Place: Cafe Korobokgur, 3464 W 8th St, Los Angeles, CA 90005
Tea of Choice: English Breakfast & Moroccan Mint
Giraffe Rating (out of 5 | for tea): 4.23
I'm a little stumped.
This tea was nothing like what it had been anticipated to be. The opening statement about the gregarious nature of the company was already written, and to be honest, I thought the post would write itself; however, my original sentiments failed to encapsulate the tea that ensued (hence why it has taken me so long to write this post).
What was I expecting? Well, these two have the energy of a 5-year-old child who has been permanently attached to an IV drip of refined sugar since birth. Plus their sass levels rival my own, it's painful to admit but in a sassmaster smackdown between the three of us, I'm not sure who'd be crowned victor. I was even instructed to record the conversation and turn this interaction into a podcast. So I approached tea cautiously, but all the mental preparation was unnecessary as they were delightful company (except for Diego's mustache, that was not a welcome visitor).
I would describe these two as same, same but different. Both are scientifically inclined, Nick is a baby genius and Diego is the next Dexter (as in Dexter's Laboratory, not the vigilante serial killer), and they both sum up the following quote "Be a flamingo in a flock of pigeons" - Unknown. Exhibit a: Nick's shirt, it could be described as flamingo pink. Differences? Well, you'll most likely find Nick singing show tunes whereas Diego will be informing you about the latest anime; it must be said these actions occur whether you've asked or not, so beware.
Nick, because he is from Ohio (definitely a case of correlation does imply causation), has never really drunk tea before* so I ordered for both him and myself. I opted for the English Breakfast tea, complete with milk and sugar #surprisesurprise. Diego, being the intrepid explorer that he is, ordered the Moroccan Mint, which is a type of Green Tea. To accompany the breezy conversation, and bubbly brew - French fries - a staple food group that, in case you were wondering, complements tea wonderfully (French fries are my second passion, possibly the next blog idea). The tea was refreshing, with a good kick.
Pros: THEY HAVE GRAVI-TEA TEAPOTS! I've never seen these before and I was absolutely mesmerized. When you place the teapot on top of the teacup, the tea decants itself from the pot to the cup - I know, it doesn't get much better than that. (V lazy college student, looking for multiple ways to make life easier). They have great hours for those late night study sessions and the random tidbits around the establishment to remind you of the Motherland.
Cons: This is a personal con, I don't speak Korean. The majority of the cafe is in, you guessed it: Korean. However, there are many pictures and I'm not to shy to use the good, old "point and smile" method of ordering. Limited selection of tea, not too many types of tea to choose from.
Thank you for coming to tea with me, Nick & Diego.
*tragically horrifying, I know
Until next time,
BG