Color Drawer · 124 stories
I write about beauty products I try in everyday routines. · Writes about: Beauty products · Restaurants · Cafés · Things to do · Shopping · Bars · Fashion · Hair & beauty salons
Debbie's is a Blue Ribbon restaurant in Wonseo-dong, Jongno, Seoul, right in front of the Changdeokgung Palace wall near Anguk Station. Arriving at the 11am opening, the writer sat in the second-floor Changdeokgung-view seats and had champignon (mushroom) tagliatelle, zucchini chips, non-alcoholic mimosas and a latte. Debbie's delivers both a palace view and good food, making it an ideal Anguk brunch date spot.
Sansol Sinnonhyeon is a Korean BBQ restaurant on Gangnam-daero 112-gil, between Gangnam Station and Sinnonhyeon Station in Seoul, where staff certified as grilling masters cook all the meat for you. At Sansol Sinnonhyeon, staff grilled the 500g San platter of pork belly, pork neck and kkodeulsal (a chewy pork cut) with vegetables and aged kimchi, and the exhaust grill kept the air fresh throughout the meal. If you want Korean BBQ near Gangnam Station without grilling it yourself, Sansol Sinnonhyeon is a good fit.
Matbaegogi is a Korean BBQ restaurant with private rooms near Yeongdong Market and Nonhyeon Station in Gangnam, Seoul, serving presidential award-winning Gangwon hanwoo (Korean beef). At lunch the writer had the Matbae Special set for two (300g), grilled white pollock roe, yukhoe bibimbap (raw beef rice bowl) and Pyongyang naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles); staff grilled all the meat, and the complimentary doenjang stew, yukhoe and spicy mixed noodles were just as satisfying. With a corkage-free event and private rooms, Matbaegogi is a solid pick for a group dinner near Yeongdong Market.
Tonguidong Gukbinkwan (통의동 국빈관) is a hanok Korean BBQ restaurant in a Tongui-dong alley in Seochon, near Gyeongbokgung Station in Jongno, Seoul. The writer booked 3 days ahead and ordered the Gukbinkwan Signature Set, a 1++ hanwoo platter with premium hanwoo beef tartare. The writer grilled toshisal (hanger steak), inside skirt and flower rib one piece at a time to compare them, then finished with hanwoo brisket makguksu (buckwheat noodles). The Tonguidong Gukbinkwan Signature Set suits anyone who wants to taste hanwoo cuts one by one, like a beef omakase.
Chef Cho (쉐프조) is a fresh-fruit cream cake shop in Sweet Park on the B1 floor of Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam in Seocho, Seoul. The writer visited Chef Cho right after opening on a weekday morning, bought a Pistachio Forest No. 1, and brought it as a gift to a tea time set with Wedgwood Florentine Turquoise plates and coffee cups. With rich pistachio flavor and not too much sweetness, Chef Cho's Pistachio Forest is an ideal gift cake.
Ilpum Gwanghwamun is a Japanese restaurant specializing in kaisendon (seafood rice bowl) and sushi, on basement level 2 of Le Meilleur between Jonggak Station and Gwanghwamun Station in Jongno, Seoul. Two women visited Ilpum Gwanghwamun around 6 p.m. and ordered one kaisendon and one single portion of sashimi moriawase (assorted sashimi) with greater amberjack, uni and otoro, and also tried steamed egg, cold udon, mango pudding and a croquette from the review event. For two women, one kaisendon plus one sashimi moriawase is a better order than two kaisendon.
Casedby Seongsu is a custom phone case studio near Yeonmujang-gil in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, where you design your own case with photos and text. The writer linked a smartphone by QR code and made a case with cycling trip photos and an English phrase in just 2–3 minutes; a clear case costs ₩22,800 and a MagSafe case ₩28,700, and the separate lens protector case was the favorite detail. Casedby Seongsu is an easy, fun Seongsu stop for a date or for friendship and anniversary keepsakes.
Center Coffee Gwanghwamun is a specialty coffee café on the B1 floor of SFC Mall in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, near Cheonggyecheon. On a rainy Saturday evening the writer ordered an Ethiopia Guji Hambela Wate Honey G1 hand drip, an oat latte and a baton financier, and also browsed the bean aroma corner and the 9th-anniversary sensory cup. All three items were satisfying, so Center Coffee lived up to expectations once again.
Respire Bakery Cafe Seochon is a bakery café with a yellow awning on Hyoja-ro 13-gil in Seochon, Jongno, Seoul, near Gyeongbokgung Station. On a weekday afternoon date, after a beef lunch, the writer ordered pumpkin ciabatta, basil tomato ciabatta, a hot Americano and an iced latte; the pumpkin ciabatta, warmed in a Balmuda toaster, was packed with big, chewy chunks of pumpkin. Even on a full stomach, the bread and coffee at Respire Bakery Cafe Seochon were delicious enough to make the stop a happy one.
bd Burger Seongsu (비디버거) is a handmade burger restaurant on Yeonmujang-gil near Musinsa, by Seongsu Station in Seoul. On a fourth visit, the writer paired the wasabi shrimp burger and the grilled shrimp avocado burger with fried eggplant and mushrooms, cheese fries and a Budweiser for a daytime-beer lunch. bd Burger Seongsu remains the writer's favorite burger place, with 30 minutes of pure happiness.
Something About Coffee (썸띵어바웃커피) is a three-floor dessert café on Gangnam-daero 102-gil, between Gangnam Station and Sinnonhyeon Station in Seoul, with green terraces shaded by awnings on the 1st and 2nd floors. At Something About Coffee the writer tried a black sesame latte, a slightly acidic Americano, a mango cream cake with mango packed in like bricks, and butter tteok (chewy butter rice cake). The mango cream cake is the one menu item worth a strong recommendation.
Mano di Chef Samsung Branch is an Italian restaurant on basement level 1 of the Dongseong Building near Samseong Station and Coex in Gangnam, Seoul; the writer chose it after reading it had been a Blue Ribbon pick for 6 years in a row. Over lunch with a friend, the writer ordered gamtae (sea trumpet seaweed) pesto & octopus gnocchi and black sesame & mushroom risotto, and found the salty gamtae pesto and the nutty, rich black sesame refreshingly new. With its upscale atmosphere, private rooms and free corkage, Mano di Chef Samsung Branch makes a solid choice for dates, blind dates and team dinners.
