Spoon Caddy · 5 stories

Gaon Street Spoons, Chungcheong to Gyeonggi

Writes about restaurant meals eaten in Daejeon and Chungcheong, Seoul, Sejong, and Gyeonggi. · Writes about: Restaurants

PlaceGangseo, SeoulRestaurants

Balsan Korean restaurant: lunch with a friend, no break time, Mikodam

Mikodam Magok-Balsan Branch is a Korean restaurant near Balsan Station in Gangseo, Seoul, known for cockle bibimbap. Over lunch, two friends shared the Hansang Gadeuk set for two (46,000 won): beef seaweed soup made with Wando seaweed, soy-sauce cockle bibimbap and Jeju yellow crab. Namul, spicy pork and Norwegian grilled mackerel came on the side, and every dish was good. With no break time and 3 hours of free parking next door, Mikodam Magok-Balsan Branch is an easy pick for a lunch meetup.

Written Jun 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYuseong, DaejeonRestaurants

Noeun-dong katsu restaurant: half-and-half & mini udon set, Gatjidong

Gatjidong Noeun Branch (갓지동 노은점) is a Japanese-style tonkatsu and udon restaurant in Noeun-dong, Yuseong, Daejeon. At a 6 p.m. dinner with a friend, the Signature Half-and-Half Tonkatsu + Mini Udon Set (15,500 won) paired plain and cheese tonkatsu generously topped with sauce with a mini udon holding 3 large fried tofu pouches, and the set was filling enough even for an adult man. Gatjidong Noeun Branch is worth a return visit for anyone in Noeun-dong looking for a good-value tonkatsu meal.

Written Jun 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSejongRestaurants

Sejong restaurant with millefeuille pizza after work: Le Garden Bleu

Le Garden Bleu is a Western restaurant in Eojin-dong, Sejong, on the 1st floor of KT&G Sejong Tower A, known for its risotto and pizza. After work on a Friday, the writer booked a table with a friend and ordered the millefeuille pepperoni mushroom fresh cream pizza, carbonara cream risotto and a non-alcoholic piña colada; the portions were generous for two, so three leftover slices of pizza went home in a takeout box. Le Garden Bleu is a satisfying Western restaurant for a get-together with friends, pairing a pastry-dough pizza with thick, rich risotto.

Written Jul 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Jongno 3-ga Korean BBQ, Boseong pork belly with grilled minari: Cham

Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch (참돼짓간 종로본점) is a charcoal-grilled pork belly restaurant on the ground floor of the Piccadilly CGV building near Exits 2 and 2-1 of Jongno 3-ga Station in Seoul. Two diners ordered Boseong Nokdon pork belly for 2 and Jirisan kudzu cold noodles; the staff-grilled thick pork belly with Korean-grown minari, unlimited vegetable side refills and amenities from phone chargers to Febreze all impressed. For a date or group meal of minari pork belly in Jongno 3-ga, Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch is worth recommending.

Written Jul 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeo-gu, DaejeonRestaurants

Gallery-like Western restaurant in Daejeon's Tanbang-dong: THE MUA

THE MUA is a Western restaurant on a side street in Tanbang-dong, Seo-gu, Daejeon. On a weekend, right after the break time ended at 5 PM, the writer and a friend shared three plates (aglio e olio, saffron salmon risotto and lobster croquettes) and received a green grape ade and a lemonade through THE MUA's review event. With a clean, gallery-like interior and well-executed cooking, THE MUA is a Daejeon Western restaurant worth recommending for a date or a catch-up with friends.

Written Jul 19, 2026Sponsored
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