Gingham Spread Guest · 34 stories

The Checkered Tablecloth

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

PlaceYeongdeungpo, SeoulRestaurants

Ginkgo-view Italian blind date in Yeouido: bottarga risotto, Cuisine R

Cuisine R is an Italian restaurant on the 2nd floor of the Baeksang Building near Yeouido Station in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul. On a weekday evening, the writer shared vongole pasta (25,000 won), bottarga risotto (23,000 won) and margherita pizza (25,000 won) while looking out at yellow ginkgo trees through floor-to-ceiling windows. The thin, well-seasoned margherita pizza was the favorite. Cuisine R is a good fit for anyone looking for a calm autumn blind date or date spot in Yeouido.

Written Nov 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulRestaurants

Yangjae noodle shop lunch for two: kalguksu, chewy mandu, Seonbawi

Seonbawi Memil Jangteo Yangjae Branch is a Korean noodle restaurant near Yangjae Citizens' Forest in Seocho, Seoul, serving buckwheat clam kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) and giant mandu (dumplings). On a cloudy weekend lunch, Catchtable estimated a 30-minute wait, but two women were seated in 10–15 minutes and shared 2 servings of buckwheat clam kalguksu (26,000 won) and 4 giant mandu (8,000 won). The rich clam broth, springy, chewy buckwheat noodles and chewy-skinned, mushroom-scented mandu made Seonbawi Memil Jangteo a memorable, filling lunch.

Written Oct 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongnam, GyeonggiRestaurants

Jeongja Indian restaurant: à la carte tandoori, curry and naan at Kari

Kari Bundang Jeongja Café Branch is an Indian restaurant in the basement of the Dongyang Paragon shops on the café street by Jeongja Station in Bundang, Seongnam. It has held a Blue Ribbon for 9 years in a row and has no break time. The writer reserved ahead and ordered à la carte: tandoori chicken (4 pieces, 16,000 won), tikka masala and butter chicken curries (19,000 won each), and butter, garlic and honey butter naan (3,500 to 4,000 won). The tandoori chicken was moist with no gamey smell, and the two curries balanced spicy and rich. Kari Bundang Jeongja Café Branch suits a Jeongja date or family meal where you pick your own curry and naan.

Written Jun 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYongin, GyeonggiRestaurants

Suji sundaeguk restaurant: family meal with kimchi refills | Yeonnal

Yeonnal Gyeongseong Sundaeguk Suji-gu Office Station Branch is a sundaeguk (Korean blood sausage soup) restaurant on Munjeong-ro 7beon-gil in Suji-gu, Yongin, Gyeonggi. On a family meal out, the writer's family ordered 2 chalsundae (sticky-rice blood sausage) sets at ₩14,000 each and 2 bowls of sundaeguk at ₩11,000 each, enjoying pyeonyuk (sliced boiled pork), chalsundae, a rich broth and napa cabbage kimchi refills, and the bowls were so full that the writer shared one with their dad. Yeonnal Gyeongseong Sundaeguk suits families looking for a generous, filling sundaeguk meal near Suji-gu Office Station.

Written Jun 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongnam, GyeonggiRestaurants

Migeum food alley chicken hot pot, leg vs. breast couple: Sugyeokok

Sugyeokok Bundang Migeum (수계옥 분당미금본점) is a dak hanmari (whole-chicken hot pot) restaurant in the Migeum food alley in Bundang, Seongnam. On a weekday lunch, two of us ordered the set for 2 with regular broth (dak hanmari, chicken-neck nurungji porridge and noodles) and ate it like a course: porridge, then chicken, then kalguksu noodles. For a filling, restorative meal on a hot day, the Sugyeokok Bundang Migeum set for 2 satisfied on both portion and flavor.

Written Jun 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYongin, GyeonggiRestaurants

Yongin kalguksu with parents, noodles kneaded 1,000 times: Jangwongap

Jangwongap Kalguksu Yongin Giheung Branch (장원갑칼국수) is a shabu kalguksu (knife-cut noodle hot pot) restaurant in Gomae-dong, Giheung-gu, Yongin, near Lotte Outlet Yongin Giheung. On a weekend with parents, the writer ordered 4 servings of red-broth brisket and minari wrap shabu kalguksu (₩15,500 per person) and a whole-shrimp seafood pajeon (₩13,500), followed by house-made noodles said to be kneaded 1,000 times, dipped in katsuobushi soy sauce, then free kkakdugi (radish kimchi) fried rice and a misutgaru (roasted grain) slush for dessert. With a large parking lot and a free dessert corner, Jangwongap Kalguksu Yongin Giheung Branch is a comfortable spot for a family meal with parents.

Written Jun 10, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulCafés

Wangsimni bakery café: 6 desserts taken home for family, Eojil In

Eojil In Wangsimni Station Branch (어질 인 왕십리역점) is a two-floor bakery café near Exit 6 of Wangsimni Station in Seongdong, Seoul. On a passerby's recommendation, the writer picked six desserts for ₩27,100: Café Milk Bowl, Dojima roll, egg tart, financier, madeleine and pain suisse. The writer ate some at Eojil In and took the rest home to share with family. The Café Milk Bowl was the top pick, and Eojil In's wide dessert selection makes it a good stop whenever you want something sweet in Wangsimni.

Written Oct 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Suwon pizza date with a fortress sunset walk: Backstreet Pizza

Backstreet Pizza is a handmade pizza restaurant with an American pub feel, on the 2nd floor of a building on Jeongjo-ro 900beon-gil in Haenggung-dong, Suwon. A Shrimp Gangster and Mac & Cheese half & half (R size, 37,000 won) with a whipped-cream Kozel beer arrived about 20 minutes after ordering, and the Shrimp Gangster, loaded with plump shrimp, was the top pick. Backstreet Pizza is a good choice for a pizza-and-beer date in Haenggung-dong, finished with a sunset walk along the fortress wall.

Written Jun 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Hyehwa Western restaurant, dinner with a friend: Oh!set ranked at Omil

Omil Hyehwa Daehangno (오밀 혜화 대학로) is a casual Western restaurant on the 2nd floor of 35 Daemyeong-gil in Jongno, Seoul, near Hyehwa Station, serving pasta, cheese katsu, omurice, gnocchi and steak. Two friends shared an Oh!set of gochujang butter pasta, sizzling iron-plate cheese katsu and buckwheat soba maki, and the soba maki side they ordered with no expectations was the best dish of the night. The final ranking at Omil Hyehwa Daehangno: buckwheat soba maki first, sizzling cheese katsu second, gochujang butter pasta third.

Written Oct 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongnam, GyeonggiCafés

Late-night laptop café in Seohyeon with vin chaud tea: Slowway Coffee

Slowway Coffee Bundang Seohyeon branch is a two-floor café on the restaurant street near Sibeom Apartments in Seohyeon-dong, Bundang, Seongnam. It is open 24 hours, every day of the year, and has its own parking lot. On a late-evening visit with a partner, the writer compared the bright 1st floor with the cozy 2nd floor, worked on a laptop upstairs, and tried a decaf iced Americano (6,000 won), a teddy chocolate cake (9,800 won) and a vin chaud French fruit tea (8,000 won). For an easy-parking café in Seohyeon where you can work or meet friends until late, Slowway Coffee Bundang Seohyeon branch is a good choice.

Written Jun 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongnam, GyeonggiRestaurants

Pangyo gyukatsu at 5 p.m.: tenderloin Set 1 and ramune, Ichigyu

Ichigyu Avenuefrance Pangyo is a gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet) restaurant on the 2nd floor of Avenuefrance in Pangyo, Seongnam, where diners grill raw cutlets on a personal brazier with melted Isigny butter. The writer arrived just after the break time ended at 5 p.m., ordered Set 1 (two tenderloin gyukatsu plus two drinks), and found salt with wasabi the best pairing. Ichigyu Pangyo's tenderloin gyukatsu left a refined, rich flavor rather than a greasy one, even with the butter.

Written Jun 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Meaty monkfish stew for 2 and Hadong plum tea in Jamsil: Ttoksuni

Ttoksuni Agujjim Jamsil Direct Branch is a spicy monkfish stew (agujjim) restaurant in Songpa, Seoul, about 100m from Hanseongbaekje Station Exit 3 and right next to Olympic Park. After seeing the cosmos at Olympic Park with her mom and a short wait, the writer ordered the meaty monkfish stew for 2 (52,000 won) at the default spice level and found large, odor-free pieces of monkfish, crunchy bean sprouts and a rich, savory sauce. Ttoksuni Agujjim is a satisfying spot for a hearty lunch with parents after a day at Olympic Park.

Written Oct 13, 2026Sponsored