Nowon Feast Keeper · 38 stories

Marks of a Gyeonggi Meal

I write about restaurant meals and small dining stops around Gyeonggi. · Writes about: Restaurants · Bars · Cafés · Things to do · Hair & beauty salons · Shopping

PlacePaju, GyeonggiCafés

Paju weekend drive café: white roll and cream red bean bun at Barirus

Barirus (바리루스, VARIROOS) is a large bakery café on Bongseosan-ro in Paju-eup, Paju, Gyeonggi. On a weekend drive, the writer had a white roll, a mocha bun, a cream red bean bun and iced and hot americanos at Barirus, then checked out the camping-style outdoor seating, the large private parking lot and the coffee beans sold in-store. The verdict: Barirus nails both bread quality and coffee balance, and the writer is 100% planning a return visit.

Written Nov 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGapyeong, GyeonggiShopping

Gapyeong pension BBQ butcher: ₩23,000 special-cuts set, Ari Chuksan

Ari Chuksan (아리축산) is a butcher shop on Gangbyeon-ro in Cheongpyeong, Gapyeong, right next to Cheongpyeong Yeoul Market and Hanaro Mart, which makes it an easy stop when shopping for a Gapyeong or Cheongpyeong pension BBQ. The writer bought a 23,000-won special-cuts set and yukhoe (Korean beef tartare) from a cow-butchering day at Ari Chuksan, ate the yukhoe with gochujang seasoning, and got a pack of hanwoo for ramen and enoki mushrooms for free. For good-value, one-stop meat shopping before a Gapyeong pension BBQ, Ari Chuksan is a great fit.

Written Jun 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulCafés

Couples Nintendo room café near Saenae Station: It Takes Two, One Play

One Play Jamsil Branch is a manga, OTT and console game café near Jamsil Saenae Station and Sports Complex Station in Songpa, Seoul. The writer and her boyfriend parked at Asia Park Public Parking Lot (₩250 per 5 minutes), entered on the Sonagi plan, played It Takes Two on a Nintendo in a private game room and ate an onion teri hot dog. One Play Jamsil Branch is a private, weather-proof indoor date spot in Jamsil for games, food and manga all in one place.

Written Jun 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGoyang, GyeonggiHair & beauty salons

Pungsan Station hair salon for a protein-moisture clinic: Hair Onsae

Hair Onsae is a hair salon right next to Pungsan Station in Pungdong, Ilsan (Goyang, Gyeonggi). After frequent treatments left the writer's hair snagging on every brush stroke with split ends, Hair Onsae diagnosed the damage and gave her a hair nutrition clinic using protein and moisture ampoules plus warm mist steam. Hair that once wouldn't let a finger through now combs smoothly by hand, and she was delighted with the result.

Written Jun 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJungnang, SeoulRestaurants

Sashimi restaurant in Sangbong with torched corn cheese: Hoepanjang

Hoepanjang Sangbong is an aged sashimi restaurant at the end of Sangbong Eat Street (상봉먹자골목) in Jungnang, Seoul. Two of us visited at 5 pm on a Sunday and ordered the small mixed sashimi platter with soju. Hoepanjang Sangbong brought free starters like torched corn cheese and spicy mussel soup, the owner's explanation of each fish's aging time and a complimentary grilled fish. Chewy aged sashimi with no fishy taste and generous starters make Hoepanjang Sangbong a great spot for food and drinks near Sangbong Station.

Written Jun 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJungnang, SeoulBars

Sangbong Korean pub for a Sunday second round: free rabokki at Kkamuri

Kkamuri Sangbong Station Main Branch is an indoor pocha-style Korean pub (까무리) at the far end of the Sangbong food alley in Jungnang, Seoul. On a Sunday evening second round, the writer had Kkamuri's free side dish of nostalgic school-snack-bar rabokki (ramyeon noodles in tteokbokki sauce) and the Owner's Home Run Set, with Kansai assorted oden soup and mixed grilled skewers, alongside soju. The women's restroom is thoughtfully stocked with a hair brush, mouthwash and hygiene products. For a comfortable second-round bar with plenty of food options near Sangbong Station, Kkamuri is well worth recommending.

Written Jun 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGoyang, GyeonggiCafés

Ilsan bakery home café takeout: jambon baguette, Boulangerie Tan

Boulangerie Tan is a bakery in the basement-level (B1) food hall of Hyundai Department Store KINTEX in Ilsan, Goyang. During Boulangerie Tan's first-anniversary promotion, the blogger took home a baguette-style jambon sandwich, a mocha salt bread and a plain baguette for a home café spread, saving the jambon sandwich for breakfast the next morning. All three breads were satisfying, and the blogger plans to return to Boulangerie Tan to buy bread as gifts.

Written Jun 22, 2026Sponsored
PlaceUijeongbu, GyeonggiHair & beauty salons

Uijeongbu hair salon autumn brown on toned-down, damaged hair: Chaper

Chaper Hair Uijeongbu is a hair salon on the 3rd floor of the building behind McDonald's near Uijeongbu Station in Gyeonggi. The writer had an autumn brown dye on severely damaged hair that had previously been toned down to a dark shade, and the color came out even with barely any noticeable damage. If you're considering brown dye on damaged hair with a tone-down history, Chaper Hair Uijeongbu is a salon you can trust with it.

Written Oct 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYangju, GyeonggiRestaurants

After-work Korean BBQ in Okjeong, Yangju: flower ribs at Galpungjip

Galpungjip (갈풍집) is a charcoal-grill beef rib restaurant near Okjeong Central Park in Okjeong New Town, Yangju, Gyeonggi. After work, a group of friends ordered 3 servings of garlic galbi-sal (garlic-marinated beef rib meat) with somaek (soju mixed with beer), then added the owner's recommended flower rib meat and a mukssabal (chilled acorn jelly soup) with somyeon noodles. With freshly garlic-marinated ribs and flower ribs that melt with just a dip of salt, Galpungjip is a great spot for an after-work drink in Okjeong.

Written Jul 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYangju, GyeonggiRestaurants

Yangju chicken feet pub for a 3rd round with shrimp balls: Dakbalhong

Dakbalhong Okjeong (닭발홍 옥정점) is a chicken feet pub at the entrance of the Okjeong central shopping district in Yangju, Gyeonggi. For a late-night third round, the writer ordered the flame-grilled boneless chicken feet set (25,000 won, with rice balls and steamed egg), fried shrimp balls and a bottle of Chamisul soju, for 34,000 won in total. Dakbalhong's smoky chicken feet with shrimp balls on the side make an easy, satisfying late-night second or third round.

Written Jul 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYangju, GyeonggiHair & beauty salons

Hippie perm + clinic for damaged hair at Yangju salon Hair Design Whur

Hair Design Whur Ok-jeong Branch (헤어디자인후르 옥정점) is a hair salon right in front of Okjeong Lake Park in Yangju, Gyeonggi. With damaged hair, the writer consulted designer Haneul and got a minimal layered cut that kept as much length as possible, a hippie perm and a clinic treatment, with care for the scalp during the heat process and aftercare tips. Verdict: the hippie perm from Hair Design Whur Ok-jeong Branch is easy to style and exactly the mood the writer wanted.

Written Jul 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYangju, GyeonggiRestaurants

Pork galbi restaurant in Goeup-dong, Yangju, for drinks: Manpo Garden

Manpo Garden is a charcoal-grill Korean BBQ restaurant in Goeup-dong, Yangju, near the Goeupgyo bus stop. Over drinks with a friend, the writer had 2 servings of handmade Handon (Korean pork) galbi, beef brisket doenjang stew and rice, plus yukjeon (pan-fried beef) and yukhoe (beef tartare) as banchan, a bibim naengmyeon that rings up at ₩0 with a meat order, and self-serve iced Americano and ppeongseukrim (puffed-rice ice cream) for dessert. For good-value pork galbi in Goeup-dong, Manpo Garden is worth a visit.

Written Jul 7, 2026Sponsored