Lunchbox Shelf · 6 stories
Writes about small restaurant finds around Gyeonggi, one meal at a time. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés
Diaz Cake Boutique is a cake café on the 2nd floor of the HP building on Nahyeseok Street, near Exit 9 of Suwon City Hall Station in Suwon. For a boyfriend's birthday eve, a fruit cake slice and two iced Americanos came to 22,900 won, with a fruit-packed cross-section and light dairy whipped cream that was never greasy. Diaz Cake Boutique is a good pick for couples who want a birthday mood with a cream cake that isn't heavy.
Susanjang Dongtan Branch (수산장 동탄점) is a cabin-style aged sashimi pub on Dongtan North Plaza in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi. On a Monday evening, two of us walked into Susanjang with no wait and had the complimentary grilled flatfish, aged olive flounder and sea bream sashimi (39,000 won) and assorted kushikatsu (10,900 won) with Chamisul soju. Susanjang Dongtan Branch is a recommended Dongtan date spot for a quiet plate of sashimi and a drink.
5PM sunset hour (5PM SUNSETHOUR) is a salt bread and baked-goods café on the first floor of the KCC Switzen shopping arcade in Yeongjong Sky City, Incheon. In a shop styled with glass-block walls and orange accents, the writer had the Soa set (salt bread plus iced americano, ₩6,000), two vanilla bean egg tarts, an Isigny financier and hot yuja (Korean citron) tea, then took scones and salt bread to go. With richly buttery salt bread and flaky egg tarts, 5PM sunset hour is a Yeongjongdo café that bread lovers will keep coming back to.
Seoul Myeonok is a third-generation naengmyeon (cold noodle) restaurant in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi, run by the same family since 1973 and located in front of Pyeongtaek Station Exit 1, across from AK Plaza. Two diners ordered one Pyongyang naengmyeon and one bibim naengmyeon, split both half and half, and added a half plate of pork belly suyuk (boiled pork) for 38,000 won in total. The Pyongyang naengmyeon was seasoned enough for first-timers and the bibim naengmyeon was sweet rather than fiery. Seoul Myeonok is a Pyeongtaek Station naengmyeon spot that won over even a Pyongyang naengmyeon skeptic.
Chat Baker Brunch & Bakery Café is a large jazz-themed brunch and bakery café inside 512 Square in Gongdo-eup, Anseong, Gyeonggi. At the tail end of the Chuseok holiday, two bread lovers stopped by on a drive and paid 29,500 won for two iced Americanos, a chocolate scone, mocha bread, a Mont Blanc and a croissant. They then relaxed in the high-ceilinged 2nd-floor hall and on floor seats overlooking a green hill. Chat Baker is a spacious, comfortable café, and for bread fresh from the oven, aim for 9–10 a.m. or 1–2 p.m.
Seonghone Wang Kodari Dongtaetang, Icheon Seolseong Branch is a kodari (semi-dried pollock) and dongtaetang (pollock stew) restaurant on Seolga-ro in Seolseong-myeon, Icheon, Gyeonggi. Two wang kodari braised sets at 14,000 won each plus a Coke came to 30,000 won, served with black multigrain rice and fresh seaweed for wrapping, and the sweet-spicy sauce stayed clean rather than heavy. If you are driving past Icheon National Cemetery and want a rice-stealing spread, Seonghone Wang Kodari Dongtaetang is the answer.
