Folded Notebook Carrier · 19 stories

Folded Notebook, Seoul and Incheon

Writes about cafes, restaurants, beauty spots, and bookshops found while moving between Seoul and Incheon. · Writes about: Cafés · Restaurants · Books & stationery · Hair & beauty salons

PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hapjeong Blue Ribbon burger lunch at opening: New York Apartment

New York Apartment is an American-style handmade burger and Western restaurant on basement level B1 of the Delight Square Phase 2 building, 14 Woldeukeop-ro 3-gil, Mapo, Seoul, near Hapjeong. The writer arrived at New York Apartment almost right at opening on a weekday and paid 52,000 won for a New York cheeseburger set, New York rigatoni burrata and a Stella draft beer. The writer was very happy with the Shake Shack-style burger with a thicker patty and the pasta topped with a whole burrata. Verdict: for a Blue Ribbon handmade burger in Hapjeong, the New York cheeseburger is New York Apartment's signature to order.

Written Jun 30, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulCafés

Seochon laptop café: Monday caramel crème by the window at Respire

Respire Bakery Cafe Seochon is a salt bread bakery and brunch café in Seochon, Jongno, Seoul, right next to Cheongwadae Sarangchae. On a sunny Monday morning, the writer brought a laptop to a window seat at Respire Bakery and had a three-layer caramel crème and a garlic shrimp sandwich made with salt bread; basic salt bread is ₩3,000 for 1 or ₩5,000 for 2. After more than 10 visits, Respire Bakery's coffee and bread are still consistently good, which is why it has become an everyday Seochon brunch café.

Written Jun 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hongik Univ. Station ochazuke restaurant, lunch in 5 minutes: Ochaya

Ochaya Yeonnam is an ochazuke (Japanese rice with poured broth) restaurant on the second floor of a side street between Hongik Univ. Station and Yeonnam-dong in Seoul. On a weekday lunch break, the writer hurried over from Mapo Station with a friend and ordered the butanokakuni (pork belly) and kaisen chazuke (seafood). Both arrived in under 5 minutes, and the pork belly was tender enough to cut with chopsticks. For a filling meal that isn't salty or harsh, Ochaya Yeonnam's ochazuke is worth a return visit.

Written Jul 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulCafés

Seocho cake shop, the last Strawberry Mango No. 1 at 2:30pm: Chef Cho

Chef Cho Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam is a strawberry fresh cream cake bakery from Yeongdeungpo, located on B1 of Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam in Seocho, Seoul. The writer arrived around 2:30pm and bought the very last Strawberry Mango Fresh Cream Cake No. 1 (₩53,000), then ate it at home as an anniversary cake; the whole family loved its cross-section, packed with dairy fresh cream and fruit. Verdict: if you're buying cake at Shinsegae Gangnam, get Chef Cho's Strawberry Mango Fresh Cream Cake and go before 3pm.

Written Jul 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Opening-hour chicken hot pot lunch and pancake in Dongdaemun: Sunhuine

Sunhuine Bindaetteok Dak Hanmari Dongdaemun is a dak hanmari (whole chicken hot pot) restaurant in Dongdaemun's Dak Hanmari Alley in Jongno, Seoul, run by Sunhuine Bindaetteok of Gwangjang Market. The blogger arrived at 11am, just after opening, for dak hanmari for 2, a seafood mung bean pancake (bindaetteok) and a final vegetable porridge cooked with egg. One dak hanmari fills two people, but the pancake and porridge at Sunhuine are too good to skip.

Written Jul 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Weekday burger lunch in Gwanghwamun: El Taco for cilantro haters, Reel

Reel Burger Gwanghwamun is a handmade burger restaurant styled like a hotel lobby, on the first floor of Shilla Stay Gwanghwamun in Jongno, Seoul. The writer lined up with friends at weekday lunch opening and ordered the El Taco Burger, Classic Burger and sweet potato fries; despite not eating cilantro, the writer found the El Taco Burger's pico de gallo easy to enjoy. At Reel Burger Gwanghwamun, order the El Taco Burger and one serving of sweet potato fries per person.

Written Jul 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Cold hiyashi tsukemen and ₩500 nori at a City Hall ramen shop

Mentsuru City Hall Branch is a ramen restaurant a 1-minute walk from Exit 10 of City Hall Station in Jung-gu, Seoul. On a hot summer afternoon at 5pm, the writer met a friend here for hiyashi tsukemen (cold dipping noodles), shoyu ramen and handmade karaage, paying ₩500 extra for nori on the tsukemen. The sweet, tangy and spicy dipping sauce served over ice made Mentsuru an easy pick for beating the summer heat.

Written Aug 11, 2026Sponsored
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