Mirror Table Guest · 54 stories

A Mirror Table on Gwangbok-ro

Writes about cafes, restaurants, and beauty shops she visits around Busan and Gyeongnam. · Writes about: Cafés · Restaurants · Hair & beauty salons · Shopping · Things to do

PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Gwanghwamun Japanese restaurant: New Year meal with parents, Ilpum

Ilpum Gwanghwamun is a Japanese restaurant serving kaisendon (raw seafood rice bowl) and eel rice bowls on B2 of Le Meilleur Jongno Town, between Gwanghwamun Station and Jonggak Station in Jongno, Seoul. The writer booked through Naver and took their parents to Ilpum Gwanghwamun for New Year, ordering the unagi don (eel rice bowl, ₩40,000) and the basic signature kaisendon (₩26,000), each served as a set with chawanmushi (steamed egg custard), tempura udon and mango panna cotta. Thanks to an unagi don that was neither salty nor fishy, Ilpum Gwanghwamun is a good Japanese restaurant in Gwanghwamun for a meal with parents.

Written May 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Gangnam Station poke on meal vouchers: garlic shrimp + egg, Ola Poke

Ola Poke Gangnam is a poke and salad wrap shop on basement level 1 of Ssangyong Platinum, behind Exit 4 of Gangnam Station in Seoul, and it accepts company meal vouchers such as Sikgwondaejang, Siksin E Sikgwon and Payco Sikgwon. For a solo lunch, the writer ordered garlic shrimp poke with an added boiled egg at a ratio of 7 parts brown rice and oats to 3 parts vegetables, plus a custom poke with added chicken breast and a salad wrap. Ola Poke Gangnam suits Gangnam Station office workers who want a healthy lunch on meal vouchers without waiting in line.

Written May 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulCafés

Gangnam Station yogurt café: Marron brunch & family tubs, Lazy Yogurt

Lazy Yogurt Gangnam is a Greek yogurt café in Gangnam, Seoul, a 5-minute walk from Exit 4 of Gangnam Station (Shinbundang Line), that makes its Greek yogurt by hand over 72 hours. The writer had a Marron Single (plain) for brunch, received a blueberry tasting yogurt through the receipt review event, and took home plain Greek yogurt for the family plus a Large Greek yogurt for breakfast. Verdict: Lazy Yogurt Gangnam is a good fit if you want thick, unsweetened Greek yogurt with little tang and a rich milky flavor.

Written May 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulCafés

City Hall bakery café for breakfast bread: pumpkin loaf, Lemangdoré

Lemangdoré Gwanghwamun is a three-floor bakery café on Mugyo-ro in Jung-gu, Seoul, between City Hall Station and Cheonggyecheon. The writer sat by a 2nd-floor window with a croissant sandwich and an oat milk café latte, then took home plenty of pumpkin cream cheese country bread for the next morning's breakfast. For a hearty meal bread packed with real pumpkin, Lemangdoré Gwanghwamun's pumpkin cream cheese country bread is the one to buy.

Written May 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hongdae donburi solo at the bar after shopping: Jongno Donburi

Jongno Donburi Yeonnam is a Japanese rice bowl (donburi) restaurant in a basement on Donggyo-ro 46-gil in Yeonnam-dong, Mapo, Seoul, and the second branch of Jongno Donburi, the Jonggak Station original known for its queues. After shopping near Hongik Univ. Station, the writer avoided peak time and ate solo at the bar table: the day's recommended salmon belly rice bowl with an onsen egg, jumbo fried shrimp (2 pieces, ₩7,000) and the signature karaage. Jongno Donburi Yeonnam offers great quality and generous portions for the price, making it a good fit for solo meals and for evening dates over highballs.

Written May 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYongsan, SeoulRestaurants

Hannam sandwich shop, ciabatta park picnic to go: Dance Dance Dance

Dance Dance Dance Hannam is a baguette and ciabatta sandwich shop on Dokseodang-ro in Yongsan, Seoul. The writer swapped the bread in the baguette sandwich (8,900 won) for ciabatta and also took a chicken breast baguette sandwich (11,900 won) to the park; the sturdy box kept both sandwiches intact on the way, and the bread was the real highlight. Dance Dance Dance Hannam is a picnic-friendly sandwich shop whose bread is good enough to buy on its own.

Written May 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulCafés

Naebang pie café: Family Month walnut-pecan pie, Hodukkakki Brothers

Hodukkakki Brothers Bangbae branch (호두까끼형제 방배점) is a sugar-free handmade nut pie café near Exit 8 of Naebang Station in Seocho, Seoul. As Family Month gifts, the writer took home a whole-size Mix 3 Nuts & Pecan Pie (4 slices each of walnut pie and pecan pie) for the family and a mini-size pie for a friend; the thin, crisp crust, a subtle hint of cinnamon and the dense, fudgy texture that comes out after chilling stood out. Verdict: the writer calls Hodukkakki Brothers' walnut and pecan pies the best they have eaten in Seoul and is now a confirmed regular.

Written May 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYangcheon, SeoulRestaurants

Mokdong bakery for olive ciabatta and country bread: Yours Bake Shop

Yours Bake Shop Mokdong Main Branch is a French-style bakery in the Hyberas building across from Mokdong Complex 1 in Yangcheon, Seoul, known for Belem egg tarts and slow-fermented meal breads. After falling for the egg tarts at a pop-up at Hyundai Department Store's Trade Center branch, the writer visited the Mokdong main branch, found the milk loaf sold out, and took home a sugar-free whole wheat country bread and an olive ciabatta. Yours Bake Shop Mokdong Main Branch is a neighborhood bakery where bread sells out fast, so go before 4 p.m. or reserve on Naver.

Written May 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Gwanghwamun Chinese for parents: tender beef tangsuyuk, Bobo Sikdang

Bobo Sikdang Gwanghwamun is a premium Chinese restaurant by Culinary Class Wars chef Jang Bo-won, on the B1 level of 178 Sejong-daero, Jongno, Seoul. After a May family walk around Cheonggyecheon and Gwanghwamun, the writer's family ordered the new peanut sprout pork stir-fry (28,000 won), beef butter tangsuyuk (sweet and sour fried beef, 45,000 won) and gi-seu noodles (16,000 won), and the beef butter tangsuyuk was soft enough for parents with weak teeth. Bobo Sikdang Gwanghwamun is a solid choice for a Gwanghwamun family gathering with parents.

Written May 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulCafés

Yangjae pie shop, sugar-free pecan pie for Family Month: Hodu Kkakki

Hodu Kkakki Brothers (호두까끼형제) is a takeout-only shop for handmade walnut and pecan pies in Dogok-dong, near Exit 4 of Yangjae Station in Gangnam, Seoul. For Family Month in May, the writer bought a whole Nuts & Pecan Pie to share with family and a mini pecan pie as an office gift, then ate them chilled at home. The verdict: Hodu Kkakki Brothers' sugar-free pecan pie, sweetened with honey and maple syrup, is the best pecan pie the writer has had in Seoul.

Written May 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulThings to do

Anguk studio for parents' driver's license photos: Bukchon Jeongsajin

Bukchon Jeongsajin (북촌 정사진) is a photo studio on Jaedong-gil in Bukchon, near Anguk Station in Jongno, Seoul. From March 2026, driver's license photos must match the passport photo size, so the family had combined passport and driver's license photos taken there at ₩25,000. The parents counted the photos among the best ID photos of their lives, thanks to the many shots and careful one-on-one retouching. The results were good enough that the family ordered extra prints.

Written May 31, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Anguk brunch with brioche eggs Benedict and vegan pasta: Debbie's

Debbie's is a homemade brunch bistro at 45 Changdeokgung-gil, Jongno, Seoul, near Exit 3 of Anguk Station, overlooking Changdeokgung Palace. The writer ordered the Debbie's Benedict (25,000 won), Summer Garden Capellini (24,000 won), Champignon Tagliatelle (26,000 won) and a non-alcoholic Debbie's Mimosa (10,000 won), and the brioche-based eggs Benedict and clean-tasting cream pasta stood out. With its Changdeokgung view and elegant plating, Debbie's is a brunch restaurant well worth a stop on an Anguk and Bukchon date.

Written May 13, 2026Sponsored