Rice Block Neighbor · 12 stories

Dongne Bap

I write about restaurants I visit around Seoul. · Writes about: Restaurants · Bars · Cafés · Stays

PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Gwanghwamun Korean restaurant: catch-up dinner and tteokbokki at SABAL

SABAL is a Korean restaurant inside Gyeonghuigung Achim Complex 3, between Gyeongbokgung Station and Gwanghwamun Station in Jongno, Seoul. Over a catch-up dinner with a long-unseen friend, the writer ordered the oyster, mushroom and black sesame perilla soup noodles and the owner's-choice old-style tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes); the standouts were the ranch-dressed rakkyo (pickled shallots), refilled once, and the rich, nutty perilla broth. SABAL left the friend asking how anyone finds places like this, and it is a Korean restaurant worth recommending for lunch or a date in Gwanghwamun.

Written Oct 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulCafés

Yeonnam-dong rooftop café: low-acid Guatemala & tiramisu, Central Site

Central Site Yeonnam is a roastery café on Yeonhui-ro in Mapo, Seoul, best known for special drip coffee brewed from beans it roasts itself and for tiramisu. During an outing around Yeonhui-dong and Yeonnam-dong, the writer ordered Guatemala Entre Volcanes, the least acidic of Central Site Yeonnam's special brewing coffees, with a classic tiramisu, and enjoyed both on a third-floor rooftop packed with customers. If you want easy-drinking, low-acid drip coffee alongside a tiramisu with a rich coffee flavor, Central Site Yeonnam is a good fit.

Written Oct 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYangcheon, SeoulRestaurants

Sinjeongnegeori udon shop for hot gakgi udon and icy soba: Haengbokhan

Haengbokhan Udon Gage Sinjeongnegeori Station Branch (행복한우동가게) is an udon and Korean snack restaurant right in front of Sinjeongnegeori Station in Yangcheon, Seoul, open daily from 11am to 3am the next day. The writer paired hot gakgi udon with jangban soba (tray soba) in icy, slushy broth for warm soup and cold noodles together, and the side of old-style donkatsu was moist under the sauce and crisp where it had none. Haengbokhan Udon Gage is a solid pick for a quick meal or a late second round.

Written Jun 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Mangwon Market taco spot worth revisiting: mango shrimp taco, Taco Dot

Taco Dot Mangwon Market Main Branch is a Mexican restaurant in the alley between Mangwon Station Exit 2 and Mangwon Market in Mapo, Seoul. On one of many return visits, the writer ordered a carnitas taco, a mango shrimp taco, a chimichanga and a pineapple Jarritos, and the sweet-and-salty mango shrimp taco was the writer's favorite. Taco Dot is a Mangwon taco and chimichanga spot where every friend the writer brings wants to come back.

Written Oct 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangseo, SeoulRestaurants

Magok Japanese restaurant for a blind date, mango milk pudding: Ilpum

Ilpum Magok is a premium Japanese restaurant near Magok Station in Gangseo, Seoul, serving eel, sushi and kaisendon (seafood rice bowl). The writer ordered the kaisendon and the premium kaisendon and was happy with everything that came with them, from steamed egg and fried fish cake udon to milk pudding topped with mango puree. With its toned-down wood interior, Ilpum Magok is a solid pick in Magok for a blind date or a meal with parents.

Written Jun 10, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeodaemun, SeoulCafés

Yeonnam-dong bakery: rump bun outshines garlic baguette, Mandong Jegwa

Mandong Jegwa Yeonnam Branch is a takeout-only bakery on Yeonhui-ro in Seodaemun, Seoul, and a Yeonnam-dong bakery-tour stop famous for its rich garlic baguette. The writer came for the garlic baguette, picked four breads (maple, rump bun, garlic baguette and pretzel), and fell for a chestnut, red bean and mugwort sample despite disliking mugwort. Verdict: Mandong Jegwa's garlic baguette is excellent, but the rump bun is so memorable the writer plans to buy about five next time.

Written Oct 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGuro, SeoulRestaurants

Sindorim jokbal with a friend: soy garlic & bossam combo, The Jokbal

The Jokbal Sindorim Main Branch is a jokbal (braised pork trotters) and bossam (boiled pork wraps) restaurant on the first floor of the Sindorim 3rd Prugio apartment shopping arcade, between Sindorim Station and Guro Station in Seoul. After a satisfying visit with her mother, the writer came back with a friend, ordered the pick-your-own 3-dish combo of jokbal, bossam and soy garlic jokbal, and the owner added a free sample of cold jokbal salad. The Jokbal Sindorim Main Branch is on the small side, but it is a good Sindorim jokbal spot for tasting three flavors in small portions.

Written Jun 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Yeonnam-dong pasta restaurant with DIY salmon sushi: Pastiar

Pastiar (파스티아르) is a pasta restaurant on the second floor of a building in an alley in Yeonnam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, with a cozy European-style interior and big windows that suit dates, catch-ups with friends and family meals. At Pastiar the writer ordered the salmon plate, the signature ragu pasta and a lemon hibiscus specialty drink; the salmon plate came with rice, onions and sauce for making sushi yourself. The salmon was soft and not fishy and the thick ragu pasta was wiped clean, so Pastiar is a good pick in Yeonnam-dong for pasta and salmon together.

Written Oct 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulCafés

Seochon café for choco cute spitzen and cold brew latte: The Baum

The Baum Gyeongbokgung Branch is a baumkuchen dessert café in Seochon, Seoul, near Exit 2 of Gyeongbokgung Station on Line 3. From a back table on the second floor, the writer paired choco cute spitzen, custard baum and yanggaeng cream baum (red bean jelly and choux cream) with a cold brew latte, and the cold brew cut the sweetness of the baumkuchen especially well. The Baum is an easy stop on a Gyeongbokgung date course or when picking out a dessert gift.

Written Sep 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Mapo Station gyukatsu vs yakiniku set, finished as rice soup: Gyudo

Premium Gyukatsu Gyudo Mapo Gongdeok Main Branch is a premium Japanese gyukatsu (fried beef cutlet) restaurant in Mapo, Seoul, linked directly to Mapo Station on Line 5 without going outside. The order was the yakiniku set — a smoked gyukatsu set plus a smoked yakiniku set with gamtae seaweed pollack roe and a drink — and the meal ended by pouring tonkotsu broth over kettle rice like a Korean rice soup. The verdict at Gyudo: the yakiniku grilled right at the table beat the gyukatsu.

Written Sep 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeongdeungpo, SeoulBars

Dangsan Station izakaya for beef brisket sukiyaki with noodles: Kaken

Kaken is an izakaya tucked into an alley near Dangsan Station Exit 2 in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul. At a semi-outdoor style table, the writer had heart, chicken tenderloin and tsukune skewers with a Suntory highball, then beef brisket sukiyaki with an extra portion of noodles. The noodles soaked up the sukiyaki broth so well that Kaken is worth a return trip once the nights turn cold.

Written Sep 20, 2026Sponsored
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