Late Table Regular · 14 stories

A Late Table on Geumnamno

Writes about restaurants and everyday meals around Gwangju and Jeolla. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Bars · Shopping

PlacePyeongtaek, GyeonggiRestaurants

Pyeongtaek hanok restaurant: weekday croaker lunch for 3, Suksudaega

Suksudaega (숙수대가) is a hanok-style hanjeongsik (Korean set-meal) restaurant on Gangbyeon-ro in Anjung-eup, Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi. The writer booked a weekday lunch with two friends and ate the weekday croaker special at a window table, a course running from porridge and mul-kimchi (water kimchi) to tteokgalbi (grilled short rib patties), one grilled croaker per person, stone-pot rice and plum tea. Nothing was too salty and the whole spread was well balanced, so Suksudaega is a good pick for a quiet meal or a formal occasion.

Written Jun 10, 2026Sponsored
PlaceCheonan, ChungnamRestaurants

Cheonan soy crab lunch with wasabi after a Taejosan walk: Huni Gejang

Huni Gejang Cheonan Main Branch is a blue crab gejang (marinated raw crab) restaurant on Taejosan-gil in Yuryang-dong, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan. After a walk on Taejosan with a friend, the writer had the crab set meal for 2 for lunch and especially loved soy-marinated crab topped with wasabi and crab-meat bibimbap wrapped in raw seaweed with flying fish roe. With a large parking lot and a clean dining hall, Huni Gejang Cheonan Main Branch is a good fit for a hearty crab lunch after a Taejosan walk.

Written Jun 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNamdong, IncheonThings to do

Incheon reservation garage: oil change and underbody check, Smile Auto

Smile Auto (스마일자동차공업사) is a reservation-based garage on Hachon-ro in Namdong, Incheon. After booking through Naver Reservation, the writer had an engine oil change at Smile Auto with no wait, plus a complimentary washer fluid top-up, free residual oil removal, an air filter comparison, an underbody check and engine bay dust cleaning, all without pushy upselling. The verdict: Smile Auto is a thorough, friendly Incheon garage worth recommending.

Written Jun 17, 2026Sponsored
PlacePyeongtaek, GyeonggiRestaurants

Pyeongtaek Dongsak-dong sundaeguk lunch with a friend: Old Gyeongseong

Old Gyeongseong Sundaeguk Pyeongtaek Jije Dongsak Branch is a sundaeguk (pork blood sausage soup) restaurant on Mosan 1-gil in Dongsak-dong, Pyeongtaek. On a weekday lunch the writer and a friend both ordered the basic sundaeguk and found the broth deep with no gamey smell and the organ meats, including osori gamtu (pork stomach), generous; the restaurant also has a rear parking lot, baby chairs, a self-serve bar and uncooked takeout at 15,000 won for 3 servings after a dine-in meal. Old Gyeongseong Sundaeguk is a Dongsak-dong lunch spot worth returning to.

Written Jun 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceCheonan, ChungnamCafés

Cheonan café with a glass-floor Stairway to Heaven: Steel Green Bakery

Steel Green Bakery is a large bakery café near Cheonho Reservoir in Seonggeo-eup, Cheonan, that runs its entire building, floors 1 to 4, as a café. The writer toured the 1st-floor bakery, the plant-filled 2nd floor, the 3rd-floor seminar room and the 4th-floor rooftop with its clear-glass Stairway to Heaven photo spot, then enjoyed an iced americano, the Green Berry Einspanner and bread. With a large private car park and photo spots, Steel Green Bakery is a big Cheonan café well worth it for a weekend date or family outing.

Written Jul 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceCheonan, ChungnamRestaurants

Cheonan fish grill lunch for visiting friends: oven mackerel set for 4

Hwadeuro-ganggodeungeo Cheonan Main Branch (화덕으로간고등어 천안본점) is a Korean grilled fish restaurant in Baekseok-dong, Cheonan, that serves set meals of fish grilled in a wood-fired oven. To welcome friends who had travelled from far away, the writer pre-ordered the oven-grilled mackerel set for 4 and paired it with tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), japchae (glass noodles) and nurungji (scorched rice) from the unlimited salad bar. The oven-grilled mackerel at Hwadeuro-ganggodeungeo was crispy outside and moist inside, tastier than ordinary grilled fish, and the friends left happy.

Written Jul 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeongdeungpo, SeoulBars

Solo pre-train tteokbokki and Cheongha at Yeongdeungpo bar Yeokjeon

Yeokjeon Pojangmacha Yeongdeungpo is a retro-style bar and pub on the 2nd floor near Yeongdeungpo Station in Seoul. With time to spare before a train, the writer drank alone, ordering iced draft beer and a bottle of Cheongha (clear rice wine) with beef brisket tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) loaded with fish cake, ramen and jjolmyeon (chewy noodles). Verdict: Yeokjeon Pojangmacha Yeongdeungpo is good value and an easy, low-pressure Yeongdeungpo Station bar for drinking solo.

Written Jul 22, 2026Sponsored
PlacePyeongtaek, GyeonggiRestaurants

Pyeongtaek lamb restaurant for soju and chive dumplings: Hwaro Yangmi

Hwaro Yangmi Pyeongtaek Court Branch (화로양미 평택법원점) is a charcoal-grilled lamb rib and lamb restaurant on Bijeon 2-ro in Dongsak-dong, Pyeongtaek. On a cold, windy day the blogger and a friend shared the Lamb Special Set for two with soju, then ordered chive dumplings as a meal, while staff grilled everything from start to finish so they could eat in comfort. Lamb ribs with no gamey smell, bite-size seasoned mini ribs and fragrant chive dumplings made Hwaro Yangmi a memorable night of drinks.

Written Oct 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceCheonan, ChungnamRestaurants

Cheonan yukgaejang restaurant: traditional vs fire spice, Yukdaejang

Yukdaejang Cheonan Baekseok Branch (육대장 천안백석점) is a yukgaejang (spicy beef soup) restaurant on Handeul 2-ro in Baekseok-dong, Cheonan. Three friends visited on a weekday just after 11 a.m. and ordered 2 bowls of Old-Style Traditional Yukgaejang and 1 bowl of Fire Yukgaejang to compare the taste. If you can't handle much spice, start with the deep, savory Old-Style Traditional Yukgaejang; if you're craving heat, pick the Fire Yukgaejang.

Written Oct 6, 2026Sponsored
PlacePyeongtaek, GyeonggiCafés

Pyeongtaek bakery café with glass-walled fall seats and Sisup Brunch

Sisup is a large weekend-only bakery café set in the woods of Hyeondeok-myeon, Pyeongtaek. On a cool fall weekend, the writer and a friend escaped the wind at Sisup's glass-walled indoor seats and shared the Sisup Brunch, an almond cream latte and a thick jujube tea. Sisup opens only on weekends, so you have to plan around it, but this forest-view café is worth the effort.

Written Oct 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceCheonan, ChungnamRestaurants

Cheonan jjukkumi lunch with cold cucumber soup: Bulnaneun Jjukkumi

Bulnaneun Jjukkumi Main Branch is a jjukkumi (spicy stir-fried webfoot octopus) restaurant on Handeul 2-ro in Baekseok-dong, Cheonan. On a friend's recommendation, the writer came for lunch and ordered the jjukkumi stir-fry + pot rice + shrimp tempura set for two at regular spice. The pot rice was turned into nurungji (scorched rice), and the jjukkumi and vegetables were mixed in to finish. With a large parking lot, a self-serve side bar and cold cucumber soup, Bulnaneun Jjukkumi Main Branch is an easy pick for a lunch meetup.

Written Aug 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiBars

Suwon Station bar with whelk salad and cheese dakgalbi: Manseokjip

Manseokjip Suwon Station Branch is a room-style Korean pub on the 2nd and 3rd floors of a building on Rodeo Street near Suwon Station, Gyeonggi. After wandering near the writer's accommodation, the visit started with golbaengi muchim (spicy whelk salad) with draft beer and soju, added cheese dakgalbi, and stayed cool through a heat wave thanks to an air conditioner in every room. Manseokjip Suwon Station Branch is a good choice when you want tasty bar food and a private atmosphere in one place.

Written Aug 7, 2026Sponsored