Mangwon Intermission · 15 stories

Between Courses

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

PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Euljiro yukhoe restaurant with sea urchin and lemon soju: Yukhoegwan

Yukhoegwan Pocha Euljiro is a yukhoe (Korean beef tartare) restaurant in an alley in Euljiro 3-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul, which says it uses beef butchered the same day. At Yukhoegwan Pocha Euljiro, the sea urchin set (37,000 won) and the same-day yukhoe (42,000 won) come with gamtae (thin green seaweed) and gim (laver) for wrapping, and a soju order comes with fresh lemons you squeeze into your glass at the table. The most memorable part was a gamtae wrap of yukhoe, sea urchin and wasabi with a glass of fresh lemon soju.

Written Nov 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Corkage-free Mapo sushi omakase with Kubota Manju: Jeulgeoun Maeumeuro

Jeulgeoun Maeumeuro (즐거운 마음으로) is a corkage-free sushi omakase restaurant between Gongdeok and Daeheung in Mapo, Seoul, with lunch omakase at ₩100,000 and dinner omakase at ₩180,000. On a second visit for her husband's birthday dinner, the writer brought Kubota Manju sake and, as the chef explained each ingredient, enjoyed the first yellowtail of the year, wild Irish tuna akami and belly, and sweet shrimp with uni. With a calm wooden counter, a private room and a corkage-free policy, Jeulgeoun Maeumeuro is a sushi spot worth recommending for anniversaries in Mapo.

Written Nov 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulCafés

Hongdae café for a Japanese-style fruit soufflé pancake: Petrico

Petrico is a soufflé pancake dessert café on Jandari-ro in Mapo, Seoul, about 500m from Exit 2 of Hapjeong Station. Reminded of the soufflé pancakes she had in Japan, the writer ordered Petrico's fruit soufflé (₩18,000), waited about 20–30 minutes, and ate it with syrup, seasonal fruit, grilled banana and whipped cream in turn. If you want a fluffy soufflé that melts in your mouth, the trick at Petrico is to order the soufflé as soon as you arrive.

Written Nov 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Unlimited-veggie sukiyaki and shichimi udon in Gongdeok: Okjoban

Okjoban Gongdeok Station Branch is a sukiyaki and shabu-shabu restaurant on the ground floor of Hyosung Herrington Square, near Exit 9 of Gongdeok Station in Mapo, Seoul. On a chilly evening the writer ordered the sukiyaki with unlimited vegetables for 2, dipped butter-cooked beef and vegetables in raw egg, then stir-fried udon in the leftover sauce and topped it with shichimi (Japanese seven-spice). With its orange-and-burgundy interior and chandelier, Okjoban Gongdeok Station Branch is a stylish pick for a group meal in Gongdeok.

Written Nov 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYongsan, SeoulRestaurants

Itaewon brunch spot with perfectly poached avocado Benedict: Ongfleur

Ongfleur is a brunch restaurant with a deep green exterior, tucked into an alley on Hoenamu-ro 44-gil in Yongsan, Seoul, about 799 m from Itaewon Station Exit 2. On a weekend-morning date, the writer ordered Ongfleur's brioche French toast and avocado eggs Benedict (18,000 won each) plus two iced Americanos (10,000 won), and loved the sweet-salty French toast and the perfectly poached eggs. Rated 4 out of 5, Ongfleur is an Itaewon brunch spot worth recommending to anyone who loves eggs Benedict or French toast.

Written Jun 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Gongdeok Station salad set for ₩12,900 with Greek yogurt: Why Starve

Why Starve Diet Gongdeok Main Branch is a salad and diet-meal restaurant near Gongdeok Station in Mapo, Seoul. A regular who lives nearby took home the ₩12,900 set of a protein salad bowl, homemade Greek yogurt and an iced Americano, and was very happy with the juicy chicken and thick, rich yogurt. The ₩12,900 set at Why Starve Gongdeok Main Branch is a good-value diet meal that covers salad, dessert and coffee in one order.

Written Jun 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Bukchon pizza and beer: extra cilantro on taco pizza, Low Five Anguk

Low Five Anguk is a brick-fronted pizza and pasta restaurant in the Bukchon alleys of Jongno, Seoul, a 2–3 minute walk from Exit 2 of Anguk Station. The blogger ordered a half-and-half pizza (₩26,000) of corn and Tex-Mex taco, a limited-quantity classic lasagna (₩23,000) and a Budweiser, and piled separately ordered cilantro onto the taco pizza. At Low Five Anguk, the savory-sweet corn and spicy taco half-and-half is the one to order, and cilantro lovers should add extra cilantro.

Written Jun 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Mapo Station pizza place with a free garlic dip bar: Raccoon Pizza

Raccoon Pizza Mapo Station branch is a pizza restaurant about a 3-minute walk from Exit 1 of Mapo Station in Seoul. The blogger ordered the Pizza R/Pasta set (33,400 won), added a cheese crust edge, and had a half-and-half Raccoon Cheese Waterfall and Double Pepperoni pizza with shrimp oil pasta. With the free garlic dipping sauce from the self-serve bar and a dash of Tabasco, even the cheese-heavy pizza at Raccoon Pizza stayed tasty to the last bite.

Written Jul 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Sinsu-dong Chinese restaurant with a sweet-salty meal for two: Sujeoga

Sujeoga Daeheung Station Branch is an open-kitchen neighborhood Chinese restaurant in Mapo, Seoul, about a 6-minute walk from Exit 4 of Daeheung Station. Two diners shared chadol jjamppong (spicy noodle soup with beef brisket, ₩11,000) and a small garlic pork tangsuyuk (sweet-and-sour pork, ₩17,000). The rich, brisket-loaded broth and the sweet, garlicky sauce made a well-matched sweet-salty pairing. The one dish worth ordering again at Sujeoga Daeheung Station Branch is the garlic pork tangsuyuk.

Written Sep 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulCafés

Seoul coffee shop tasting a new peach coffee in Hapjeong: Central Site

Central Site Hapjeong is a roastery café about a 3-minute walk from Exit 2 of Hapjeong Station in Mapo, Seoul, where you can smell the beans yourself before choosing a cup. The writer ordered the Ethiopia Tamiru 74158 Natural 2021 brew (11,000 won) and the classic tiramisu (8,500 won), and also tried the peach-flavored new coffee the staff were sharing with guests in small pours. The coffee was good, but the moist classic tiramisu at Central Site Hapjeong was the more memorable order.

Written Aug 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulCafés

Seoul coffee shop open at 11am in Mangwon: aged French toast, PICT

PICT Roastery Mangwon Branch is a roastery dessert café in Mangwon-dong, Mapo, Seoul, set in an alley near Mangwon Market about a 7-minute walk from Mangwon Station Exit 2, where you can pick your coffee beans. The writer dropped in while waiting for the Mangwon Market bakery crawl and ordered the aged French toast at 11,900 won and an americano at 4,900 won: the top was sweet and crackly like crème brûlée, the inside moist. Since PICT Roastery opens at 11am, it is an easy Mangwon-dong dessert café for filling the wait before the bakeries open.

Written Aug 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulCafés

Gwangjang Market dessert: ranking 6 mugwort choco pies at Ssuk's

Ssuk's Choco Pie Seoul is a bakery inside Gwangjang Market in Jongno, Seoul, with a green storefront selling choco pies and cookies made with mugwort. The 24,800 won six-piece gift set covered sea-breeze mugwort injeolmi, Geomundo sea-breeze mugwort, sea-breeze mugwort with whole red beans, Udo peanut, Gwangju real chocolate and the sea-breeze mugwort salted cookie. The chewy rice-cake injeolmi pie and the sweet-salty salted cookie were the two flavors worth buying again.

Written Sep 22, 2026Sponsored