Far Counter Guest · 11 stories

Far Counter, Seoul/Gyeonggi Bars, Cafes and Restaurants

Writes about bars, cafes, and restaurants she visits around Seoul and Gyeonggi. · Writes about: Bars · Restaurants · Cafés

PlaceYongin, GyeonggiRestaurants

Yongin kalguksu restaurant with hourglass-timed seafood noodles: Yubok

Yubok Kalguksu Yongin Korean Folk Village Branch is a kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) restaurant on Minsokchon-ro in Bora-dong, Giheung-gu, Yongin, run directly by Gongju Yuga Kalguksu. The writer ordered pufferfish seafood kalguksu for 3, timed it with a table hourglass, and found the refreshing pufferfish broth, generous with clams, oysters and sea squirts, went especially well with the cabbage kimchi, which turns spicy after a sweet start. Yubok Kalguksu is a good restaurant near the Korean Folk Village for seafood kalguksu, kimchi refills, and a coffee and ppeongtwigi (puffed rice snack) dessert all in one meal.

Written Jun 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYongin, GyeonggiRestaurants

Yongin duck restaurant: 250g spicy duck ssambap for ₩18,000, Seonbong

Seonbong Sandeomi Ori (선봉산더미오리) is a duck bulgogi and duck shabu-shabu restaurant in Yeokbuk-dong, Cheoin-gu, Yongin. On a weekday lunch we had 2 servings of the spicy Mountain-of-Duck Bulgogi Ssambap (duck bulgogi with lettuce wraps and rice), ₩18,000 per person with 250g of sulfur-fed duck, and finished with whole perilla seed fried rice. Seonbong Sandeomi Ori's spicy duck bulgogi is clean-tasting with no gamey smell, and the heat only cuts the richness, so the fried rice is well worth ordering after it.

Written Oct 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Songridan-gil izakaya date: spicy gopchang hot pot & gyoza, Horanggul

Horanggul Bangi Branch (호랑이굴 방이점) is a Japanese izakaya specializing in motsunabe (gopchang hot pot) on the Bangi-dong food alley, known as Songridan-gil, in Jamsil, Songpa, Seoul. On a date, the writer ordered the spicy Horanggul gopchang hot pot (₩16,500 per person) and a side of chicken skin gyoza (₩11,900). The hot pot was about as spicy as Shin Ramyun, rich and free of any gamey smell, while the gyoza was crispy outside, moist inside and not greasy. Verdict: the fiery gopchang hot pot with crispy chicken skin gyoza is the heart of a date at Horanggul Bangi Branch.

Written Jun 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYongin, GyeonggiRestaurants

Yongin Korean buffet lunch: Andong jjimdak and fish cutlet at Daedong

Daedong Korean Buffet & Dosirak is a Korean buffet, lunchbox and catering restaurant in Yangji-eup, Cheoin-gu, Yongin, near the Yongin rest area. The writer had lunch at Daedong Korean Buffet & Dosirak on July 6, filling a tray with Andong jjimdak (soy-braised chicken), fish cutlet and kimchi bean sprout soup, finishing with homemade sikhye (sweet rice drink) and brewed coffee, then taking a lunchbox home for dinner. At 9,000 won per adult with a long spread of side dishes, Daedong is a great-value meal worth coming back to often.

Written Jul 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Suwon pizzeria, arugula jamón pizza and ₩20,000 corkage: The European

The European Haenggung Main Branch (더유로피언 행궁본점) is a wood-fired pizza Italian restaurant on the craft workshop street in Haenggung-dong, Suwon. On a friend's birthday visit, the arugula jamón pizza (27,000 won) and beef ragù fresh pasta topped with a poached egg (22,000 won) were ordered; The European doesn't allow outside food, but cake candles can be lit, and corkage is 20,000 won per bottle. The European is a Haenggung-dong pizza spot that delivers both atmosphere and flavor for a birthday or anniversary date.

Written Jul 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiCafés

Suwon café with a big group table and coconut coffee: Jeongjiyoung

Jeongjiyoung Coffee Roasters Hwahongmun Branch is a standalone café in a converted old house near Banghwasuryujeong in Haenggung-dong, Suwon. On a hot summer day, the writer ordered an iced americano and the signature coconut coffee (7,000 won), then looked around the bar seats, the group table, the outdoor terrace and the merch. Jeongjiyoung Coffee Roasters Hwahongmun Branch is worth a stop if you want a coconut latte and one of the few large group tables in Haenggung-dong.

Written Jul 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceAnseong, GyeonggiCafés

Anseong café: watermelon snow bingsu as mango sold out, Chat Baker

Chat Baker Brunch & Bakery Café is a large two-floor bakery café near Farmland in Gongdo-eup, Anseong, Gyeonggi. On a weekend visit with a child around 2 p.m., the fresh mango coconut bingsu was sold out, so the watermelon snow bingsu (25,000 won) was ordered instead, along with a mangyeop croissant and a dujjonku (Dubai chewy cookie). Chat Baker's watermelon snow bingsu has ripe, almost seedless watermelon over nutty milk ice, a summer bingsu that all ages can share.

Written Aug 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiCafés

Gwanggyo cake café: less-sweet blueberry cream cake, Café Diaz

Café Diaz Galleria Gwanggyo is a takeout-only cake café on the food hall side of Galleria Gwanggyo B1 in Suwon, Gyeonggi. A blueberry cream cake slice (₩11,900), an Einspänner (₩5,900) and an Americano were taken to the food court, and the fresh cream was not too sweet, so the blueberries' sweetness came through. Café Diaz Galleria Gwanggyo is a good fit for anyone after a less-sweet fruit cream cake.

Written Oct 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiCafés

Suwon café with whole Basque cheesecake preorders: Jeong Ji-young

Jeong Ji-young Coffee Roasters Haenggung Main Branch is a large coffee shop on Haengridan-gil in Haenggung-dong, Suwon, spread from basement level 1 to a 5th-floor rooftop. At the basement showcase the writer browsed frozen yogurt cakes and cookies and saw a notice that whole Basque cheesecakes can be reserved on Naver for pickup, then had an Americano and the signature coconut coffee on the 2nd floor. Jeong Ji-young Coffee Roasters is a no-kids zone with stairs only, so strollers and wheelchairs are inconvenient, but its large group tables and many photo spots make it a good date café.

Written Aug 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYongin, GyeonggiRestaurants

Giheung-gu Office kalguksu with kids, fried rice and yogurt: Deungchon

Deungchon Shabu Kalguksu Giheung Station Branch is a kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) and shabu-shabu restaurant on basement level 2 of ICT Valley Building B, near Giheung-gu Office in Yongin. The family ordered the clear mushroom kalguksu at 10,000 won, ate the minari (water dropwort) and mushrooms first, added the noodles and dumplings, then finished with fried rice, which the kids especially loved. With baby chairs, disposable aprons and 2 hours of free parking, Deungchon Shabu Kalguksu Giheung Station Branch is an easy choice for a family meal out.

Written Aug 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Euljiro3-ga restaurant date by car: mackerel pasta with risotto at Pyu

Pyu Euljiro is a contemporary dining restaurant on the ground floor of the Tower 107 building in Euljiro 3-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul. The writer drove into Seoul with her husband for a date. She booked through Naver Reservation and ordered the signature mackerel pasta (30,000 won), the garden tomato risotto (25,000 won) and an Americano. Verdict: the thick, non-fishy mackerel oil pasta and the roasted-vegetable tomato risotto pair so well at Pyu Euljiro that the two dishes are best ordered together.

Written Sep 28, 2026Sponsored
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