Sides First Regular · 26 stories
I write about meals at restaurants I visit in Gwangju and the Jeolla region. · Writes about: Restaurants · Things to do · Cafés
Ppajak Financier Bar (빠작 휘낭시에바) is a financier dessert café and gift shop on Beotkkot-ro in Deokjin-gu, Jeonju. A self-confessed financier lover picked several flavors to take away, including yellow cheese and nut financiers, and was delighted that, true to the name, they were crisp outside and moist inside. Ppajak Financier Bar is worth a stop in Jeonju for crunchy financiers and gift-ready packaging.
Munkkocchi Mungangjeong Jeonju Hanok Village Branch is a skewer snack shop on Eunhaeng-ro in Jeonju Hanok Village, Jeonju. Returning for the first time since a middle-school field trip, the writer ordered the cheese Munkkocchi, scallion chicken skewer and cheese chicken skewer and ate them on the outdoor terrace beside the shop, with drinks in ice cups for a street-beer mood. The skewers are reliably satisfying, but the biggest draw of Munkkocchi Mungangjeong is that street-beer vibe on a Jeonju Hanok Village terrace.
Hanmaeum Jeongyuk Sikdang Jeonju Seosin Branch (한마음정육식당 전주서신점) is a butcher-style Korean BBQ restaurant in Seosin-dong, Wansan-gu, Jeonju. The writer ordered the 500g half pig and received an extra 180g of pork belly with a Naver notification coupon. The bonus pork belly was good quality, and Hanmaeum also offers jjolmyeon (chewy noodles) with shredded scallion, refillable stew, a self-serve bar, a kids' play room and private rooms. Hanmaeum Jeonju Seosin Branch suits family meals and group dinners that want generous portions and good facilities.
Anma Jogyok Cafe Jeonmang is a foot bath and massage café on the 2nd floor of 61 Eunhaeng-ro, in the heart of Jeonju Hanok Village. The writer took the ₩15,000 healing course: a 30-minute peppermint aroma foot bath, a heated massager and a free iced tea, while looking out over the tiled hanok rooftops. For a traveler whose feet had ached from years of walking around Jeonju Hanok Village, Anma Jogyok Cafe Jeonmang was a thoroughly satisfying place to rest.
12.24 Seomyeon Branch is a Christmas-themed Japanese-style bar (izakaya) on Jeonpo-daero in Busanjin, Busan. On a Busan trip, the writer chose Seomyeon over Gwangalli, sat at the counter seats, ate free chicken karaage from the review event, an 11-kind assorted kushikatsu set and mayak corn (addictive corn), and won 1 bottle of soju in the Instagram lucky draw. 12.24 Seomyeon Branch suits anyone who wants a softly wood-toned bar with warm, freshly fried and grilled drinking snacks.
Downtown Gwangju Sangmu is a craft burger restaurant on Uncheon-ro in the Sangmu district of Seo-gu, Gwangju. On a return visit, the writer ordered the Downtown Double set with cheese fries and, for the first time, the Bulgogi Smash Double Burger set, along with spicy and original onion pickles and self-serve drink refills. Downtown Gwangju Sangmu is a Sangmu burger spot worth going back to even if you've already been once.
Bohyangmi is a Korean restaurant in Cheomdan, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, specializing in bossam (boiled pork wraps) and grilled fish set meals. The writer ordered Bohyangmi's Grandma's Table for 2, which comes with both grilled fish and bossam, added an extra bossam, and found a self-serve side dish bar, ice cream and coffee for dessert, and a large free parking lot. At under 20,000 won per person for a generous spread, Bohyangmi is a good pick for a family meal with parents or kids.
Sin Jjukkumi Unlimited Refill Duam Branch is an all-you-can-eat jjukkumi (webfoot octopus) and pork belly buffet near the Duam-dong food alley in Buk-gu, Gwangju. Two friends ordered the Sin Jjukkumi + fresh pork belly + thin-sliced pork belly set for 2, grilled the octopus and meat at the same time on a two-section grill, and finished with flying fish roe fried rice. The jjukkumi was plump and chewy and the fresh pork belly had no gamey smell, so Sin Jjukkumi Duam Branch turned out to be a better-than-expected, good-value pick for group and friend gatherings.
Pungnyeon Kalguksu (풍년칼국수) is a Korean restaurant on Sicheongdong-ro in Namwon, Jeonbuk, known for house-made kalguksu (knife-cut noodles) and jjimdak (braised chicken). On a Namwon day trip, two people shared a medium-spice soy-sauce jjimdak (38,000 won) and a squid-filled pajeon (scallion pancake, 14,000 won); the jjimdak was well seasoned and the pajeon crisp, but the portions were too much for two. Verdict: Pungnyeon Kalguksu's jjimdak and pajeon combo is best shared among three.
Veteran (베테랑) is a Korean pub with an old-school, nostalgic feel in Geumho-dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju. The writer and a friend ordered seafood pajeon (savory scallion pancake) and Chamisul soju, then added golbaengi-muchim (spicy, tangy sea whelk salad), and piling the whelk salad onto the crispy pajeon turned out better than expected. For a relaxed drink and a long chat in Geumho-dong, Veteran's seafood pajeon plus whelk salad combo is well worth ordering.
Memilbit Dolsan Main Branch (메밀빛 초계국수막국수양평해장국 돌산본점) is a buckwheat noodle restaurant on Dolsan-ro in Dolsan-eup, Yeosu, serving chogye guksu (chilled chicken noodles), makguksu and Yangpyeong haejangguk (hangover soup). On a sweltering Yeosu trip, the writer had bibim chogye guksu, Yangpyeong haejangguk and memil jeonbyeong (steamed buckwheat rolls) for lunch; the house-made buckwheat noodles broke off softly, and the haejangguk turned bold and spicy with chili oil. With a spacious sea-view dining room, parking and kids' chairs, Memilbit Dolsan Main Branch is a good fit for families travelling in Yeosu.
Kkankkanhan Jokbal Yongbong Branch (깐깐한족발 용봉점) is a charcoal fire-grilled jokbal (braised pig's trotters) restaurant near the Yongbong-dong food alley in Buk-gu, Gwangju. The day after a Kia win, Kkankkanhan Jokbal automatically applied its 5,000 won next-day discount without being asked, and the visit included a large half-and-half jokbal with the standard steamed egg and fish cake soup. If you want both spicy jokbal and charcoal-grilled jokbal, the half-and-half at Kkankkanhan Jokbal Yongbong Branch is the answer.
