Clean Plate Dong · 14 stories

The Empty Side Plate

I write about restaurant meals and small dining stops around Gangwon. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Bars · Things to do

PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Gangnam eel restaurant: 8pm solo walk-in & open kitchen, Yangsando

Yangsando Yeoksam (양산도 역삼점) is a restaurant specializing in Nagoya-style hitsumabushi (grilled eel over rice), located between Yeoksam Station and Gangnam Station in Gangnam, Seoul. On a weekday around 8pm, the writer walked into Yangsando Yeoksam alone with no wait. They ate the special hitsumabushi set three ways in a calm dining room facing the open kitchen, then finished with soba (buckwheat noodles), steamed egg and plum tea. Verdict: Yangsando Yeoksam suits anyone in Gangnam who wants a proper sit-down dinner alone, not just a quick bite.

Written Nov 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGyeongju, GyeongbukRestaurants

Gyeongju Korean restaurant, no-wait weekday dinner for ₩60,000: Goyu

Goyu (고유) is a modern Korean restaurant on Hwangnidan-gil in Gyeongju that serves traditional Korean dishes with a contemporary twist. On a weekday at 7:30pm the writer walked into Goyu with no wait. The order was slow-boiled pork kimchi jjim (braised kimchi stew) for two at ₩30,000, Hanwoo yukhoe bibim memil noodles (Korean beef tartare on spicy buckwheat noodles) at ₩18,000 and a cheese potato pancake at ₩12,000, and the meaty seaweed soup served as a side was also satisfying. If you want a filling Korean meal with a slightly different take on Hwangnidan-gil, Goyu is a good fit.

Written Oct 30, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, DaeguCafés

Yakjeon Alley dog café in Daegu: play, bath, blueberry cheese bingsu

Daenghaus&Bingsuking is a dog-friendly café in Yakjeon Alley (약전골목), Jung-gu, Daegu, that also runs a dog kindergarten, dog hotel and grooming salon. At Daenghaus&Bingsuking, the writer's dog Jerry ran freely in the 1st-floor yard and the 2nd-floor mat play zone, then got washed in the bathing area while the writer enjoyed a blueberry cheese bingsu (Korean shaved ice). If you want dog playtime, a pre-home clean-up and dessert for yourself in one stop, Daenghaus&Bingsuking is a great fit.

Written Oct 22, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJeju, JejuBars

Ido 2-dong bar in Jeju for whelk gambas and bread: Golbaengi Pocha

Golbaengi Pocha (골뱅이포차) is a whelk-focused pocha (casual Korean pub) in Ido 2-dong, Jeju City, near Jeju City Hall. On this visit the writer ordered Golbaengi Pocha's uncommon whelk gambas, with chewy whelk and shrimp in garlic olive oil, and liked the bread so much that they ordered a second serving. For a bar snack near Jeju City Hall that breaks from the usual, Golbaengi Pocha's whelk gambas with extra bread is worth ordering.

Written Jul 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJeju, JejuRestaurants

Hamdeok black pork BBQ dinner by folding windows: Jeju Samchun

Jeju Samchun is a black pork barbecue restaurant near Hamdeok Beach in Jocheon-eup, Jeju, specializing in 300-hour aged black pork. The writer had dinner at Jeju Samchun amid folding windows and soft lighting, let the staff grill the multi-cut Jocha Set, and finished with a kimchi stew (kimchi jjigae) with whole chunks of pork. For travelers looking for an atmospheric black pork dinner near Hamdeok Beach, Jeju Samchun was a satisfying choice.

Written Jul 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJeju, JejuRestaurants

East Jeju Western restaurant: sous-vide tenderloin, Pyeongdae Alhi

Pyeongdae Alhi Gujwa Pyeongdae-ri (평대앓이 구좌 평대리) is an antique-style Western restaurant on Bijarim-ro in Gujwa-eup, Jeju. On a couple's trip, the writer ordered Pyeongdae Alhi's sous-vide set for two: Alhi salad, Hallasan pasta loaded with slipper lobster (ttaksaeu) and sous-vide tenderloin steak. The meal came with hallabong and green tangerine ades, and both the set's portions and its flavor were satisfying. For a relaxed meal between Snoopy Garden and Bijarim Forest, Pyeongdae Alhi's sous-vide set for two is a great fit.

Written Jul 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJeju, JejuRestaurants

Jeju Airport black pork, meljeot wraps and non-alcoholic beer: Pork80

Pork80 Jeju Airport Branch is a Korean BBQ restaurant on Noyeon-ro in Jeju City that specializes in Nanchuk Matdon, a native Jeju black pork breed. The writer booked ahead and ordered a 600g Nanchuk Matdon platter and yeolmu guksu (young radish noodles). The writer was happy with the chewy binchotan-grilled pork, the meljeot (fermented anchovy sauce) and scallion pairing, and the noodles made with Dongnam Guksu somyeon. With its location close to Jeju Airport and 3 hours of parking support, Pork80 Jeju Airport Branch is a strong pick for the last meal of a Jeju trip.

Written Jul 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceHaeundae, BusanRestaurants

Kyoto-style eel bowl restaurant in Songjeong, Busan with mom: Yuok

Yuok (유옥) is a Japanese restaurant near Songjeong Station in Haeundae, Busan, serving Osaka-style unaju (grilled eel rice bowl). The writer booked ahead with mom and had Yuok's jumbo unaju set: thick eel, a Japanese-style rolled omelet tucked inside the rice bowl, ochazuke (rice in tea broth) to finish and warm plum tea after the meal, plus a Kyoto-like exterior and decor worth browsing. For Japanese food in Songjeong, Yuok is well worth recommending.

Written Jul 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDalseo, DaeguRestaurants

Daegu makchang BBQ with Iberico grilled on kimchi: Supbul Makchang

Supbul Makchang (숲불막창) is a makchang and Korean BBQ restaurant in Bolli-dong, Dalseo, Daegu, that grills Iberico pork makchang (pork intestine) over oak charcoal. In a dining room styled like a 1980s–90s grandma's house, the writer grilled Iberico makchang together with kimchi on the grill and enjoyed the free side dishes of beef radish soup, braised beef (jangjorim) and acorn jelly. With a self-serve corner, baby chairs, toothbrushes and mouthwash, Supbul Makchang is an easy makchang spot in Bolli-dong for family dinners or nights out with friends.

Written Aug 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Jongno sashimi restaurant for aged sashimi and raw shrimp: Suksseong

Suksseong Susan Jongno Main Branch is an aged-sashimi restaurant on the 3rd floor of a building 285 meters from Exit 4 of Jonggak Station in Jongno, Seoul. The writer ordered the aged sashimi for two, made with fish aged at low temperature for over 24 hours, and the raw shrimp sashimi. The aged sashimi was soft to chew with umami that built up, while the raw shrimp sashimi was springy and chewy, so alternating between them was fun. With 120 seats, partitions at every table and free corkage, Suksseong Susan is a good fit for drinks or a team dinner.

Written Aug 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, DaeguRestaurants

Daegu ramen restaurant: two chashu bowls compared at Ryusenso

Ryusenso Dongseong-ro is a tonkotsu ramen restaurant from Busan, located at 57 Gongpyeong-ro 1F, Jung-gu, Daegu. The basic Ryusenso was ordered with extra chashu and the spicy Ryusenso Kara with extra chashu and egg, so the two bowls sat side by side for comparison along with Jeju black pork gyoza and fried shrimp. Both bowls share the same pork bone broth but go in different directions, and the spicy Ryusenso Kara was the better of the two for this writer.

Written Aug 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDong-gu, DaeguCafés

Daegu Shinsegae dessert shop, mango tart at 25,000 won: Siznique

Siznique Shinsegae Department Store Daegu Branch is a fresh-fruit dessert shop on basement level 1 of Shinsegae Department Store in Dong-gu, Daegu. On a weekday at 1pm, the writer stopped by with her niece and chose the mango tart for 25,000 won, which came boxed like a cake even though it is small, so it works as a gift. The price is steep, but the tart is packed so densely with fresh mango that the fruit flavor comes through with no artificial sweetness.

Written Aug 11, 2026Sponsored