Baking is not only an art but a science as well. Reaching
and keeping the right temperature to keep the yeast microorganisms alive so
they can help creating the perfect dough, knowing how to handle the sourdough
so that the dough fermentation does not fail, and mastering the technique of
skillfully creating tens of layers of dough to bake the perfect, crispy
croissant. All this requires a dexterous hand and wise mind. No wonder then
that the founder of Guillaume bakery was an engineer before opening his current
two bakeries located in Hannam-dong and Apgujeong.
Guillaume combines a modern menu selection with choices such
as rosemary or chamomile grapefruit ade, Kale and Apple juice and Rooibos sugar
plum tea with a classic French interior in tones of faded pink. The layout
makes the customer reminisce of vintage Paris apartments with a high ceiling,
narrow but cozy hallways to the bathroom, ornaments and comfy seats. The
lighting is not too intrusive and the music flows in the tones of both old and
new, all the while a laid back atmosphere.
We opted for the Vanilla bean cafe au lait and the
Grapefruit rosemary tea. As soon as our coffee was served, we instantly
realized that regular coffee shops in Korea can’t even begin to compare with Guillaume. The coffee is served together with
organic brown sugar that you can add to your own liking. The coffee itself
tasted just the same, if not better than the tiny mom-and-pop stand-up coffee
stores in France and Italy. The ade came with fresh slices of grapefruit,
grapefruit pulp in the drink and a rich serving of rosemary twigs dipped in the
drink. A very fresh choice, and you’ll feel the vitamin C pump through your
veins.
After the citrusy drink we
needed a sugar explosion. This came in the form of praline, raspberry and
chocolate macarons. The macarons were perfectly crispy on the outside, giving
some good resistance when you push with your fingers. On the inside awaiting a
moist, soft, and utterly delicious filling. You could taste the freshness of
the raspberry when your teeth identify tiny raspberry seeds. The chocolate was
rich and thick and the praline just melts in your mouth.
What I was most excited about
when entering Guillaume were the breads and pastries, seeing as the bakery
calls itself Le Pain Véritable (The true/real/authentic/bona fide bread). The
foreign clientele very much appreciates this side of Guillaume and many Germans
come to buy sour bread, French come to buy all sorts of pastries and Swedes
come for the healthy breads. When taking a bite into the pastries, you can
almost taste the history and childhood in France of Guillaume himself.
The almond croissant covered
in powdered sugar is perfect when you need something different from a plain
croissant. The apple turnover is also perfectly crispy and you can hear the
crunch from miles away when someone takes a bite before your palate hits the
sweet and acid apple inside. My favorite of the day was the Éclair au Citron. I
had no idea éclair came in so many different flavors and previously only knew
the standard cream-filled éclair. I love when a bakery teaches me new knowledge
and flavors, so I knew I had definitely come to the right place. It is very
soothing to know that if I crave genuine French pastry, I can finally find the
solution to my craving without leaving Seoul city.
Gangnam-gu, Cheongdam-dong 88-37, Insung Bldg #101, Seoul 135-954, Korea +82 2 512 6701
