Enjoy A Rainy Day Packed With Delights At This Unique And Underrated Cafe In Seoul

Even though the gorgeous walled city of Seoul gets more annual rainfall than perpetually gray Seattle (54 inches vs. 39 inches), most of that comes in intense, humid bursts during the summer monsoon season, with skies otherwise sunny. Except, that is, for one locale, a spot in the South Korean capital city where the man-made micro-climate is always perfect for a "Sleepless in Seattle"-themed date night: Rain Report Croissant.

This trending, dessert-focused cafe in the Itaewon neighborhood takes its rainy day theme to a delightful extreme, creating an artificial rainstorm every 15 minutes, both inside the cafe and outside its windows, with showers of precipitation falling from jets lining its ceiling and roofline. Don't worry, you won't get wet sitting at your table, but the go-to Instagram shot is to stand outside like a Morton Salt Girl, with or without a transparent umbrella (there's a basket of them just inside the door) depending on the season. 

The entrance to the cafe is up a bamboo-lined staircase, along a jade-green artificial lake lined in lush plantings, making for a tropical feel. Inside, the decor theme is black-on-black, the better to showcase the microbursts of precipitation that will have you humming "Stormy Weather" like Billie Holiday, "Purple Rain" like Prince, or maybe "It's Raining Men" like The Weather Girls, depending on your inclination and generation. And unlike the grub at a lot of themed dining establishments (such as places to eat in Disney's Magic Kingdom), which can skew tourist-trap terrible, the delicate croissants and cleverly creative coffee drinks here have been getting raves.

The best seat in the house at Rain Report Croissant is at a curved banquette (pictured) surrounding an island of bamboo soaring up through the two-story atrium. When the rain falls inside every quarter-hour, the leaves dance, and the black, mossy stones beneath glisten. Meditate on the rain falling in the courtyard outside the cafe on an otherwise sunny day and you may even catch a spontaneous rainbow. 

Upstairs, more intimate traditional floor seating lets you have more cuddly privacy, next to an indoor stream. Croissants are served with a pair of scissors on the side, with sharing in mind. There are also western-style couches and tables, but every seat here has a rain view.

In between the artificial rainstorms, you're treated to virtual ones, via a series of decorative LCD screens playing tiled, repetitive videos of rainfall, complete with sound effects. The evocative display has the feel of an immersive art installation. It's also very Zen-like — those raindrops have a soothing effect, even if you can't smell the ozone.

Most of the desserts at Rain Report Croissant are weather-themed. The milk custard-filled rainbow croissant is streaked through with just enough dyed dough to be magical, without feeling like you're eating a toasted Smurf. If you're in a bright mood, the honey grapefruit Earl Grey (as in gray skies, get it?) cake is a bit of sunshine on a cloudy day. For sheer coziness, it's hard to beat a buttery, golden-brown fig and wine-laced financier. If you're in a daring, savory mood you can sub in a squid ink-flavored one, or split the difference with maple bacon. 

The dessert that's made them almost as Insta-famous as the rain is the cube-shaped, meltingly delicious tissue croissant bread. Can't decide? Order a sampler. If the stormy drizzle makes you want to warm up, you can toast your treat in a bank of ovens to dial the crispy gooiness up to eleven.

The fancy coffee drinks, cold and hot, are as decadent as the cakes and croissants, and could stand in for dessert if you want to minimize the inevitable sugar crash. We're tempted by the Sesame Cloud Latte, a dark and stormy concoction served in a clear glass so you can see the dramatic fade from white to black as the brooding weather patterns swirl beneath the surface. Then there's the Cloudy Day, a tall espresso drink served with a slice of orange and sprigs of thyme and rosemary for a sweet, savory, aromatic uplift. To go caffeine-free, order a Pink Cloud, sky-blue dyed apple juice with a float of peach sorbet. Once you're fueled up, you should be ready to tackle a day of hiking or sightseeing on a perfect Seoul day trip, because once you step outside it'll be just another sunny day.