Cold Coffee Keeper · 23 stories

Where Coffee Waits

I write about visits to cafes in Gangwon and the impressions they leave. · Writes about: Cafés · Restaurants · Hair & beauty salons · Bars · Shopping

PlaceSokcho, GangwonRestaurants

Sokcho tofu restaurant, quiet weekday dinner & squid sundae: Jinsol

Jinsol Halmeoni Sundubu (진솔할머니순두부) is a soft tofu restaurant using Korean-grown beans in the Haksapyeong Sundubu Village near Seoraksan Native Plant Garden in Sokcho, Gangwon. On a Thursday evening the writer, her mom and her child shared chodang sundubu (₩12,000), jjamppong sundubu (₩17,000) and ojingeo sundae (stuffed squid, ₩15,000); the jjamppong sundubu was cleanly spicy, and the squid sundae with spicy pollack salad was the standout. At Jinsol Halmeoni Sundubu, order a side like the squid sundae rather than sundubu alone.

Written Jun 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongnam, GyeonggiRestaurants

Weekday dinner shabu-shabu buffet in Wirye with a preschooler: Dadam

Dadam Shabu Shabu & Wolnamssam Wirye Branch is an all-you-can-eat beef and vegetable shabu-shabu and rice paper wrap (wolnamssam) restaurant on the 3rd floor of G&G Plaza near Namwirye Station in Seongnam, Gyeonggi. Two adults and one preschooler came for a weekday dinner after 7 pm (₩21,900 per adult, ₩8,000 for the child) and had half chuck and half brisket, the mild broth, rice noodles, fried rice and soft-serve ice cream. With fresh Garak Market vegetables plus kids' cutlery and chairs, Dadam Shabu Shabu Wirye is a good-value shabu-shabu spot worth returning to with children.

Written Oct 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeoju, GyeonggiRestaurants

Korean restaurant near Euna Ranch, Yeoju: skip the gondre, Nadeulmok

Nadeulmok Yeoju Ssalbap (나들목 여주쌀밥) is a Korean set-meal restaurant on Sejong-ro in Yeoju, Gyeonggi, known for stone-pot rice made with Yeoju rice. After a trip to Euna Ranch (은아목장), the writer returned with a 5-year-old at 5 p.m., right after the break time, ordered the Nadeulmok set with mackerel (21,000 won) and switched to gondre (Korean thistle) pot rice for 2,000 won extra. Verdict: at Nadeulmok Yeoju Ssalbap, the plain stone-pot rice is the real star, not the gondre rice.

Written Jun 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongnam, GyeonggiShopping

Wirye florist for housewarming plant gifts: Kkocheuldamda Lime

Kkocheuldamda Lime (꽃을담다 라임) is a florist in the Hanwha Obelisk shopping arcade on Wirye Central Plaza in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, selling bouquets as well as easy-care foliage plants and succulents. The writer chose a potted plant as a second gift for a family housewarming on a Saturday evening and found the full bouquets, at about 50,000 won each, reasonably priced. Kkocheuldamda Lime is a well-located, fairly priced Wirye florist for picking out a housewarming plant gift.

Written Oct 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYongin, GyeonggiRestaurants

Dongcheon-dong shabu-kalguksu for a picky kid, 3rd visit: Yun Ujae

Yun Ujae Shabu Kalguksu Gogidong Branch is a shabu-shabu kalguksu (knife-cut noodle) restaurant in Dongcheon-dong, Yongin, near Gogi-ri. On a visit with a child, the white-broth shabu-kalguksu at 11,500 won per person came with beef, kalguksu noodles, flat noodles and fried rice, alongside a crispy (ppasak) seafood pajeon. A child who usually spits out tough meat ate well again on this third visit, making Yun Ujae a Dongcheon-dong shabu-kalguksu spot worth returning to.

Written Jun 10, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongnam, GyeonggiRestaurants

Pangyo brunch restaurant with kids' pickles and wide plates: Andover

Andover is a Western brunch restaurant with terrace seating on Baekhyeon-dong Café Street in Pangyo, Seongnam, across from Kiro Bakery. On a weekend lunch with a child, we had the whole tomato marinade (15,000 won), a shrimp bisque pasta ordered mild (26,000 won) and the flounder steak (32,000 won), and Andover's staff brought wide kids' tableware and a separate pickle portion for the child with the jalapeños left out. Andover is a Pangyo brunch spot that satisfies on food, atmosphere and convenience for families with children.

Written Oct 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeongjong, IncheonRestaurants

Eurwang-dong octopus restaurant, 90% octopus set for two: Haesanggung

Haesanggung is a Korean restaurant on Masiran-ro in Eurwang-dong, Yeongjong, Incheon, specialising in octopus stir-fry, seafood kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) and whole-octopus pancake. After a Masian mudflat experience, the writer had Haesanggung's ₩57,000 set for two on the patio at a weekend lunch; the stir-fry had far more octopus than vegetables, and the whole-octopus pancake was crispy. Close to the mudflat site, Masian Beach and Eurwangni Beach, Haesanggung is an ideal lunch stop on a Yeongjong day trip.

Written Oct 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongnam, GyeonggiRestaurants

Pangyo Indian restaurant with a child: Maharani course, Bombay Broy

Bombay Broy Pangyo is an Indian restaurant on Pangyoyeok-ro 2beon-gil in Bundang-gu, Seongnam, Gyeonggi, where Indian staff take the orders and do the cooking. On a weekday evening, a couple and their child shared the ₩43,900 Maharani course: house wine and strawberry lassi, potato cheese balls, chicken tacos, butter chicken curry, garlic naan and Indian rice. Bombay Broy Pangyo is a fairly priced Pangyo curry house with a genuinely exotic feel and flavor.

Written Oct 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYangpyeong, GyeonggiRestaurants

Yangpyeong hanjeongsik: 3 courses and vinegar wine, Ochan Hoedong

Ochan Hoedong is a hanjeongsik (Korean set-course) restaurant on Gangnam-ro in Gangsang-myeon, Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi, with private rooms, high chairs and parking. After enjoying a first visit, the writer returned with their child for the Ochan Hoedong course and found every dish cooked and served at just the right temperature, from the complimentary alcohol-free fruit vinegar wine and fresh salad to the mushroom japchae and hanwoo tteokgalbi (Korean beef patties). Ochan Hoedong is a fine-dining-style Yangpyeong hanjeongsik restaurant that suits a meal with parents or a formal meeting between families.

Written Jun 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYongin, GyeonggiRestaurants

Suji noodle restaurant after a family musical: perilla oil bibimbap

Chilseong Jemyeonso Suji Main Branch is a noodle restaurant on the ground floor of the Seohui Star Hills building in Seongbok-dong, Suji-gu, Yongin. After a family musical, we ate perilla oil bibimbap, a 6,000 won kids' pork cutlet, pan memil (chilled buckwheat noodles on a tray) and a cheese pork cutlet, and the rice and cutlets were as good as the noodles. With a kids' menu, child tableware and free parking, Chilseong Jemyeonso Suji Main Branch is a good Seongbok-dong restaurant to visit with children.

Written Jun 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulBars

Gangnam jazz bar night with friends: Bill Evans piano trio, Flat Nine

Flat Nine is a jazz bar serving course dinners between Gangnam Station and Sinnonhyeon Station in Seocho, Seoul. On their first night out since one of them had a baby, three friends visited Flat Nine on a Sunday evening. They ordered the Classic course for three at 39,000 won per person, chose the white ragu and red shrimp pastas, and stayed for both sets of a piano trio show built around Bill Evans songs. With reasonable course prices and genuinely good pasta, Flat Nine is a great choice for live jazz with friends or on a date.

Written May 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangneung, GangwonCafés

Gangneung café: strawberry sand for daycare teachers—Gangneung Sand

Gangneung Sand Main Branch is a butter cream sandwich cookie café on Seonggokgoyang-gil in Gangneung, Gangwon. On the way to a baby animal farm in Daegwallyeong, the writer stopped at Gangneung Sand Main Branch and packed two boxes of strawberry Gangneung Sand, the flavor they had liked best last time, as gifts for a child's daycare teachers. Gangneung Sand keeps for 14 days at room temperature and 30 days refrigerated and comes individually wrapped, making it an easy, no-pressure Gangneung travel gift.

Written Jul 3, 2026Sponsored