Suwon Wall Diner · 89 stories

The Checkered Tablecloth

I write about restaurants I visit and meals I try in Gyeonggi. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Shopping · Bars · Hair & beauty salons

PlaceYeonsu, IncheonCafés

Laptop café in Songdo with a mango immunity smoothie: Ugly Tongue

Ugly Tongue (어글리텅) is a new health smoothie café on Haedoji-ro in Yeonsu, Incheon, near Songdo Central Park. The writer added a special health powder for 900 won to Ugly Tongue's mango-based immunity-boost smoothie and paired it with a decaf iced Americano; the smoothie had no artificial sugar and a blended, not-too-sweet taste. With outlet bar seats and free parking, Ugly Tongue is a Songdo café worth revisiting for a kids' snack or a laptop session.

Written May 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulRestaurants

Korean BBQ after a Yangjae Stream date: limited kkodeulsal, Gamdol

Gamdol Yeontan Jip Yangjae Citizen's Forest Branch (감골연탄집 양재시민의숲점) is a retro briquette-grilled Korean BBQ restaurant in Seocho, Seoul, about 5 minutes on foot from Yangjaesiminuisup Station. After a date along Yangjae Stream and Yangjae Citizen's Forest, the blogger and her husband had the daily-limited seolhwa kkodeulsal (chewy pork cut), briquette coarse-salt pork belly, flat bibim noodles and honeycomb pork skin, and the seolhwa kkodeulsal sold out right after they ordered. With parking out front, an indoor restroom and chairs that store your bags, Gamdol Yeontan Jip is a Yangjae Korean BBQ that suits everything from dates to company dinners.

Written May 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwacheon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Gallery-like Gwacheon seaweed soup spot, flounder & pollack: Haenon

Haenon Miyeok Gwacheon Direct Branch (해논미역 과천직영점) is a seaweed soup (miyeokguk) restaurant in a standalone building at the entrance to Munwon-dong, Gwacheon. Choosing Haenon Miyeok for a meal out with her husband, the writer ordered flounder seaweed soup and, for the first time, pollack seaweed soup, and was happy with the milky broth and pollack far softer than expected. Over about five visits, the soups at Haenon Miyeok have been so full of ingredients that a rice refill was never needed.

Written Oct 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeonsu, IncheonCafés

Dessert café, Songdo outlet: branch-only Cream Ube & kaimak, Wunder

Wunder Coffee Bar Hyundai Premium Outlet Songdo Branch is a dessert café in the B1 food square of Hyundai Premium Outlet Songdo (nicknamed Songhyeona) in Yeonsu, Incheon. A longtime fan of the Bucheon flagship ordered a decaf hojicha Wunder Gato at the Songdo branch, plus two items the flagship doesn't serve: Cream Ube and a kaimak (Turkish-style clotted cream) with honey and white ciabatta set. The verdict is that Wunder Coffee Bar Songdo is a good Songhyeona dessert café for a sugar boost while shopping or on a date.

Written May 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSiheung, GyeonggiRestaurants

Korean BBQ in Baegot after a Siheung outlet date: matsutake at Hamdon

Hamdon Baegot (함돈 배곧직영점) is an aged-pork Korean BBQ restaurant in Avenue France, Baegot, Siheung. After browsing Siheung Premium Outlets and seeing a movie, a couple ordered 2 servings of aged pork belly and 1 serving of aged pork neck at Hamdon Baegot. Staff grilled the meat at the table, and the couple was pleased with the complimentary pork bone soup, the meljeot (salted anchovy dipping sauce) and the matsutake mushrooms. For quality aged pork in a clean, odor-free dining room, Hamdon Baegot is a Baegot Korean BBQ spot worth visiting.

Written May 31, 2026Sponsored
PlaceAnyang, GyeonggiRestaurants

Gopchang BBQ in Anyang: mixed grill & egg-ringed fried rice, Ilmigop

Ilmigop (일미곱) is a newly opened gopchang (grilled beef intestine) restaurant found only in Anyang, in the shops in front of Pyeongchon Xi I'Park in Bisan-dong. On a weekday evening the writer had the mixed grill for 2 and fried rice: the 70% pre-grilled gopchang, daechang and makchang were tender with no gamey smell, and the included soft tofu stew and scallion kimchi paired well with the offal. With free parking and baby chairs, Ilmigop is a solid Bisan-dong pick for family dinners or group meals.

Written Jun 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Seolleung Japanese restaurant: pale pink Hanwoo nabe date, Manmok

Manmok is a Japanese eel and nabe (hot pot) restaurant on Seolleung-ro 82-gil, a 5-minute walk from Seolleung Station in Gangnam, Seoul. On a date with her husband, the writer had Manmok's new Hanwoo (Korean beef) nabe and a premium eel rice bowl with half an eel, then porridge made by the staff and matcha and milk tea ice cream. The best combination at Manmok was Hanwoo cooked only until faintly pink and eaten with wasabi and radish salad.

Written Jun 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNamdong, IncheonRestaurants

First carbonara date at Incheon Nonhyeon pasta spot Two Find Peter

Two Find Peter Incheon Nonhyeon Branch is a pasta, pizza and steak restaurant on the 3rd floor of a shopping building on Nongogae-ro in Namdong-gu, Incheon. On a weekend date, the writer, a regular at the Anyang branch, ordered corn pizza, rosé chicken steak and a first-ever egg yolk carbonara, and loved the generously sauced rosé chicken steak and the carbonara that never felt heavy. Two Find Peter Incheon Nonhyeon Branch is a date pasta spot with a great atmosphere, and the carbonara is worth ordering again next time.

Written Oct 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSokcho, GangwonCafés

Sokcho market gangjeong, crisp for days and never sticky: Ibuja Mayak

Ibuja Mayak Gotgan (이부자마약곳간) is a gangjeong (crunchy grain snack) shop at stall 137 on the first floor of Sokcho Jungang Market (Sokcho Tourist and Fish Market) in Sokcho, Gangwon, making handmade brown rice, white rice, buckwheat, black rice and yellow rice gangjeong fresh each day. The blogger bought two pre-packed 8-piece sets (10,000 won each) without queuing; unlike syrup-based gangjeong, the gangjeong did not stick to the teeth, stayed light and crisp, and was still crunchy two days later without reheating. For an affordable Sokcho souvenir or a gift for coworkers and friends, Ibuja Mayak Gotgan is a safe choice.

Written Jun 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangneung, GangwonRestaurants

Gangneung tofu restaurant, 8am breakfast with parents: Jeong Eunsuk

Jeong Eunsuk Chodang Sundubu is a soft tofu (sundubu) Korean restaurant on Nanseolheon-ro in Gangneung, about 5 minutes by car from Gangmun Beach, opening at 8am. For a first meal in Gangneung, the blogger and their parents ordered the Chodang Premium Table for 3 with extra boiled pork (suyuk): soft tofu hot pot, seasoned grilled kodari (semi-dried pollack) and tofu samhap, none of it salty or harsh, so the home-cooking-loving parents enjoyed it too. For a warm soft tofu hot pot early in the morning in Gangneung, Jeong Eunsuk Chodang Sundubu is a good fit.

Written Jun 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSokcho, GangwonRestaurants

Sokcho sashimi takeout with parents, corn-noodle mulhoe: Hoega

Hoega is a good-value sashimi restaurant near Cheongchoho Lake in Sokcho, Gangwon, on Beonyeong-ro 43beon-gil, known for well-packed takeout. Staying nearby with their parents, the writer phoned ahead for a small mixed sashimi platter and icy mulhoe (cold raw fish soup with corn noodles), then ate it at their accommodation with beer, homemade doenjang (soybean paste), aged kimchi and vinegared sushi rice. Even the small platter left three people full, so Hoega is an easy recommendation for good-value sashimi takeout in Sokcho.

Written Jun 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSokcho, GangwonRestaurants

Sokcho Beach noodle brunch with Mom: deulmemak and dumplings, Topgol

Sokcho Topgol Makguksu Main Branch is a buckwheat noodle (makguksu) restaurant in Sokcho, Gangwon, a 3-minute walk from Sokcho Beach. The writer and her mom arrived at weekday opening time for brunch and ordered 2 servings of the signature deulmemak (perilla oil makguksu), which the restaurant says is patented, plus 1 serving of pollack makguksu and buckwheat giant dumplings. The perilla oil makguksu was seasoned just right and the spicy pollack makguksu wasn't harsh, making Sokcho Topgol Makguksu a lunch stop on a Sokcho trip you won't regret.

Written Jun 5, 2026Sponsored