Bench Lunch Regular · 59 stories

Lunch by the Bench

I write about restaurant meals I come across in Gyeonggi. · Writes about: Restaurants · Hair & beauty salons · Cafés · Bars · Things to do

PlaceHwaseong, GyeonggiRestaurants

Smoke-free Dongtan Station BBQ: pork belly and neck, Yukmimyeongga

Yukmimyeongga (육미명가) is a black pork Korean BBQ restaurant in the heart of the Dongtan Station area in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi. At Yukmimyeongga, black pork belly and black pork neck were grilled together and eaten with salt, meljeot (salted anchovy sauce) and jangajji (Korean pickle) wraps, alongside a seafood doenjang (soybean paste) stew. The chewy belly skin and juicy, never-dry neck stood out, and good ventilation meant no worries about smoke. Yukmimyeongga is a good fit for dates, family meals and company dinners near Dongtan Station when you want pork belly, pork neck and stew together.

Written Nov 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceCheonan, ChungnamRestaurants

Cheonan army stew worth the lunch wait & sirloin cutlet: Cheongwon

Cheongwon Restaurant: Cooking Budae-jjigae, Cheonan Dujeong Main Branch is a Korean restaurant in Dujeong-dong, Cheonan, known for rich Songtan-style budae-jjigae (army stew). After waiting through the peak lunch rush, the writer ordered the signature Songtan budae-jjigae for 2 and a sirloin pork cutlet, and was happy with the unlimited rice and ramyeon noodles and the separate group room. Verdict: Cheongwon Restaurant's Songtan army stew was worth the long lunch wait.

Written Nov 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceCheonan, ChungnamRestaurants

Cheonan Sinbu-dong Korean BBQ for drinkers and non-drinkers: Sampyeong

Sampyeong Sikdang Cheonan Sinbu Branch is a retro-style Korean BBQ restaurant serving flash-frozen pork belly in the Sinbu-dong food alley in Cheonan, Chungnam. The writer paired flash-frozen pork belly and Paldo bibim noodles (tangy-sweet mixed noodles) with an Earl Grey highball and alcohol-free beer. The rich, juicy pork went well with the noodles, and both drinkers and non-drinkers could enjoy the meal together. Sampyeong Sikdang Cheonan Sinbu Branch is a 100% revisit for a get-together with friends or an unusual date.

Written Nov 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Yellow-decor Vietnamese spot in Suwon: banh mi, galbi bowl, Madam Hao

Madam Hao is a Vietnamese restaurant near the main gate of Ajou University in Suwon, Gyeonggi, decorated in yellow and black. On a hot summer day the writer ordered three dishes at Madam Hao: banh mi, beef jjamppong pho (pho in a spicy Korean-style jjamppong broth) and a charcoal-grilled pork galbi rice bowl. The crispy banh mi, spicy broth and sweet-salty galbi bowl were all satisfying. Madam Hao is a good-value choice for Vietnamese food at reasonable prices near Ajou University.

Written Nov 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Rainy-day line at a Suwon Station noodle shop: kal-nakji for 2, Daseon

Daseon Kalguksu Main Branch is a Korean restaurant specializing in kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) and octopus, on Hyanggyo-ro near Suwon Station in Suwon. After waiting in a long line on a rainy day, the writer ordered plate suyuk (boiled pork slices) and Daseon kal-nakji (spicy octopus kalguksu) for 2, and found everything satisfying, from the complimentary barley rice to the suyuk with no gamey smell and the spicy octopus broth. Verdict: Daseon Kalguksu Main Branch is a Suwon Station noodle spot well worth queuing for in the rain.

Written Nov 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulBars

Sinnonhyeon Halloween bar with non-alcoholic drinks: Mixed Table

Mixed Table is a lounge bar on basement level 1 of an alley building near Sinnonhyeon Station in Gangnam, Seoul. In October, during Halloween season, Mixed Table was decorated with jack-o'-lantern pumpkin lights and cobwebs, and the order was kaymak (Turkish clotted cream) & melon with a non-alcoholic melon soda and a non-alcoholic triple berry & ginger. Verdict: Mixed Table is a good Sinnonhyeon bar for enjoying the seasonal mood even if you don't drink.

Written Oct 31, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulRestaurants

Sinnonhyeon tteokbokki shop, bibim set with mandu for 2–3: Deokjane

Deokjane Bangatgan (덕자네방앗간) is a tteokbokki snack bar in an alley near Kyobo Tower by Sinnonhyeon Station in Seocho, Seoul, known for its homemade rice garaetteok (long rice cakes). The writer ordered the Deokjane Bangatgan bibim set of tteokbokki, bibim mandu (dumplings in a tangy-sweet dressing), assorted fried snacks, fish cake and burdock gimbap (seaweed rice roll), and loved the chewy rice cakes with potato salad stirred in alongside the tangy-sweet bibim mandu. For 2–3 adults who want a generous Korean snack-food spread, the Deokjane Bangatgan bibim set is a great fit.

Written Oct 31, 2026Sponsored
PlaceHwaseong, GyeonggiRestaurants

Dongtan Chinese spot: heaped cockle jjamppong and tangsuyuk, Bultina

Bultina Kkomak Jjamppong Dongtan Namgwangjang Branch is a Chinese restaurant specializing in cockle jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup) in central Namgwangjang, Dongtan, Hwaseong. The blogger ordered the signature cockle jjamppong and a small tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork): a smoky broth heaped with cleanly purged, sand-free cockles paired well with tangsuyuk in a crispy, chewy glutinous-rice batter. Verdict: the tangsuyuk sauce gently tames the jjamppong's heat, making Bultina's cockle jjamppong and tangsuyuk a highly satisfying meal.

Written May 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Suwon burger shop with easy parking: cream cheese chicken, Downtowner

Downtowner Gwanggyojungang Station is a handmade burger shop in Gwanggyo, Suwon, described in the review as located in the basement food hall (Gourmet 494) of the Galleria Department Store. The reviewer ordered an avocado burger set with chicken fries and Zero Cola and a cream cheese chicken burger set with onion rings and Zero Cider, enjoying the mild avocado and the rich cream cheese for very different reasons. With easy parking and a spotless dining room, Downtowner Gwanggyojungang Station made a satisfying choice for a date or group meal in Gwanggyo.

Written May 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongnam, GyeonggiRestaurants

Jeongja lamb BBQ: staff-grilled French rack and Suntory draft, Nokji

Nokji Bundang Jeongja Branch (녹지 분당정자점) is a lamb rib restaurant in the central shopping area of Jeongja-dong, Bundang-gu, Seongnam. The writer ordered Nokji's popular French rack, which staff grilled at the table, and paired it with Suntory draft beer and a Coke Zero. With in-building parking, a clean dining room and staff who grill the meat to the very end, Nokji Bundang Jeongja Branch makes you feel properly looked after.

Written Jun 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Suwon barley rice buffet: cheonggukjang bibimbap, pork set, Boriook

Boriook Main Branch is a Korean barley rice restaurant with a namul (seasoned greens) self-serve buffet bar near Mangpo Station in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon. On a return visit, the writer ordered the barley rice set and the barley rice gochujang pork set, mixed self-bar greens with cheonggukjang (fermented soybean stew) and bibimbap sauce, and wrapped the spicy pork in leafy greens. Boriook Main Branch's roomy dining hall and high chairs make it an easy family meal out with a toddler.

Written Oct 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongnam, GyeonggiBars

Seongnam bar with owner picks: Dalmore, smoky cocktail at The Momento

The Momento Jeongja Station Branch is a whisky bar near Jeongja Station on the Sinbundang Line in Jeongja-dong, Bundang, Seongnam (Gyeonggi), where there is no menu and the owner chats with you to recommend drinks that suit your taste. The writer started with Dalwhinnie and a Moscow Mule, then followed the owner's picks to Dalmore and a smoky cocktail infused with smoke from burning wood chips. The Momento Jeongja Station Branch suits anyone who wants personal recommendations in a calm, dark-wood setting.

Written Jun 7, 2026Sponsored