Has anyone tried this Blue Bottle Coffee before? I would never wait in line for over an hour just to get a cup of coffee, but that is what people are doing in Korea for Blue Bottle:
People wait in line in front of Blue Bottle Coffee shop in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, May 8.
Blue Bottle Coffee finally came to Korea on May 3. The opening of the artisanal coffee shop in Seongsu-dong, Seoul had been the talk of the town for years and social media was flooded with posts awaiting its arrival.
Before the opening of the store at 8:00 a.m., more than 300 people lined up in advance, some having been there all night, to be the first to try the coffee. Over 1,000 people were reported to have lined up for approximately three hours on that day.
Sales of Blue Bottle Korea recorded around 60 million won ($50,400) in a single day, which is equal to the combined daily sales of 70 Blue Bottle stores across the globe.
A week later, this reporter visited to find out what the fuss was all about. Upon arriving at 4:30 p.m. and despite being a Wednesday, there was already a long queue outside.
When asked how long it would take to get in, a Blue Bottle staff member said it would take roughly 90 minutes from the end of the line.
That is what the USA Today publication is claiming:
Korean beef, not Japan’s wagyu, “might be the best meat on earth,” according to an article in USA Today last week that seems to reflect fresh global recognition.
“Wagyu from Japan is often held up as the best beef in the world,” says an article by Bloomberg’s published in March last year. But the headline asked “Is Wagyu the World’s Most Overrated Steak?”
Wagyu is loved for its tenderness, but some complain that it is too soft and buttery and does not have enough flavor. On the other hand Korean beef, or hanwoo, is said to have great flavor as well as texture to the palate. They are both highly marbled but are distinctively different in taste.
The key to the difference in taste is the fat-to-protein ratio. Wagyu ribeye is about 70 percent fat and 30 percent protein, whereas hanwoo ribeye has 40 to 50 percent fat. It strikes a fine balance between the strengths of wagyu and less fatty and tougher American or Australian beef. [Chosun Ilbo]
You can read more at the link or the original USA Today article at this link.
