Eat Then Write · 27 stories

Dining, Then Writing

I write about meals and restaurant visits in Gwangju and the Jeolla region. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Hair & beauty salons

PlaceGwangsan, GwangjuRestaurants

Sister's first garlic jokbal on Friday, Cheomdan Gwangju: Kkankkanhan

Kkankkanhan Jokbal Main Branch (깐깐한족발 본점) is a jokbal (braised pig's trotters) restaurant on Cheomdanjungang-ro in Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, serving Goheung raw garlic jokbal, charcoal-grilled jokbal, flame-grilled spicy jokbal and bossam (boiled pork wraps). The writer went back on a Friday evening with her older sister, who had never tried garlic jokbal, and ordered the medium Goheung raw garlic jokbal for 45,000 won, which came with free steamed egg and doenjang soup kept hot on a burner. Verdict: Kkankkanhan Jokbal's Goheung raw garlic jokbal is good enough that even a first-timer keeps calling it delicious.

Written Nov 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangsan, GwangjuRestaurants

Cheese waterfall cutlet & cold jjolmyeon in Gwangsan: Jinsim Wang

Jinsim Wang Donkkaseu Cheomdan (진심왕돈까스 첨단점) is a pork cutlet restaurant on Cheomdangangbyeon-ro in Gwangsan, Gwangju. A longtime regular shared a dinner for two of the cheese waterfall cutlet (15,900 won) and, for the first time, the cold jjolmyeon (chewy spicy noodles, 9,500 won), and found both the crispy, cheese-packed cutlet and the sweet, sour, spicy, refreshing noodles satisfying. Jinsim Wang Donkkaseu Cheomdan suits family meals with kids, solo dining, and anyone craving pork cutlet with cold noodles on a hot day.

Written May 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangsan, GwangjuRestaurants

Gwangju Chinese restaurant: seafood tray jjajang and kkanpunggi, Bobae

Bobae Restaurant Cheomdan branch (보배반점 첨단점) is a Chinese restaurant in Cheomdan, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju. A couple ordered the seafood tray jjajang for two at 21,000 won and a mini Samak kkanpunggi (crispy fried chicken in sweet-spicy garlic sauce) at 15,000 won; the shrimp-and-squid-loaded jjajang noodles and the crispy yet juicy kkanpunggi went well together. The portions left two people full, so this combo at Bobae Restaurant is well worth ordering.

Written May 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangsan, GwangjuRestaurants

Tonkatsu dinner for two in Ssangam-dong, Gwangju: cold soba and beer

Jeongseong Katsu, Cheomdan Branch (정성카츠 첨단점) is a Japanese-style tonkatsu restaurant in Ssangam-dong, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju. A couple came around 7:30 PM after work and shared the Jeongseong mixed katsu (₩13,900), cold soba (₩7,900) and sweet potato cheese katsu (₩7,400), with draft beer on the side. Jeongseong Katsu pairs crispy Japanese-style cutlets with refreshing cold soba at reasonable prices.

Written May 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSejongRestaurants

Sejong sushi lunch with coworkers: snow crab tempura at Sushi Resto

Sushi Resto Sejong Sodam Main Branch is a Japanese sushi restaurant in Sodam-dong, near Sejong City Hall, where the writer often has lunch with coworkers and has also held a department dinner. This visit, two plates of the Recommended Sushi 12P (18,000 won each, served with udon and salad) plus a side of 5-piece snow crab tempura (10,000 won) made a filling lunch for two. For a sushi lunch with coworkers or a team dinner near Sejong City Hall, Sushi Resto is a dependable choice.

Written Nov 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNaju, JeonnamRestaurants

Naju shabu-shabu dinner with a new veggie and mushroom bar: Yuyu Shabu

Yuyu Shabu Naju Innovation City branch is a shabu-shabu restaurant in Bitgaram-dong (Innovation City), Naju, Jeonnam. On a return visit, two people ordered the half-and-half shabu at ₩19,000, refilled vegetables twice at the newly added all-you-can-eat vegetable and mushroom self-bar, and finished with kalguksu (knife-cut noodles). For a clean, easy-on-the-stomach dinner, Yuyu Shabu's half-and-half shabu and self-bar are a satisfying choice.

Written May 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYuseong, DaejeonRestaurants

Tent BBQ in Yuseong, Daejeon with cauldron-lid pork: Hanmaeum Tapnip

Hanmaeum Jeongyuk Sikdang Tapnip is a camping-style Korean BBQ restaurant in Yuseong, Daejeon, where diners eat grilled meat inside a tent. On a weekday visit, the writer booked a tent (15,000 won) and ordered the 500g pork platter with five cuts (45,000 won), which staff grilled entirely on a cauldron lid, then enjoyed a campfire, roasted marshmallows and fireworks after the meal. Hanmaeum Jeongyuk Sikdang Tapnip suits families, friends and company dinners who want a camping mood without any preparation.

Written Oct 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBuk-gu, GwangjuRestaurants

Couple's after-work katsu in Cheomdan, Gwangju: shrimp pilaf, Filling

Filling Donkatsu Gwangju Cheomdan Direct Store is a katsu restaurant in Cheomdan, Buk-gu, Gwangju, right in front of the Government Complex. After work, the blogger and her husband ordered the 200-hour tenderloin katsu and a shrimp pilaf (15,000 won) and finished everything, including the included creamy soup, a complimentary fried shrimp and ice cream from the self-serve bar. Verdict: at Filling Donkatsu in Cheomdan, the 200-hour tenderloin katsu is a must, and the shrimp pilaf is a great dish to share alongside it.

Written Jun 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangsan, GwangjuRestaurants

Pasta place in Cheomdan, Gwangju: black pepper white ragù at MooDoo

MooDoo (무두) Cheomdan is a pasta and wood-fired pizza brunch restaurant on the 2nd floor of Yastek Tower in Cheomdan (Ssangam-dong), Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju. The writer and her sister went at noon on a weekday and ordered the black pepper white ragù pasta (₩21,000) and the arugula steak pizza (₩22,500), ₩43,500 in total. MooDoo was full even on a weekday, and the writer's first white ragù pasta was hearty without being greasy.

Written Oct 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeo-gu, DaejeonCafés

Tanbang-dong dessert café in Daejeon: cinnamon roll date at Reelbakers

Reelbakers is a large bakery café on Munjeong-ro in Tanbang-dong, Seo-gu, Daejeon, that bakes and sells everything on the same day. On a weekday stop during a Daejeon trip with her boyfriend, the writer had a cinnamon roll (5,800 won), a raspberry lychee ade (6,500 won) and an americano (4,800 won), and the flaky, moist cinnamon roll and the gently acidic americano were the highlights. For a dessert date café in Tanbang-dong, Reelbakers is a satisfying choice.

Written Jun 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangsan, GwangjuRestaurants

Weeknight duck BBQ wait in Cheomdan, Gwangju: Hyangchon Duck

Hyangchon Duck (향촌오리) is a newly opened charcoal-grilled duck BBQ restaurant in Cheomdan, Gwangju, on Wolgye-ro in Gwangsan-gu. The writer went with a younger sibling on a weekday evening and shared a half duck (₩35,000) with clam shabu-shabu, kalguksu (knife-cut noodles) from the self-serve bar, green onion kimchi and cabbage kimchi, and the restaurant was busy enough that a wait started around 7 p.m. Verdict: a half duck filled two people up and came with a blueberry juice dessert, making Hyangchon Duck a good-value duck BBQ spot in Cheomdan.

Written Oct 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDong-gu, GwangjuRestaurants

Pho restaurant in Dongmyeong-dong, Gwangju: lunch date at Saigonjang

Saigonjang is a Vietnamese restaurant in Dongmyeong-dong, Dong-gu, Gwangju, near the Asia Culture Center (ACC). Two diners shared beef pho (12,000 won), fried rice (12,000 won) and cha gio, Vietnamese fried spring rolls (6,000 won), at lunch and were happy with the clean, refreshing pho broth, fluffy fried rice and crispy cha gio. Saigonjang is a pho spot in Dongmyeong-dong worth recommending for a lunch or date that delivers both atmosphere and flavor.

Written Jun 8, 2026Sponsored