Before the Food · 31 stories

Before the Plates Arrive

I write about meals and restaurant visits in Daegu and Gyeongbuk. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés

PlaceGyeongsan, GyeongbukRestaurants

Gyeongsan pork BBQ: gabrisal, chili dip and doenjang stew, Kkotdwaeji

Kkotdwaeji Sikdang Gyeongsan Branch (꽃돼지식당 경산점) is a Korean pork BBQ restaurant on Seongam-ro in Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk, where staff grill all the meat for you. On a rainy day after errands in Gyeongsan, the writer ordered the 600g Kkotdwaeji mixed grill (pork belly, pork neck, gabrisal and pork rind) with rice and doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) and was happy with the dips (meljeot, salt and gochujangmul chili sauce) and the side dishes. For an easygoing BBQ meal where grilling never interrupts the conversation, Kkotdwaeji Sikdang Gyeongsan Branch is a good fit.

Written Oct 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGyeongsan, GyeongbukRestaurants

Gyeongsan Korean restaurant on a rainy autumn day: Bapeul Jitda

Bapeul Jitda Gyeongsan Main Branch (밥을짓다 경산본점) is a Korean set-meal (hanjeongsik) restaurant on Samseonghyeon-ro in Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk, serving mild Korean meals made with seasonal ingredients. On an autumn day of nonstop rain, the writer listened to the rain through the floor-to-ceiling windows while eating 2 autumn sets: beef brisket mushroom hot pot, chilled pork, steamed abalone, grilled deodeok (bonnet bellflower root) and live abalone porridge, plus an acorn jelly salad from the Naver receipt review event. For a warm, gently seasoned Korean meal on a chilly day, Bapeul Jitda Gyeongsan Main Branch is a place the writer wants to revisit with their parents.

Written Oct 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceCheonan, ChungnamCafés

Cheonan brunch café for beef perilla pasta after midterms: Siyudang

Siyudang is a large bakery brunch café on Hyuyangnim-gil in Pungse-myeon, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan, Chungnam, with seating from the 1st floor up to a 4th-floor windmill rooftop. After seeing the daisies at Siyudang in June, the writer returned in October for a drive with her son after his midterms and ordered beef belly perilla cream pasta, ricotta salad, an iced tangerine ginger drink and an iced Siyu black tea at a 3rd-floor floor-to-ceiling window seat. For a relaxed brunch date with a child after exams, Siyudang delivered on space, food and views.

Written Oct 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceCheonan, ChungnamCafés

Cheonan dog-friendly brunch café: Santa outfit photos, Pino Cafe

Pino Cafe Cheonan is a dog-friendly brunch café with a 3,000-pyeong garden at the foot of Taehaksan Mountain in Pungse-myeon, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan, Chungnam. With Pino Cafe's Christmas decorations already up from October, our family brought our dog dressed in a Santa outfit, ordered the special lunch, a chicken tender cobb salad and decaf Americanos, and explored the garden and photo zones. For early Christmas memories with a dog, Pino Cafe is a place I'd 100% revisit.

Written Oct 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceIcheon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Icheon restaurant seen on KBS: octopus kodari and siraegi, Seonghone

Seonghone Wang Kodari Dongtaetang, Icheon Seolseong Branch is a Korean restaurant in Seolseong-myeon, Icheon, Gyeonggi, specializing in braised kodari (semi-dried pollock) and dongtaetang (frozen pollock stew), and it has been featured on KBS's Saengsaeng Jeongbo. Its flower octopus kodari braise comes topped with a whole octopus and cooked with Yanggu siraegi (dried radish greens), radish and tteokbokki rice cakes, served alongside a roe-filled clear cod soup and a puffed-up bomb steamed egg. Seonghone Wang Kodari Dongtaetang is worth saving if you want a hearty Korean meal near Icheon National Cemetery.

Written Oct 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceAsan, ChungnamRestaurants

Minari pork belly BBQ in Asan after Paradise Spa Dogo: Choigojip

Choigojip (최고집) is a minari pork belly restaurant in Yonghwa-dong, Asan, Chungnam, near Onyangoncheon Station. After a day of swimming at Paradise Spa Dogo, the writer ordered Choigojip's 60,000-won minari pork belly set: thin-sliced pork belly, minari pork belly, gabrisal (pork shoulder-loin cut), minari (Korean water dropwort) and yukhoe (Korean beef tartare). It came with generous side dishes and seonji soup. Thanks to the minari-and-pork pairing, spacious dining room and private rooms, Choigojip is worth recommending in Asan for company dinners and family meals.

Written Jun 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceUlju, UlsanCafés

Ulju, Ulsan café to end a 3-day trip: lemon curd cinnamon roll at MUG

MUG (카페 먹) is a large bakery café built from charred wood in Sangbuk-myeon, Ulju, Ulsan. On the last day of a 2-night, 3-day Ulsan trip, we stopped at MUG before heading home to see the October Halloween photo zone and try the MUG lemonade, MUG black latte, cream cheese cinnamon roll and turtle melon bread. MUG is a fitting final stop for an Ulsan trip, combining architecture, exhibitions, a garden stroll and signature desserts.

Written Oct 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDong-gu, UlsanRestaurants

Ulsan Chinese restaurant after Daewangam trek: whole-squid jjamppong

Ulsan Daewangam Dol Jjamppong is a Chinese restaurant on Ilsanjin 5-gil in Dong-gu, Ulsan, that serves jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup) boiled on a hot stone plate. After a morning trek at Daewangam Park, the writer arrived right at weekend opening and ordered a medium whole-squid stone jjamppong and handmade macaron menbosha (fried shrimp toast); the plump whole squid, generous bean sprouts, nurungji (scorched rice) on the stone plate and free rice refills made it more than filling. Ulsan Daewangam Dol Jjamppong is a solid pick for a meal after a Daewangam Park walk or trek, but weekends have a wait even at opening, so register on Tabling ahead.

Written Oct 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuseong, DaeguRestaurants

Cold noodle lunch before a PSY show, Daegu: Golmok Naengmyeon 1966

Golmok Naengmyeon 1966 Daegu (골목냉면1966 대구) is a naengmyeon (cold noodle) restaurant on Deuran-gil in Suseong, Daegu, serving the cold noodle flavor that has been carried on since 1966 from Geumho-dong in Seoul. Before PSY's Soaked Show (Heumppeok Show) concert, the writer had 2 bowls of mul naengmyeon (cold noodles in icy broth) and 1 order of half-and-half handmade dumplings, and found both the slushy, clean-tasting broth and the generously filled dumplings satisfying. With a large parking lot and a tidy second-floor dining room with floor-to-ceiling windows, Golmok Naengmyeon 1966 Daegu is a solid pick for a naengmyeon lunch on Deuran-gil.

Written Jul 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeogwipo, JejuRestaurants

Phone-order dinner boxes in Seogwipo: grilled fish & octopus at Jejju

Jejju Seogwipo New Town Branch (제쭈 서귀포신시가지점) is a premium lunch box shop on Gimjeongmunhwa-ro in Seogwipo, Jeju, selling raw salmon, sushi, rice bowls, fire-grilled webfoot octopus (jjukkumi) stir-fry and group lunch boxes for takeout and delivery. The writer phoned ahead to reserve a Jejju Box (16,800 won) and a Jungmun Box (14,800 won) as a hotel dinner after a swim, and enjoyed the raw salmon, the fire-grilled octopus and the grilled fish and fried shrimp that stayed crisp even after time had passed. For Seogwipo travellers who want an easy meal at their accommodation, a reserved takeout box from Jejju Seogwipo New Town Branch is a good choice.

Written Jul 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeogwipo, JejuRestaurants

Last-morning Korean breakfast in Jungmun, Jeju: whole grilled mackerel

Jungmun Godeungeo Ssam-bap (중문고등어쌈밥) is a Korean restaurant on Iljuseo-ro in Jungmun, Seogwipo, Jeju, known for mackerel ssam-bap (rice with leafy wraps) and abalone stone-pot rice. On the last morning of a Jeju trip, the writer returned after a satisfying earlier visit, walked the roughly 3,500-pyeong garden before opening, then had the free abalone porridge, the aged-kimchi mackerel ssam-bap and abalone stone-pot rice set for 2, and an added grilled mackerel. Jungmun Godeungeo Ssam-bap is a no-hesitation pick for a final Jeju breakfast.

Written Jul 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJeju, JejuRestaurants

Jeju Airport black pork BBQ, smokeless charcoal and jowl: Pork80

Pork80 Jeju Airport Branch is a black pork barbecue restaurant on Noyeon-ro in Jeju City, a short drive from Jeju Airport, which makes it handy for a first or last meal of a Jeju trip. The writer ordered 400g of Nanchuk Matdon (₩48,000), 160g of black pork jowl (₩22,000) and bibim noodles (₩8,000), and staff grilled everything from start to finish over a nearly smokeless charcoal fire. The premium Nanchuk Matdon black pork and jowl combination at Pork80 Jeju Airport Branch is a must-try in Jeju.

Written Jul 17, 2026Sponsored