Dusk Side Dish · 102 stories

Banchan at Dusk

I write about restaurants I visit around Seoul. · Writes about: Cafés · Restaurants · Bars · Hair & beauty salons

PlaceSeongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Seongsu restaurant in a converted house with jazz: Fleurs sur la route

Fleurs sur la route is a European-style Western restaurant in a converted house on a Seongsu alley near Seoulsup Station in Seoul, with an outdoor terrace where jazz plays. The writer ordered the Fleurs sur la route pizza, potato spinach gnocchi and meat tomato conchiglie, and everyone at the table picked the meat tomato conchiglie as the best dish. Verdict: Fleurs sur la route is worth returning to for a sunny-day date in Seongsu.

Written Apr 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBupyeong, IncheonRestaurants

Sunday lunch Korean BBQ for 4 near Bupyeong Station: Dongducheon

Dongducheon Sotttukkeong Samgyeopsal Bupyeong Branch (동두천솥뚜껑삼겹살 부평점) is a Korean BBQ restaurant near Bupyeong Station in Incheon that grills low-temperature-aged fresh pork belly and pork neck on a large cast-iron pot lid. On a Sunday afternoon, a family of four (parents, older brother and the writer) ordered two half-and-half pork belly and pork neck platters at 35,900 won each and ate them with crab doenjang (soybean paste) stew, steamed egg and fried rice. For four people, two platters and one fried rice at Dongducheon Sotttukkeong Samgyeopsal make a filling Korean BBQ lunch near Bupyeong Station.

Written Nov 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulCafés

Seoulsup rooftop café for three: strawberry & mango soufflés, 5to7

5to7 Seongsu Main Branch is a soufflé dessert café in a three-floor brick building near Seoulsup in Seongdong, Seoul. Three people visited on a Monday, ordered a strawberry soufflé, a mango soufflé, a Dutch americano and a Mocart americano, and explored every floor from the first floor up to the 3rd-floor rooftop terrace. 5to7 Seongsu Main Branch is a date spot worth recommending for a sunny day: soufflés first, then a stroll through Seoulsup.

Written Apr 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeongjong, IncheonRestaurants

Yeongjong octopus restaurant, pancake dipped in sauce: Haesanggung

Haesanggung is a Korean restaurant in Eurwang-dong, Yeongjong, Incheon, near Eurwangni, serving set meals of stir-fried octopus (nakji-bokkeum), whole-octopus scallion pancake and seafood kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup). The writer and her mom ordered the Set B for three (79,000 won) on a weekend afternoon. Even for someone who orders the mild level at Yeopgi Tteokbokki, Haesanggung's octopus stir-fry was just the right heat, and dipping the pancake in the stir-fry sauce was the standout combination. Haesanggung is an easy octopus feast in Yeongjong even for diners who worry about spice.

Written Nov 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNamdong, IncheonRestaurants

Guwol-dong sashimi spot: third amberjack of the year on ice, Veteran

Veteran General Fish Market Incheon Guwol Branch is a sashimi restaurant in Guwol-dong, Namdong-gu, Incheon, serving large amberjack and live-fish sashimi. On a weekend the writer ordered the amberjack plus mixed live sashimi (small) set for ₩52,000, served chilled on an ice plate with salmon, rockfish, flounder and red sea bream, and ate it wrapped with seaweed, pollock roe and perilla leaves. Even as the writer's third amberjack of the year, Veteran's well-marbled amberjack and varied live fish made a meal that never got tiring.

Written Nov 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangseo, SeoulRestaurants

Magok gopdori-tang & meat-stuffed chili peppers: Cheongdam Sundori

Cheongdam Sundori Magok Flagship is a sundae (Korean blood sausage) soup and gopdori-tang (spicy chicken and beef tripe stew) restaurant on B2 of VL Le West Building C, near Exit 1 of Magok Station in Gangseo, Seoul. On a late-evening visit with no wait, the order was handmade fried chili peppers (3 pieces, ₩13,000), Hanwoo daechang gopdori-tang for 2 at medium spice (₩36,000) and ₩100 event soju. The meat-packed chili peppers, odor-free daechang and udon noodles in the stew all satisfied, making Cheongdam Sundori Magok Flagship an easy pick for anything from a bowl of soup to a stew and soju night.

Written Apr 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYangcheon, SeoulRestaurants

Yeomchang Station pizza pub open at 4 p.m.: Pizzatime snacks, Eopija

Eopija is a pizza-and-beer pub near Yeomchang Station in Yangcheon, Seoul, serving thin-crust pizza with draft beer, highballs and whisky from 4 p.m. The writer and her boyfriend ordered Eopija's Set A (half arugula, half cheese pizza with oven spaghetti and a green salad) for ₩29,900 with draft beer, and Pizzatime snacks came as the complimentary bar snack. Eopija is a relaxed early-evening pizza-and-beer date spot near Yeomchang Station that the writer recommends.

Written Nov 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeongjong, IncheonCafés

Photogenic café near Incheon Airport, hot americano: Pink Wall Cafe

Pink Wall Cafe is a large dog- and kid-friendly bakery café on Yongyuseo-ro in Yeongjong, Incheon, near Incheon Airport and Eulwangni. On a cold day, the writer sat indoors with buttery bread and a hot americano (6,500 won) with gentle acidity, and the high ceiling and lighting made for great photos. Pink Wall Cafe suits dates, family outings and solo café visits alike.

Written Nov 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulBars

Seokchon Lake patio pub, ₩59,000 for two: clam scallop soup at Daegang

Daegang (대강) is an aged-sashimi Korean pub on Songni-dan-gil, the café street by Seokchon Lake in Jamsil, Songpa, Seoul. On a Thursday around 7pm, two friends in their 30s waited 30-40 minutes for a patio table, then had mixed aged sashimi, clam and scallop soup with extra kalguksu noodles and a bottle of Saero soju for ₩59,000 in total. Daegang is worth the patio wait on a nice day for a Seokchon Lake date or drinks with friends.

Written Apr 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hongdae sashimi: yellowtail prices and 48,000-won platter, Eosa Chulto

Eosa Chulto Hongdae Branch (어사출또 홍대점) is a live raw fish and seafood restaurant on Donggyo-ro 27-gil near Hongik Univ. in Mapo, Seoul, serving winter yellowtail from November. On a weekday evening, two people ordered the small seasonal sashimi platter for 48,000 won and a bottle of Cass beer. The sashimi was chewy with no fishy taste, and the free spicy fish stew was refreshing and filling. For good-value yellowtail sashimi in Hongdae, Hapjeong or Yeonnam, the writer recommends Eosa Chulto Hongdae Branch.

Written Nov 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Korean BBQ in Mangwon with a street-stall vibe: Dwaejibangatgan

Dwaejibangatgan (돼지방앗간) is a Korean BBQ restaurant specializing in fresh pork belly and pork neck, on the 2nd floor near Exit 2 of Mangwon Station in Seoul, where the floor-to-ceiling windows open wide for a street-stall feel and the meat arrives already grilled over direct flame. Three diners ordered 2 servings each of pork belly and pork neck (₩16,000 per 200g serving), plus perilla oil Jjapaghetti (₩6,000) and icy water naengmyeon (₩7,000), and found the pre-grilled meat easy to eat and the house-pressed sesame and perilla oils especially nutty. Dwaejibangatgan is a Mangwon BBQ spot with airy window seats that suits a date or a family dinner.

Written Apr 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulBars

Hapjeong izakaya with pollock roe and crispy rice chicken: Sujak

Sujak Hapjeong is a Korean izakaya near Hapjeong Station in Mapo, Seoul, open until the early morning. Around 6 p.m., the writer took an open-air window seat and had salty-savory grilled pollock roe (₩14,900), assorted skewers (₩19,900), the Sujak Cheong highball (₩7,900) and dakgangjeong (sweet crispy fried chicken) with nurungji (scorched rice) and shishito peppers (₩19,900) with soju, plus free fries from a Naver review event. Verdict: Sujak Hapjeong has no weak dishes and a great playlist, making it a solid Hapjeong date-night bar.

Written May 2, 2026Sponsored