Sunset Coast Diner · 60 stories

A Noon Table in Dadaepo

Writes about small restaurants and market meals around Busan and South Gyeongsang. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Bars · Shopping · Stays

PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Eel rice bowl for bone-wary eaters at Seolleung Station: Manmok

Manmok (만목) is a Japanese restaurant specializing in eel rice bowls on Seolleung-ro 82-gil near Seolleung Station in Gangnam, Seoul. The writer, who usually avoids eel rice bowls for fear of the bones, went with a friend on a hot day for a stamina meal; each ordered a whole-eel rice bowl, served with chawanmushi (Japanese steamed egg custard), matsutake mushroom soup, wasabi and sansho (Japanese pepper), plus a choice of black tea or green tea dessert. With solo seats and a large group table, Manmok is an easy eel rice bowl spot near Seolleung Station for both eating alone and company dinners.

Written Jun 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGoyang, GyeonggiRestaurants

Daehwa Station cypress steam dinner with extra beef: Pyeonbaekrim

Pyeonbaekrim is a Japanese restaurant specialising in cypress-steamed dishes, on the 2nd floor of KINTEX Plaza right outside Exit 2 of Daehwa Station in Ilsan, Goyang. Having only tried Pyeonbaekrim as takeout before, the writer dined in for the first time for an evening get-together and ordered the extra-meat beef cypress steam set, with no rice or noodles, for ₩15,000 per person. With beef packed over bean sprouts, a self-serve corner and friendly service, Pyeonbaekrim is a light, good-value meal worth recommending.

Written Oct 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Nacho shop 2 min from Mangwon Hangang Park: soboro nachos, Macho Nacho

Macho Nacho is a nacho shop on Huiujeong-ro in Mapo, Seoul, a 2–3 minute walk from the pedestrian underpass (the "rabbit-hole" tunnel) into Mangwon Hangang Park. During a Han River picnic with a friend, the writer ordered meat soboro nachos (14,400 won) to go, with extra guacamole and cheese as a beer snack, and watched the guacamole being made fresh and the cheese melted with a torch. Macho Nacho is a handy spot to stroll over to mid-picnic and pick up nachos to go with beer by the Han River.

Written Jun 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeodaemun, SeoulRestaurants

Solo at a Hongdae salad shop: extra-tuna Tuna Classic Salad, Slow Cali

Slow Cali Hongdae Entrance Station Branch is a salad and poke restaurant near Exit 4 of Hongik Univ. Station in Seodaemun, Seoul. Before meeting a friend, the writer stopped in alone for a rice-free Tuna Classic Salad with extra tuna and extra greens, plus truffle mushroom soup and an iced Americano. With generous piles of raw tuna, friendly and fast service, and window seats with outlets, Slow Cali is an easy recommendation for a solo salad meal in Hongdae.

Written Jun 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulCafés

Yeonnam-dong hand drip café: cherry cola Sudan Rume, Central Site

Central Site Yeonnam is a hand drip café in Yeonnam-dong, Mapo, Seoul, about a 5–10 minute walk from Hongik Univ. Station. The writer smelled the beans one by one, then ordered an iced Colombia El Diviso Sudan Rume anaerobic natural with cherry cola and vanilla ice cream aromas, and also tried the classic tiramisu and checked out the laptop seats on the 1st and 2nd floors. For bright coffee with lively acidity and friendly bean guidance, Central Site Yeonnam is a great fit among Yeonnam-dong cafés.

Written Jun 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulCafés

Hongdae café, raspberry & low-sugar yogurt sands: Butter & Shelter

Butter & Shelter Yeonnam is a dessert café specializing in butter sands (butter cream sandwich cookies) in Yeonnam-dong, Seoul, about a 10-minute walk from Hongik Univ. Station. The writer and a friend ordered three butter sands (original, raspberry cream cheese and low-sugar yogurt) and two iced Americanos. They found the butter flavor nutty and the sands not too sweet. Butter & Shelter Yeonnam is a good fit for anyone looking for pretty, tasty dessert gift boxes in Hongdae and Yeonnam-dong.

Written Jun 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGoyang, GyeonggiRestaurants

Ilsan tonkatsu restaurant: hirekatsu five ways, owner's tip, Kitsuki

Kitsuki Ilsan Bamridan-gil Branch is a tonkatsu (Japanese pork cutlet) restaurant at the entrance to Bamridan-gil in Ilsandong-gu, Goyang, Gyeonggi. The writer booked ahead, ordered the hirekatsu, rosukatsu and perilla cream udon set (44,500 won), and tasted the hirekatsu five ways as the owner suggested: with salt, perilla oil, mild mustard, demi-glace sauce and seed jeotgal (salted seafood relish). Verdict: the hirekatsu with perilla oil and salt and the perilla cream udon at Kitsuki are reason enough to come back.

Written Jun 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeodaemun, SeoulCafés

Yeonnam-dong bakery beyond garlic bread: Emmental gift, Mandong Jegwa

Mandong Jegwa Yeonnam Branch is a bakery in Yeonnam-dong near Hongik Univ. Station in Seoul, best known for its garlic bread. On an early weekday evening, the writer skipped the usual garlic bread, chose an Emmental cheese bread and a cucumber baguette (cucumber cream cheese bread), and gave the whole Emmental cheese bread to a friend. Mandong Jegwa is worth a trip for the Emmental cheese bread and cucumber baguette, not just the garlic bread.

Written Jun 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulCafés

Hongdae café by Exit 6: strawberry crunch soufflé, Think Fruit

Think Fruit is a soufflé pancake dessert café on a side street near Exit 6 of Hongik Univ. Station (Gyeongui-Jungang Line and AREX side) in Mapo, Seoul. The writer and a friend chose the basic strawberry soufflé over the premium strawberry soufflé, with an iced Americano and tea, and the soufflé, topped with fresh strawberries, strawberry crunch, whipped cream and strawberry ice cream, was soft with no milky smell. For a fluffy, not-too-sweet strawberry soufflé pancake, the basic strawberry soufflé at Think Fruit is plenty.

Written Jun 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Sushi spot by Hapjeong Station: summer herring nigiri, Sushi Sakaba

Sushi Sakaba Hapjeong is a sushi izakaya on the 2nd floor, about 5 minutes on foot from Hapjeong Station in Mapo, Seoul, reopened after a renewal of the former Hapjeong sushi restaurant (합정초밥집). For a summer lunch, two people ordered the Hap sushi set at 24,000 won each, which came with 12 pieces of sushi, cold udon and a mini steamed egg. The first-ever herring sushi, aged salmon and tuna belly stood out. Verdict: after the renewal, the sushi at Sushi Sakaba Hapjeong tastes the same or even better.

Written Jun 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Outdoor pork BBQ night in Hapjeong with mul naengmyeon: Jeongyukdo

Jeongyukdo is a Korean BBQ restaurant about a 5-minute walk from Hapjeong Station in Mapo, Seoul, with outdoor seating for an open-air BBQ night. Two friends shared Jeongyukdo's Korean pork set for 2-3 people (500g of grade 1 Korean pork: fresh galbi, kkot moksal (marbled pork neck) and pork belly), machine-made mul naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles in icy broth), rice and kimchi fried rice, and the pork neck and refreshing cold noodles stood out. Jeongyukdo near Hapjeong Station is a good-value pick when you want a filling pork BBQ meal.

Written Jun 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hongdae Korean BBQ revisit, jalapeño sauce and myeongi namul: Gogikkun

Gogikkun Gim Chunbae Hongdae Main Branch is a 3rd-floor Korean BBQ restaurant in Hongdae, Mapo, Seoul, about a 5-minute walk from Exit 9 of Hongik Univ. Station, where you can grill beef and pork together. Returning for the tasty beef and friendly service, the writer had the hanwoo/handon (Korean beef and pork) set, kkakttukbap (diced radish kimchi rice) and half-and-half naengmyeon (cold noodles) on a weekday evening, and was most impressed by the jalapeño sauce, the generous myeongi namul (pickled wild garlic leaves) and staff who brought what was needed before being asked. For a Korean BBQ restaurant in Hongdae with both quality meat and good service, Gogikkun Gim Chunbae Hongdae Main Branch is worth recommending.

Written Jun 24, 2026Sponsored