Because of its misleading name, when peering through the windows of Coffee Break you may find yourself surprised to see anything but the familiar sight of students skimming and highlighting lines from textbooks. These same students, crammed into small coffee tables, simultaneously grab at their coffee mugs perched precariously on the edges of the tables for quick sips, while still attempting to ignore the din of students around them. Instead, at Coffee Break you will probably see students actually taking a break from studying at the coffee shops themselves and coming here to enjoy a quick authentic home-style cooked Korean meal.
A family-owned enterprise on campus since 1988, Coffee Break is located on 1327 South University Ave., next door to Pizzeria Uno, and is hard to miss with its fire engine red walls. Although Coffee Break is not a restaurant one would expect to see in Korea, the sight of an apparently satisfied Korean customer, with a Korean newspaper tucked snugly under his arm, reminded me of downtown Seoul. After all, the sight of native Koreans at a Korean restaurant is a sure sign that the food is tolerable, if not superb.
Rather than striving to recreate a traditional Korean palace with the chintzy interior decor typical of many Chinese restaurants, the owners of Coffee Break decided to create a comfortable family room-like atmosphere for their small restaurant. With a wall-to-wall brightly colored rug, framed landscape paintings, simple but elegant light fixtures, a radio quietly playing oldies, and complete with a Coca-Cola clock above entrance, Coffee Break has an inviting and warm ambiance. And for those who would rather sit and eat alone, a bar lines the inside of the restaurant, complete with high chairs and a wall-sized mirror, thoughtfully affixed to prevent anti-socials from getting too lonely.
Several large ceiling fans catch the swirling steam from the hot soups - unfortunately they do not do much for the sweat running down your face. This is inevitable when eating the homemade kimchi, or some of the spicier dishes such as the yookgaejang - very spicy beef soup with fried egg strips, carrots, green peppers, mushrooms, napa (Chinese cabbage), onions, garlic, andred pepper - and the kimchi stew. Not all the dishes, however, are spicy. In fact, for those with a more delicate palate, there is a separate section on the menu labeled "Non Spicy."
Also included on the menu are such dishes as bulgoki - semi-sweet beef marinated in oriental sauce with stir-fried carrots, green peppers, and onions - and bibimbop - marinated beef, seasoned cabbage, spinach, bean sprouts, chopped cucumbers topped with fried egg, on a large bowl of rice - a particular favorite among non-Asians. According to one patron, "I'm not sure what the other food is like here and I find it a little bit intimidating, but bibimbop is a sure way to go."
In today's health-conscious society, fast foods are quickly becoming condemned because of their greasy content and often unsanitary mode of preparation. Yet despite the social stigma, many still crave fast food, and die-hard fans will claim that it still remains the most popular food around. But for those that want the time-savings of fast food, without the medical reprocussions, Coffee Break becomes an ideal alternative. Food is carefully prepared every morning - for non-believers, the grill is plain in sight so you can even watch its preparation - and the service is fast. The looming grill also provides waiting customers with a place to rest their eyes, foreshadowing the culinary journey ahead. The waitresses are congenial and will wait patiently for people to make up their mind. Some may even pleasantly explain some of the dishes, so there is no need for fear or embarassment for those who think the names of the dishes sound as if they belong on a subtitle in a John Woo movie.
Coffee Break provides an alternative to the heart-stopping meals at McDonalds and Burger King. Just brace yourself for the peculiar odor that will unavoidably seep through your clothes and hair while feasting. Coffee Break boasts an incredible time of three to five minutes for carry-out - which I can vouch for, having seen it several times - and most meals are served within five minutes of placing the order.
As far as the name is concerned, Coffee Break originally opened up eight years ago as a bakery, and the owners decided to convert it to a restaurant. A choice that they do not regret, I assume, as one of the owners, Connie Kang, states, "We enjoy this business. People enjoy my food. Nice customers." Connie and her husband Ben Kang own Coffee Break.
The menu is affordable, ranging from five to seven dollars for a meal including tea, water and other beverages. And yes, coffee is an option for those who are determined to make the restaurant prove true to its name.
JONATHAN SUMMER/Daily