Table Setting Watcher · 58 stories
I write about restaurants I visit in Daejeon and the Chungcheong region. · Writes about: Restaurants · Things to do · Bars · Shopping · Cafés · Hair & beauty salons
Allegro is a live jazz Italian restaurant in Bangi-dong, Songpa, Seoul, near Songpanaru Station Exit 2. The writer visited Allegro in the daytime, when there was no live set, and had a quiet meal of vongole pasta (₩20,000) and sous vide pork neck steak served on a hot plate (₩33,000). Allegro suits a calm lunch date by day, while an evening visit is the choice if you want the jazz too.
Jangjakgun Main Branch (장작꾼 본점) is an oak wood-fired nurungji (crispy scorched rice) chicken restaurant near Dandae-ogeori Station in Jungangdong, Seongnam. On a fourth visit, the writer sat on the outdoor terrace with half-and-half nurungji chicken (₩26,000), draft beer and bibim guksu (spicy mixed noodles); the skin was crisp, even the breast meat stayed moist, and the glutinous-rice nurungji on the stone plate and the young radish kimchi stood out. Waits at Jangjakgun Main Branch run long, so it is a Dandae-ogeori chicken-and-beer spot worth booking ahead and arriving early for.
Super Waxing Gangnam is a low-pain Brazilian waxing salon on the 3rd floor of a building on Teheran-ro 1-gil, near Gangnam Station and Sinnonhyeon Station in Seoul. On a regular maintenance visit, the writer got a women's Brazilian wax at Super Waxing Gangnam. The waxer carefully adjusted the wax temperature, held the skin taut and removed the wax in one pull, so the wax hurt less and the redness faded quickly. Verdict: the writer was very satisfied with Super Waxing Gangnam's hygiene, the waxer's fast hands and the soothing aftercare.
Nani Yeouido Branch is an izakaya (Japanese-style pub) with partitioned and curtained seats on the 3rd floor of the S-TRENUE Building, right by Exit 3 of Yeouido Station in Seoul. At Nani Yeouido Branch, the writer ordered the premium lamb shoulder rack, served on an iron plate with 3 ribs (43,000 won), and the beef brisket tantan nabe (sesame-spicy hot pot, 35,000 won) to enjoy grilled meat and soup together. Nani Yeouido Branch is on the pricey side, but its private seating makes it a good choice for a date or team dinner in Yeouido.
Bulnaneun Jjukkumi Jecheon branch is a restaurant specializing in stir-fried baby octopus (jjukkumi) near Simintap Five-way Intersection in Jecheon, Chungbuk. The stir-fried baby octopus with pot rice set costs 13,000 won per person: smoky, plump baby octopus is mixed into freshly cooked pot rice, and the meal finishes with sungnyung (scorched rice tea). With a spacious dining room and private parking, Bulnaneun Jjukkumi is an easy choice for a family gathering or a weekday lunch in Jecheon.
Gangnam Gyoja Bundang Seohyeon Branch is a Korean restaurant specializing in kalguksu (knife-cut noodles) and dumplings, on the 2nd floor of Dadu Plaza right by Exit 5 of Seohyeon Station in Seongnam, Gyeonggi. The writer ordered the summer-season chogye guksu (cold chicken noodle soup, 11,000 won) and bibim guksu (spicy mixed noodles, 10,000 won) plus gyoja mandu (dumplings, 11,000 won), and was happy with the icy broth, the green chlorella noodles and the unlimited rice refills. For cool noodles on a hot day or a filling solo meal near Seohyeon Station, Gangnam Gyoja Bundang Seohyeon Branch is a good fit.
Ganppa Beer Gwangalli 2 is a Japanese-style standing beer bar in Suyeong, Busan, a 1–2 minute walk from Gwangalli Beach. After dinner in Gwangalli, the writer ordered the Ganppa chicken skin set (₩25,900), which comes with 2 Sapporo drafts and fried chicken skin, and loved how the creamy foam paired with the crispy, salty chicken skin. Ganppa Beer Gwangalli 2 suits a light one- or two-drink second round in Gwangalli rather than a long sit-down night.
Haean Sutbul Galbi Gwangalli Main Branch is a charcoal-grill galbi (Korean barbecued ribs) restaurant in Suyeong, Busan, about a 3-minute walk from Gwangalli Beach. On a Busan trip the writer had dinner of authentic marinated beef galbi (200g, ₩23,900) and seafood doenjang stew (₩7,000). The beef galbi paired a not-too-sweet marinade with tender meat and a light charcoal aroma, and it tasted even better with spicy mustard-leaf pickles. For a filling beef galbi dinner in Gwangalli, Haean Sutbul Galbi is worth considering.
Uahan Meori Wangsimni Centras Branch (우아한머리 왕십리센트라스점) is a hair salon on the ground floor of the Wangsimni Centras shopping complex, near Sindang Station and Sangwangsimni Station in Seoul. After 2 years of root-only dyeing left light brown hair patchy, Uahan Meori dyed the whole head a matte, deep tone-down brown with a near-black look and no red tones, and the color came out even from crown to ends with no visible line. For anyone who wants to tone down blotchy, bleached hair cleanly, the all-over dye at Uahan Meori Wangsimni Centras Branch is a solid pick.
Lashdol Gangnam Station (래쉬돌 강남역점) is a 100% appointment-only lash perm and lash extension salon near Exit 4 of Gangnam Station in Seoul. After a consultation, the writer got the recommended black perm (a lash perm plus black tinting) and felt almost no stinging or foreign-body sensation, and the lashes were lifted high enough to look dark and defined without mascara. For naturally defined eyes without mascara, the black perm at Lashdol Gangnam Station is worth considering.
Circus Rabbit is a reservation-only custom lettering cake shop on basement level 1 of the Jangmi Shopping Complex in Jamsil, Songpa, Seoul. The writer ordered a 21,000 won lunchbox cake as a housewarming gift for a newly married friend; the design and fresh dairy cream taste were satisfying, but the cake flipped over on the way, so the friend never saw the lettering. Circus Rabbit cakes look and taste great, but they come without fixing pins, so keep the box flat when carrying it.
Lamoon Brow is a semi-permanent lip and eyebrow makeup studio on Seocho-daero 78-gil, near Exit 5 of Gangnam Station in Seocho, Seoul. The writer, whose earlier lip tattoo had drawn the lip line thinner than her natural lips and left darkened edges, had a one-on-one color-mixing consultation based on her winter cool tone and a lip tattoo at Lamoon Brow in about 1 hour 20 minutes. The result was a soft pink-coral tint with the dullness gone and the lip peaks and line restored.
