Evening Allrounder · 19 stories

An Evening Counter in Bundang

Writes about neighborhood restaurants around Gyeonggi, one meal at a time. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Shopping · Hair & beauty salons · Things to do

PlaceYuseong, DaejeonRestaurants

Yuseong octopus restaurant, Saturday lunch at wait No. 15: Boksakkot

Boksakkot Pineun Jip Daejeon Branch is a fire-grilled jjukkumi (baby octopus) and nakji (small octopus) stir-fry restaurant near Sutonggol in Yuseong, Daejeon. On a date with her boyfriend at Saturday lunch peak, the writer drew waiting number 15 but was seated quickly thanks to fast turnover, ordered a nakji stir-fry set and a jjukkumi stir-fry set, then relaxed with free coffee and ice cream in the Dohwawon café space. Smoky stir-fry with salad and gorgonzola pizza in the set made Boksakkot Pineun Jip a satisfying date lunch.

Written May 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangju, GyeonggiRestaurants

Gwangju level-3 monkfish jjim, roe rice ball: Badaga Nae Sonagwi

Badaga Nae Sonagwi Gyeonggi Gwangju is a monkfish and seafood jjim (spicy braised seafood) restaurant on Suha-gil in Songjeong-dong, Gwangju, Gyeonggi. On a Monday evening, after booking through Naver, the writer and her boyfriend ordered the small boneless monkfish jjim (38,000 won) at the spiciest level 3 and added a flying fish roe rice ball (4,000 won) to cool the heat. Badaga Nae Sonagwi serves portions so generous that two people had to take leftovers home, plus free sliced whelk and a big steamed egg, making it a hearty monkfish spot in Gwangju.

Written Nov 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYuseong, DaejeonCafés

Date café in Sutonggol, Daejeon: cheese fondue chimney bread, Luonto

Luonto Sutonggol Branch (루온토 수통골점) is a large roastery café spread over floors 1 to 3 near Sutonggol in Yuseong, Daejeon, on the site of the former Secret Garden café. On a Saturday Sutonggol date with her boyfriend, who had come to Daejeon for their long-distance relationship, the writer ordered cinnamon chimney bread with added cheese fondue, a vanilla latte and a fresh gold kiwi juice at Luonto. The cinnamon chimney bread and cheese fondue paired better than expected, making Luonto Sutonggol Branch a café worth recommending for a Sutonggol drive or date.

Written May 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, DaejeonShopping

Sesame oil shop in Daejeon I've visited three times: Dangjin Gireumjip

Dangjin Gireumjip (당진기름집) is a sesame and perilla oil shop on Yucheon-ro in Jung-gu, Daejeon. The writer first found Dangjin Gireumjip by chance, went back to buy a gift for their parents, then returned a third time when the oil at home ran out, buying a set of Korean-grown sesame and perilla oil. Verdict: Dangjin Gireumjip is the trusted go-to oil shop that replaced the oil the writer's grandmother used to press for the family.

Written Jun 22, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeo-gu, DaejeonCafés

Daejeon dessert café in Tanbang-dong for hibiscus tea & pavlova: Dalke

Dalke Dessert Cafe is a plant-filled dessert café on Gyeryong-ro in Tanbang-dong, Seo-gu, Daejeon, and the place where the writer had pavlova cake for the first time in Daejeon. The writer became a regular after a friend bought her desserts from Dalke Dessert Cafe for her birthday a few years ago, and this time she came with her older sister for hibiscus tea, passion fruit ade and the signature pavlova cake. With its butter-free, gluten-free pavlova piled with fresh fruit and its relaxed, garden-like space, Dalke Dessert Cafe is a great pick for a special-occasion dessert.

Written Jun 22, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeo-gu, DaejeonBars

Dunsan-dong, Daejeon izakaya: nodoguro pot rice lunch course at Sori

Sori is a premium izakaya in Dunsan-dong, Seo-gu, Daejeon, specializing in dry-aged sashimi. The writer booked a lunch course at Sori with an older sister she hadn't seen in a while, and it moved neatly from welcome tea through sakizuke, hassun, wanmono and mukozuke (aged sashimi and sushi) to grilled yellow croaker, geumtae sotbap (blackthroat seaperch pot rice, also called nodoguro) and dessert. Sori is a quiet, upscale choice for anyone who wants to properly enjoy aged sashimi and sushi in Daejeon.

Written Jun 22, 2026Sponsored
PlacePaju, GyeonggiRestaurants

Late brunch army stew before outlet shopping in Paju: Mom's Uijeongbu

Mom's Uijeongbu Budaejjigae is an 80-seat budae jjigae (army stew) and iron-plate dakgalbi restaurant on Pilseung-ro in Tanhyeon-myeon, Paju, close to Heyri Village and Provence. After checking out of a pension and before heading to the outlets, the writer used the kiosk to order two servings of traditional budae jjigae at 11,000 won per person as a late brunch, and the broth was deep and rich enough that rice went into the pot at the end. Mom's Uijeongbu Budaejjigae makes a filling lunch stop on a day out in Paju.

Written Sep 12, 2026Sponsored
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