Warm Kettle · 10 stories

A Warm Kettle in Chuncheon

Writes about small restaurants and bars scattered between Gangwon and Seoul. · Writes about: Restaurants · Bars

Apgujeong fusion spot with feather lights & corn gnocchi: Eulji Darak

Eulji Darak Apgujeong Dosan Park is an Italian-fusion Western restaurant on the 2nd floor behind Space Dosan, between Apgujeongnodeo Station and Dosan Park in Gangnam, Seoul. Catching up with a friend, the writer entered through a bookshelf secret door and ordered spicy crab risotto (19,000 won), corn gnocchi (19,000 won) and a pineapple ade; the sweet, nutty corn gnocchi paired with the spicy risotto was the standout. For a stylish fusion restaurant in Apgujeong, Eulji Darak's corn gnocchi and spicy crab risotto combo is well worth ordering.

Written Nov 13, 2026Sponsored

PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Mapo Station Korean BBQ: naengsam on a grill, not foil, Gui Madang

Mapo Gui Madang Yonggang Direct Branch is a Korean BBQ restaurant in the Yonggang-dong food alley, about an 8-minute walk from Mapo Station Exit 1 in Seoul. The writer came for naengsam (frozen pork belly) at ₩9,900 per 200g, then grilled fresh pork belly and beef brisket and finished with fried rice; the grill plate instead of foil and the Jeolla-style green onion kimchi were the highlights. Mapo Gui Madang is a good pick near Mapo Station for trying several cuts of meat without spending much.

Written Nov 13, 2026Sponsored

PlaceYongsan, SeoulRestaurants

Yongsan tteokbokki dinner, level 2 spice & charging bar: Hyeonseonine

Hyeonseonine Yongsan Main Branch (현선이네 용산본점) is an instant tteokbokki restaurant between Sinyongsan Station and Yongsan Station, near Yongridan-gil in Seoul, that began as a street stall in 2004. The writer drove there for dinner and had level 2 instant tteokbokki with fried mandu (dumplings), egg, jjolmyeon (chewy spicy noodles) and a slush, then finished with fried rice; level 2 was spicier and punchier than expected but addictive. Hyeonseonine Yongsan Main Branch is worth it for tteokbokki lovers who want to cool the heat with a slush and end with fried rice.

Written Nov 3, 2026Sponsored

PlaceSeongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Seongsu Taiwanese restaurant: classic bao that beat Qatar's, Bao Seoul

Bao Seoul Seongsu is a Taiwanese restaurant on Yeonmujang-gil in Seongsu, Seoul. After a full day out in Seongsu with a friend, the writer had dinner at Bao Seoul Seongsu: classic bao, a dongpo pork (braised pork belly) rice bowl and Taiwanese beef noodle soup. Unlike the bland bao the writer once ate in Qatar, the fluffy buns paired with salty dongpo pork kept the writer reaching for more. Bao Seoul Seongsu is worth a visit on a day when you want something different from the usual Seongsu meal.

Written Oct 17, 2026Sponsored

PlaceSeongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Seongsu Thai restaurant with an old friend: pumpkin cha gio, Soi Nana

Soi Nana Seongsu is a Thai restaurant with a Southeast Asian feel in Seongsu, Seoul, about a 5–6 minute walk from Seongsu Station Exit 2. Meeting a friend for the first time in almost a year, the writer shared pu pad pong curry (stir-fried crab curry), shrimp pad thai and cha gio (fried spring rolls) in sweet pumpkin, scallop and sweet potato flavors, and Soi Nana added bean sprouts and rice noodle broth on the house. Soi Nana Seongsu is a Thai restaurant in Seongsu made for a long, unhurried catch-up with an old friend.

Written Oct 17, 2026Sponsored

PlaceNowon, SeoulRestaurants

Junggye-dong shabu-shabu spot a regular revisits 10+ times: Hana Shabu

Hana Shabu Shabu Junggye Main Branch is a shabu-shabu restaurant on the first floor of the Brownstone Junggye complex in Junggye-dong, Nowon-gu, Seoul. The writer has paid their own way here more than ten times, returning for the deeply savoury broth, thick beef sliced to order, and the side dish tadaki (seared beef), always finishing the pot with udon. Hana Shabu Shabu is calm and comfortable enough that the writer brought an aunt and uncle visiting from Canada after ten years away.

Written Sep 26, 2026Sponsored

PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Gangnam Station Vietnamese restaurant with green mango salad: Anan

Anan Gangnam Direct Store is a Vietnamese restaurant a 4-minute walk from Exit 12 of Gangnam Station in Seoul. Meeting a younger friend after a long time, we ordered banh xeo (Vietnamese crispy pancake), a seafood and green mango salad, and seafood fried rice, and finished every generous plate — the tender squid in the seafood fried rice, ordered with no expectations, was the standout. Anan is wide and never noisy, so it works well for a wedding invitation gathering or a long catch-up.

Written Sep 23, 2026Sponsored

PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Jamsil sandwich shop solo meal: spicy chicken ciabatta, Florisandwich

Florisandwich Jamsil is a 12-year-old handmade sandwich shop in the Lycien Castle commercial building by Jamsilsaenae Station in Songpa, Seoul. Eating alone, I had the shop's best-selling spicy chicken ciabatta (10,800 won) and the basil chicken apple bun (12,000 won), then took an apple egg mayo sandwich (8,500 won) home, and the basil-and-apple pairing stuck with me most. With easy seats for solo diners and a 7am opening, Florisandwich is a solid quick meal near Jamsilsaenae.

Written Sep 19, 2026Sponsored

PlaceGangbuk, SeoulRestaurants

Gangbuk, Seoul katsu spot with kimchi udon set: Katsu Shokudou Suyu

Katsu Shokudou Suyu is a yuzu low-temperature-aged tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet) restaurant on the 1st floor of Episode Suyu 838, near Suyu Station in Gangbuk, Seoul. The kimchi udon set and the mozzarella cheese katsu were the two orders, and the kimchi udon broth was as rich as kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew), while the cheese katsu came out crisp outside and juicy inside. Free parking and easy solo dining make Katsu Shokudou Suyu a 100% revisit.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored

PlaceGangneung, GangwonRestaurants

Gangneung burger restaurant lunch with Dr Pepper: Moana Burger

Moana Burger is a Hawaiian-style handmade burger restaurant in Chodang-dong, Gangneung, a 3-minute drive from St. John's Hotel in the Chodang sundubu (soft tofu) village. Because the writer came by car, the 2,000-won draft beer discount had to wait, so the Moana Burger (14,000 won), Hawaiian Burger (15,000 won) and Buffalo Wings (16,000 won) came with Dr Pepper instead; the buns were nutty and lightly crisp and the patties full of juice. Staff even packed up the leftovers, making Moana Burger a 100% return visit.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored

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