Fridge Notes · 9 stories

Fridge Magnet

I write about everyday life at home and the small details I notice along the way. · Writes about: Home & living · Restaurants · Cafés

PlaceNam-gu, UlsanRestaurants

Ulsan shabu-shabu buffet with yukhoe, mango and passion fruit: Wabom

Wabom Ulsan Mugeo Branch is a shabu-shabu buffet on the 10th floor of Hansol Apple Tower in Mugeo-dong, Nam-gu, Ulsan. Over a weekend lunch at Wabom Ulsan Mugeo Branch, the writer had shabu-shabu in half-mild, half-spicy broth. From the self-serve bar came sushi, tempura, yukhoe (Korean beef tartare), desserts, sliced frozen mango and passion fruit. If you like fruit and enjoy sampling a little of many dishes, Wabom Ulsan Mugeo Branch is worth adding to your list of places to revisit.

Written Jun 10, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

11am opening sushi with Mom in Gwanghwamun, sashimi: Elephant Sushi

Elephant Sushi Gwanghwamun (코끼리초밥 광화문점) is a sushi restaurant on the B1 level of the KT Gwanghwamun Building near Gwanghwamun Station in Jongno, Seoul. During a Seoul trip, the writer and her mom arrived for the weekday 11am opening and ordered the assorted sashimi for 2 and the Elephant A set (10 pieces plus somen, 19,000 won); a line had formed 10 minutes before opening, and Elephant Sushi Gwanghwamun was full by about 11:20am. Both the sashimi and the sushi were satisfying, so Elephant Sushi Gwanghwamun is worth arriving at opening time for a weekday lunch.

Written Oct 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Sinnonhyeon gyukatsu dinner with Mom, first night in Seoul: Ichigyu

Ichigyu Gangnam Sinnonhyeon Branch is a Japanese-style beef restaurant near Sinnonhyeon Station in Gangnam, Seoul, where diners grill gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet) and steki (steak) themselves on a personal tabletop grill. On the first night of a Seoul trip, the writer and her mother, in her 60s, ordered the Ichigyu gyukatsu set (₩19,500), the Ichigyu steki set (₩19,500), karaage and shrimp tempura, and Kirin draft beer, and the beef grilled in Isigny salted butter was very tender. Ichigyu's portions are not huge, but if meat quality matters most, ordering one of each set and sharing is the combination to get.

Written Oct 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGyeongju, GyeongbukCafés

Quiet Gyeongju Bomun café where the americano beat bingsu: Bibibidang

Bibibidang Gyeongju is a quiet café on the first floor of the Uyang Museum at the Hilton Gyeongju in the Bomun area of Gyeongju, Gyeongbuk. A Gyeongju resident of 13 years visited with her husband and ordered the basic red bean bingsu (shaved ice with sweet red beans) on a milk-ice base, an americano and a milk tea, and the americano stayed with her more than the bingsu. In one line, Bibibidang Gyeongju is the café you visit for bingsu and leave won over by the coffee.

Written Jun 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNam-gu, UlsanRestaurants

Ulsan shabu buffet near Gongeoptap, Saturday lunch wait: Shabre Garden

Shabre Garden The Black (Shabre Garden Ulsan Nam-gu Branch) is a new shabu-shabu and sushi buffet on Suam-ro near Gongeoptap in Nam-gu, Ulsan. The writer queued for Saturday lunch, passing the time in the warehouse-style pharmacy on the building's ground floor, then enjoyed thick salmon sushi, surprisingly good pasta, and waffle, chocolate fondue and pineapple desserts. Shabre Garden The Black has a real weekend wait, but the verdict is that the wait was worth it.

Written Jun 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceUlju, UlsanCafés

Ulsan bakery café with a bubble fountain: black sausage bread at MUG

MUG (카페 먹) is a large charred-wood bakery café in Sangbuk-myeon (Eonyang), Ulju, Ulsan. On an outing with her mom, the writer took in MUG's mountain view, a water feature that sends up soap bubbles and a Halloween photo zone, then ate black sausage bread and olive cheese ciabatta. She expected ordinary big-café bread, but the bread at MUG turned out to be the biggest highlight.

Written Oct 10, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGyeongju, GyeongbukCafés

Gyeongju walnut pastry shop with rice pound cake texture: Buja Hodu

Buja Hodu (부자호두) is a rice-dough walnut pastry shop on Hwangnidan-gil in Gyeongju, right next to Gyeongju Tokyo Pie. The writer bought a 24-piece mix of red bean, matcha and pea cream cheese walnut pastries for 27,000 won and shared it with a mother in her 60s who doesn't usually enjoy sweets, and both loved the dense, rice-pound-cake-like texture, the big walnuts and the not-too-sweet taste. If you want a Gyeongju souvenir other than Hwangnam bread or chalboribbang (barley pancakes), Buja Hodu walnut pastries are a safe gift for older relatives.

Written Oct 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGyeongju, GyeongbukCafés

Gyeongju dessert shop: less-sweet egg tarts & mochi for mom, Tareudang

Tareudang (타르당) is a takeout dessert shop specializing in fresh fruit mochi and egg tarts on Sajeong-ro in Hwangnidang-gil, Gyeongju. After queuing, the writer took home a fig yogurt mochi, a gold kiwi mochi, an egg tart and a mango egg tart to share with their mom in her 60s; the big pieces of fresh fruit, chewy rice cake that doesn't stick to your teeth and a sweetness milder than expected stood out. Tareudang is a Hwangnidang-gil snack that's easy to share with parents who find sweet desserts too much.

Written Oct 3, 2026Sponsored
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