Ledge Sipper · 14 stories

Paper Straw on the Ledge

Writes about cafes, restaurants and beauty shops visited in Daegu, North Gyeongsang, Seoul and Gangwon. · Writes about: Cafés · Restaurants · Hair & beauty salons · Bars

PlaceGangseo, SeoulRestaurants

Balsan Station sashimi restaurant with whole whelk stew: Neoul Magok

Neoul Magok (너울 마곡본점) is an aged sashimi and seafood restaurant on the first floor of Magok iPark in Gangseo, Seoul, near Balsan Station. The writer ordered the small aged sashimi set with a whole whelk stew served in a brass basin pot (yangpuni) and beer, eating the aged sashimi over rice like sushi and in lettuce wraps, while the whelk stew came with fish cake skewers. Neoul Magok is a great Balsan Station spot for alternating cold sashimi and hot broth over beer at the outdoor tables.

Written Oct 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangseo, SeoulRestaurants

Japanese restaurant by LG Arts Center: two ochazuke broths, Una Magok

Una Magok is a Nagoya-style hitsumabushi (grilled eel rice bowl) restaurant on the 1st floor of K-Square Magok Tower 2, near Magongnaru Station in Seoul. The blogger ordered one hitsumabushi and one tori mabushi (chicken rice bowl) with ginseng liquor, refilled side dishes free by tablet and had unlimited rice. Verdict: the eel and chicken bowls at Una Magok come with different ochazuke broths, so sharing both makes for a fun comparison.

Written Oct 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangseo, SeoulRestaurants

Brisket hot pot lunch in Magongnaru: mala vs beef broth, J's Pot

J's Pot Magok Branch is an individual-pot hot pot restaurant on B2 of COEX Magok Tower A, near Magongnaru Station in Gangseo, Seoul. The writer ordered the lunch beef brisket hot pot for 2, with one pot of mild beef noodle soup-style broth and one of spicy mala broth. They added a small vegetable tangsuyuk (Korean-Chinese sweet and sour fry), and the lunch set with vegetables and shrimp balls left them full. J's Pot Magok Branch suits a Magok office lunch or team meal when you want to compare mild and spicy broths side by side.

Written Oct 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDongjak, SeoulRestaurants

Noryangjin sashimi takeout for a camping trip: Ttangkkeut Maeul

Ttangkkeut Maeul (땅끝마을) is a sashimi shop at Stalls 42 and 43 on the first floor of Noryangjin Fisheries Market in Dongjak, Seoul, and a good place to buy sashimi to take away. The writer took a small premium sashimi platter from Ttangkkeut Maeul to a campsite, where the thick-cut fish and the raw shrimp the owner added made a lovely spread without lighting a fire. For a camping meal that is a little more special than grilled meat, Ttangkkeut Maeul takeout sashimi was a great choice.

Written Oct 16, 2026Sponsored
PlacePaju, GyeonggiCafés

Paju drive café with a palace-style chandelier hall: Mokushura

Mokushura French Café (모쿠슈라 프렌치카페) is a large European-style bakery café on Gigok-gil in Jori-eup, Paju, Gyeonggi. The writer explored the chandelier-lit, high-ceilinged interior, then ate a steak panino and scallop oil pasta with a plum berry sparkle while looking out at the window view. Mokushura French Café is worth a stop on a Paju drive when you want atmosphere, a proper meal and scenery in one place.

Written Oct 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangseo, SeoulBars

Balsan Station soju-beer pub: Sriracha chicken & rice cakes

Daily Beer (Saenghwal Maekju) Balsan Station Branch is a chicken and beer pub on the 1st floor of New Golden Tower, 89 Magokjungang 6-ro, in Gangseo, Seoul. After work, the writer ordered spicy-sweet Sriracha chicken and chewy tteok-twigim (fried rice cake fritters) at Daily Beer Balsan Station Branch, drank soju and beer, and enjoyed switching between the two dishes in the hip, red-lit interior. Verdict: Sriracha chicken and rice cake fritters at Daily Beer Balsan Station Branch are a combo worth coming back to whenever chicken and beer sound right.

Written Oct 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYangcheon, SeoulRestaurants

Yeomchang snack bar: cheese instant tteokbokki spread, Deokbokhui-jip

Deokbokhui-jip (덕복희집 떡볶이 수제튀김) is a Korean snack bar serving instant tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes cooked at the table) and handmade fried snacks on Mokdongjungangbuk-ro near Yeomchang Station in Yangcheon, Seoul. The writer ordered five dishes to share: instant tteokbokki with extra cheese, a mixed fried platter, chewy sundae (Korean blood sausage), fish cake bomb broth and the 'Bokhui Packed It for You' tuna mayo rice bowl. Deokbokhui-jip also sells alcohol, so it suits a meal with a light drink, and it is a good pick for a day when you want to share a spread of Korean snack dishes.

Written Oct 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongnam, GyeonggiRestaurants

Pangyo Japanese lunch for two: katsu kimchi nabe and butadon, Godai

Godai Kitchen Lunch Special is a Japanese restaurant on basement level 1 of Samhwan Hi-Pex Building A in Pangyo, Seongnam. The writer and their partner ordered a Korean pork (Handon) loin tonkatsu kimchi nabe, a pork belly butadon rice bowl, and karaage with zaru soba (chilled buckwheat noodles). The writer rated the crispy, tender tonkatsu best, while the partner picked the butadon rice bowl as number one.

Written Oct 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangseo, SeoulRestaurants

Magok Korean restaurant: whole mackerel set for 2 & sikhye, Mikodam

Mikodam Magok-Balsan Branch (미꼬담 마곡발산점) is a Korean set-meal (hanjeongsik) restaurant near Balsan Station in Gangseo, Seoul. The Korean set for 2 at Mikodam came with flounder seaweed soup, seasoned cockles and beef jeon (pan-fried beef slices), plus a big whole grilled mackerel, free side dish refills, and sikhye (sweet rice drink) and plum tea for dessert. Mikodam's set for 2 suits two people who want to share many Korean dishes at one table.

Written Oct 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangseo, SeoulRestaurants

Balsan Station Korean BBQ: pork neck & meaty doenjang stew, Ihwajeong

Ihwajeong Galbi Myeongga Magok-Balsan Branch is a pork galbi Korean BBQ restaurant near Balsan Station in Gangseo, Seoul. Staff grilled 2 servings of seasoned pork neck galbi at the table, and the meal included a doenjang stew (soybean paste stew) packed with meat, rice, an omija ade from a review event and pear sorbet. Generous portions and the meaty doenjang stew made it a hearty meal, with a whole bowl of rice gone in no time.

Written Oct 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangseo, SeoulRestaurants

Anniversary lamb BBQ in Magok, Seoul: shoulder vs French rack at Nokji

Nokji Magok Main Branch (녹지 마곡본점) is a lamb rib restaurant at Queens Park Nine in Magok, Gangseo-gu, Seoul. The writer ordered 1 portion of shoulder rack and 1 portion of French rack to compare the two cuts, while staff grilled everything over a brazier from start to finish and brought out sides such as mashed potatoes and egg yolk sauce in an omakase-like flow. With 1 bottle of free corkage and an anniversary service, Nokji Magok Main Branch is a great choice for a special-occasion date dinner in Magok.

Written Oct 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGoyang, GyeonggiRestaurants

Italian date in Ilsan: standout bread and gnocchi at Millepollie

Millepollie is an Italian restaurant on Bamlidan-gil in Ilsan, Goyang, in the Jeongbalsan area. On a date at Millepollie, we shared gorgonzola gnocchi and ragu pasta, and the bread served before the mains was the best bread the writer has ever had. Millepollie is a calm Ilsan pasta spot that suits couples who want to enjoy both pasta and gnocchi.

Written Oct 9, 2026Sponsored