each new tasting spoon, it became more difficult to choose, one flavor.

Without even trying all ten flavors, we each had to chose before this became mission impossible to purchase a single-dip (3,900 won/$3.65). After a quick discussion about appearance, flavors and textures Justin went with Salty Caramel, Shauna took Honey Lavender, Uro and I chose Chocolate Peanut Butter. Standing around we spoke softly. Picked up a business card and received a stamp for each purchase. "This is the first stamp card I will actually keep in my wallet since we've been here," I stated to no one in particular, smiling as we exited the shop. Sitting down on the benches out front, we all smiled as our wooden spoons creased into the ice cream removing small portions to tempt our taste buds.

Are my words tempting your taste buds? Are you ready to experience the Fell + Cole Gastronomical Ice Cream on your own? If not then maybe the following short-list of delicious homemade flavors will help:

iApple
CaVaSu
Jesus Juice
Hokey Porky
Lemon Ginger
Honey Lavender
Roasted Banana
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Rum Drunken Raisin Ice Cream
Burnt Caramel with Smoked Sea Salt
Strawberry Red Wine with Szechuan Pepper

Now are you ready to take matters into your own hands? Yes. Than you'll need directions to the shop.

Here are two different sets of directions:
Green Line # 2 Hapjeong Station or
Brown Line # 6 Sangsu Station...
...to Fell + Cole Gastronomical Ice Cream Shop.

Sangsu Station
Start at exit # 1.
If you are facing the stairs then you are heading in the correct direction.
Walk around the stairs on the sidewalk and proceed walking about 8 minutes down the road.
Along the way, you will see Holly's Coffee on the right side of the road.
A bar called Snob and Vinyl (can't miss it looks like a robot).
Turn left onto Warun-ro gil.
This is the street before 7-11.
Look right.
Do you see Starbucks? Yes. Continue down the street to the left.
No? Then you are not on Warun-ro gil.
As you walk down the road you will see Club FF on your right.
A few more paces down on your right is Queenshead Pub.
On your left is Gr8 Hookah Bar.
Turn left down this street.
The first building on your right is Fell + Cole.
Look for the Yellow Awning and Glass Archway.

If you are NEW to the area, refer to the photographs marked "from Sangsu Stn" to help guide you to the shop.

Hapjeong Station
Start at exit # 3.
Walk in the direction the steps exit onto the sidewalk.
On your right will be Green Smart building.
Next will be a Samsung dealership.
Turn right after the dealership.
On your left will be a North Face shop.
Walk down the road until it ends.
Go left.
Then an immediate right.
Walk to the next intersection.
Cross the intersection.
Turn left then an immediate right.
On your right will be a triangle shaped green coffee/beer shop.
Walk 3-minutes up the road.
On your left will be Wang's Coffee & Sandwich shop.
Across the street will be 7-11.
Head across the street to 7-11.
Go past 7-11 towards Gr8 Hookah Bar.
On your left will be Queenshead Pub.
Turn right.
Fell + Cole is in the first building on your right beneath the Yellow Awning.

If you are NEW to the area, refer to the photographs marked "from Hapjeong Stn" to help guide you to the shop.

Lost?
Twitter at: FELLnCOLE
Facebook at: Fell+Cole
Shop #: 070.4411.1434
Seokyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul 408-1
서울시 마포구 서교동 408-1

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Photos

Taster
Olive Oil

One Dip
Chocolate Peanut Butter

Sangsu Station
Exit # 1

Sangsu # 2
Find this mural then walk straight.

Vinyl Pub
On your left before the turn

Wausan-ro 15-gil
Turn Left Here... Starbucks is across the street to your right.

Club FF
See Club FF... you're getting closer

F+C Yellow Awning
Standing Next to Gr8 Hookah Bar... look left

Fell + Cole Gastronomical Ice Cream
Enter at your own risk

Hapjeong Station
Near Exit 4

Green Smart
Keep walking down the road

Samsung Dealership
Just before you turn right

North Face Shop
Turn down this street and proceed straight

Avec Nous Cafe
Another sign your on the right street... keep walking

Comments

[Tristan']

Thanks
Thanks for the awesome blog!