Cheonan Tote Diary · 51 stories

Gyeonggi Plate Ledger

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

PlaceMapo, SeoulCafés

Hongdae café after work, White Dust & garlic bread: Chimney Mansion

Chimney Mansion is a large chimney bread bakery café in a two-story brick building on Jandari-ro 6-gil in Mapo, Seoul, near Hongdae. The writer went back to Chimney Mansion late after work with her husband and, from a display that had largely sold out, took home 5 chimney breads, including White Dust, pistachio, white chocolate pecan and garlic. Her husband rated the pistachio chimney bread the best, the breads tasted just as good at home, and the return visit to Chimney Mansion was a satisfying one.

Written May 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Sangsu ramen shop, one meal a day: chashu & gyoza set, Ramen Truck

Ramen Truck Sangsu Main Branch is a Japanese ramen shop a 1-minute walk from Sangsu Station Exit 4 in Mapo, Seoul, open daily 11:00-21:30 with no break time. On a rainy day, the writer, who eats one meal a day, ordered the ramen + side + beer set: Shin Ramen with extra chashu and egg, yakigyoza (pan-fried gyoza) and a Red Rock draft beer. The verdict: the thick chashu, said to be slow-cooked in a special soy sauce, was the best the writer has ever had.

Written May 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceCheonan, ChungnamCafés

Cheonan Christmas café, special lunch and pizza under ₩50,000: Pino

Pino Cafe Cheonan is a large brunch café on Hyuyangnim-gil in Pungse-myeon, Cheonan, serving pasta, pizza, salads and brunch dishes. At a sunny seat in the main building, surrounded by full Christmas decorations, the writer ordered pastry corn cheese pizza, beef bulgogi vegetable pilaf, the special lunch and drinks, and the bill came to no more than ₩50,000. For good value and the Christmas mood at Pino Cafe, a weekday visit beats the weekend.

Written Oct 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeongdeungpo, SeoulRestaurants

Japanese restaurant in Yeouido: Friday revisit & mochiri tofu, Ilpum

Ilpum Yeouido Branch is a kaisendon (raw seafood rice bowl) and sushi restaurant on basement level 1 of the Anwon Building near National Assembly Station in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul. One month after a first visit with her husband, the blogger returned on a Friday evening for the premium kaisendon and the whole-eel unagidon, served with chawanmushi (Japanese steamed egg), miso soup, udon and a mochiri tofu dessert. Verdict: Ilpum Yeouido Branch has never disappointed, and a third visit is already booked.

Written May 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceCheonan, ChungnamRestaurants

Pizza date spot in Cheonan: truffle gorgonzola & ragu, Clap Pizza

Clap Pizza Cheonan-Asan Shinsegae is an American-style pizza restaurant on the 4th floor of Building B at Shinsegae Department Store in Cheonan, in a dedicated space shared with Downtowner and Knotted. The writer tried the truffle gorgonzola pizza for the first time, ate the best-selling ragu pasta and took buffalo wings home, finding the truffle aroma and flavor rich and satisfying. Clap Pizza Cheonan-Asan Shinsegae is a recommended Cheonan date stop, with department store shopping right after the meal.

Written May 30, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Gangnam hair salon root-volume magic for frizzy wavy long hair: Beorn

Beorn Hair Cheongdam is a hair salon on the 2nd floor of a building on Seolleung-ro, near Gangnam-gu Office Station in Gangnam, Seoul. For long, naturally wavy hair left frizzy by flat-iron damage, Beorn Hair Cheongdam applied magic straightening only to the curliest mid-lengths while keeping volume at the roots, and once dried the hair was smooth and glossy. Beorn Hair Cheongdam's volume magic was the right choice for wavy long hair that should look neat without a morning flat iron.

Written May 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYongsan, SeoulRestaurants

Sinyongsan pork gomtang restaurant: solo weekday makgeolli, Baekok

Baekok Yongsan (백옥 용산) is a clear pork gomtang (pork soup) restaurant near Sinyongsan Station Exit 2 in Yongsan, Seoul, tucked behind the HYBE building. On a weekday afternoon the writer went alone, took a 2nd-floor window seat and paired pork gomtang (11,000 won) and level-1 Bulkkorangji (spicy pork tail) with Neurinmaeul makgeolli, finding the broth free of any gamy smell and the meat tender. Baekok Yongsan is a Sinyongsan gomtang spot worth recommending for a solo daytime drink with a filling bowl of soup.

Written Jun 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Gwanghwamun kaisendon bar: Kamotsuru sake & mango yuyu pudding, Ilpum

Ilpum Gwanghwamun is a Japanese restaurant specialising in kaisendon (seafood rice bowls) on basement level 2 in Gwanghwamun, Jongno, Seoul. On a weekend, the writer and a friend sat at the counter and ate the premium kaisendon, topped with salmon roe, uni, sweet shrimp, scallop, abalone and ankimo (monkfish liver), with a glass of Kamotsuru sake. They finished with a yuyu pudding topped with mango puree. Verdict: anyone who likes raw fish will be happy with the kaisendon at Ilpum Gwanghwamun.

Written Jun 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeongdeungpo, SeoulCafés

Takeout ice cream in Yeouido: kadaif soft serve and Skyberry at Berg

Berg The Hyundai Seoul is an ice cream shop, popular on social media, on the 6th floor of The Hyundai Seoul in Yeouido, Seoul. On a weekend evening after dinner, the writer ordered Berg's kadaif soft serve and Skyberry ice cream to go, and everyone in the group was happy with the chewy texture, the true flavor of the ingredients and the generous toppings. If you are looking for an ice cream shop in Yeouido, Berg The Hyundai Seoul is worth a visit at least once.

Written Jun 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeongdeungpo, SeoulRestaurants

Yeouido gyukatsu restaurant, dinner at husband's go-to spot: Izawa

Izawa Yeouido Direct Store is a gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet) restaurant right in front of Yeouido Station in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul. On a dinner date at Izawa, the husband's regular spot near his work, the couple split one gyukatsu set and one Dontoron rice bowl: the cutlet, crisp outside and tender inside, is finished on a mini brazier, the bowl has a smoky flame-grilled aroma, and both portions were generous. Verdict: Izawa Yeouido Direct Store satisfied on taste, portions and service, and is well worth a return visit.

Written Jun 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYongsan, SeoulRestaurants

Yongridan-gil burger shop: hash brown pizza cheeseburger, Deombeogeo

Deombeogeo Yongsan (덤버거 용산점) is a handmade burger restaurant on Yongridan-gil in Yongsan, Seoul. On a rainy evening as chilly as winter, the writer and her boyfriend shared a signature Dumb Burger (13,900 won) and a pizza cheeseburger set (10,900 won plus 5,000 won for the set) with the fries swapped for a hash brown for 500 won more, and the juicy patty and the pepperoni-and-beef combination won them over. Deombeogeo Yongsan is a little pricey, but its flavor more than makes up for it.

Written Oct 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceCheonan, ChungnamRestaurants

Cheonan noodle spot: kudzu hoe naengmyeon & kids' tteokgalbi, Omi Omi

Omi Omi Handmade Dumpling Hot Pot & Kudzu Naengmyeon Sono Bell Main Branch is a dumpling hot pot and kudzu naengmyeon (cold buckwheat-style noodles) restaurant in Buk-myeon, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan, near Independence Hall and Sono Bell Cheonan. On a hot day, the writer visited with a child and skipped the dumpling hot pot for 2 bowls of hoe naengmyeon (cold noodles with spicy marinated raw fish) and 1 tteokgalbi (grilled short rib patty). The brisket and beef-bone broth, the julienned cucumber and pear topping, and the crisp-outside, juicy-inside tteokgalbi all impressed. Verdict: Omi Omi is known for dumpling hot pot, but in summer its kudzu naengmyeon is a must-try.

Written Jun 9, 2026Sponsored