Copper Tongs Late Queuer · 28 stories

Second Round, Four Coasts and Cities

Writes about bars, restaurants and cafes visited around Busan, Gyeongnam, Seoul, Gyeonggi and Incheon. · Writes about: Bars · Restaurants · Cafés

PlaceSeo-gu, DaejeonRestaurants

Daejeon trip pasta date: meatball bolognese & truffle gnocchi, Plate

Plate Dunsan Branch is a Western restaurant serving fresh pasta, steak and pizza on the 2nd floor of a building near Galleria department store in Dunsan-dong, Seo-gu, Daejeon. During a trip to Daejeon, the writer had a lunch date with her husband at a window seat and ordered the classic meatball bolognese and truffle bacon cream gnocchi. The bolognese, made with a thick fresh noodle the staff picked out, soaked up the ragu sauce well. With green-view window seats, arched group seating and pasta where you choose your own noodle, Plate Dunsan Branch suits both dates and family meals.

Written Oct 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDaedeok, DaejeonRestaurants

Sintanjin barley rice with dessert snacks to buy: Baengnyeon Boribap

Baengnyeon Boribap (백년보리밥) is a barley rice Korean restaurant in a standalone building on Sintanjin-ro in Daedeok, Daejeon. The writer ordered the aged-kimchi cheonggukjang barley rice sets with grilled mackerel and with spicy stir-fried pork, mixed bibimbap from the 12-dish self-bar, went back twice for japchae (glass noodles) and liked the dessert snacks enough to buy a bag. With a large parking lot, baby chairs and group seating, Baengnyeon Boribap is a solid choice for a family meal.

Written Oct 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeo-gu, DaejeonRestaurants

Daejeon gopchang grill on a trip, hanwoo seaweed soup refills: Uhwa

Uhwa Gopchang (우화곱창) is a beef gopchang (small intestine), daechang (large intestine) and makchang (abomasum) grill restaurant in Dunsan-dong, Seo-gu, Daejeon. On a Daejeon trip, the writer had the Uhwa mixed platter and flying fish roe fried rice for dinner at Uhwa Gopchang. The refillable spread, with hanwoo (Korean beef) seaweed soup and tteokbokki, and staff who grill everything to the end stood out. Uhwa Gopchang is a Dunsan-dong gopchang spot worth recommending for a trip dinner, a company dinner, a family meal or a night out with friends.

Written Oct 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNamdong, IncheonRestaurants

Guwol-dong abalone lunch date with braised abalone sushi: Jeonbokchon

Jeonbokchon (전복촌) is an abalone Korean set-meal restaurant near Yesulhoegwan Station in Guwol-dong, Namdong, Incheon. Worn down by the heat, the writer took her husband to Jeonbokchon for a stamina-boosting lunch date and ate an abalone set meal that ran from abalone porridge, raw abalone and steamed abalone with innards sauce to soy-braised abalone sushi and abalone seafood nurungji (scorched rice) soup. With its own parking lot and private rooms, Jeonbokchon is a clean, restorative Korean set-meal restaurant that is ideal for taking parents.

Written Jun 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangseo, SeoulRestaurants

Gayang gomtang restaurant booked for opening time: Naju Gomtang Seook

Naju Gomtang Seook is a gomtang (beef bone soup) restaurant on the 1st floor of Building B, Gangseo Hangang Xi Tower, near Gayang Station in Gangseo, Seoul. Craving a hearty soup on a hot day, the writer booked ahead, arrived at opening time and shared Naju gomtang and a small suyuk (boiled beef) between two; the suyuk came generously piled on chives and was moist, and the gomtang tasted clean and refreshing once the dadaegi (chili seasoning paste) was stirred in and rice added. Naju Gomtang Seook is a gomtang spot near Gayang Station worth recommending for a restorative lunch.

Written Jun 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulBars

2nd-round bar by Sadang Station: truffle chicken cream stew at Dophan

Dophan (돕한) is a dining bar with black and wood tones on the 2nd floor of a building near Exit 11 of Sadang Station in Seocho, Seoul. Two friends reserved a window seat and had the welcome food, truffle chicken cream stew, bisque rose pasta and a waffle cone ice cream that staff smash at the table. Dophan is a good Sadang Station pick for a team dinner or a second round when you want both atmosphere and beautiful plating.

Written Jun 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBucheon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Bucheon Korean restaurant, an early borigulbi lunch: Gim Myeongju

Gim Myeongju Tteuranchae Bapsang Bucheon Main Branch (김명주뜰안채밥상 부천본점) is a Korean set-meal restaurant in a standalone building in the Wonmisan food alley near Kkachiul Station in Jak-dong, Bucheon. The writer's husband was craving borigulbi (dried, barley-aged yellow croaker), so for an early lunch the couple ordered the 13,000-won-per-person Tteuranchae Bapsang for 2 plus borigulbi. The meal came with 12 banchan (side dishes), cheonggukjang (fermented soybean stew), stone pot rice, and borigulbi served with Boseong green tea. With lightly seasoned banchan and an unlimited self-serve bar, Gim Myeongju Tteuranchae Bapsang is a generous Korean feast that also works well for taking your parents.

Written Jun 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBucheon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Hanwoo daechang gukbap behind Sinjungdong's Lotte Cinema: Gukbabi-ga

Gukbabi-ga Bucheon Main Branch is a gukbap (Korean rice soup) restaurant on the first floor of Feel Town, right behind Lotte Cinema near Sinjungdong Station in Bucheon. The writer and her husband had spicy sundae (Korean blood sausage) gukbap and Hanwoo daechang (Korean beef large intestine) gukbap for lunch, and the peppery broth, simmered from beef bones and medicinal herbs, felt like a hangover cure even though neither of them had been drinking. Gukbabi-ga is a good Sinjungdong stop when you want a hearty, restorative bowl.

Written Jun 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulBars

Sadang Station bar for ricotta caprese and crispy chicken: Weizenhaus

Weizenhaus Bangbae Branch 1 is a craft draft beer bar on basement level 1 of the building right outside Exit 11 of Sadang Station in Seocho, Seoul. The writer stopped by early, around 5 p.m., with a friend they hadn't seen in a while, and shared ricotta caprese salad and crispy chicken with draft beer and cider at the table furthest inside. Weizenhaus Bangbae Branch 1 can be reached without getting wet on rainy days, and its freshly fried crispy chicken with craft beer made a satisfying pairing.

Written Jun 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeongdeungpo, SeoulRestaurants

Yeongdeungpo date restaurant: seafood pasta & steak set, Square 21

Square 21 Pasta & Steak is a Western restaurant on the ground floor of Kolon Digital Tower in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul, near Seonyudo Station Exit 2. The writer and her husband ordered the 2-person date set at Square 21, which came with bread, salad, seafood tomato pasta and the signature tower burger steak. With its wood-toned interior and generous signature dish, Square 21 is a good place to eat after a date at Seonyudo Park.

Written Jun 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, BusanRestaurants

Busan wagyu yakiniku, couple's first-night dinner: Yakiniku Gaek

Yakiniku Gaek Nampo-dong Main Branch (야키니쿠 객 남포동 본점) is a wagyu yakiniku restaurant on Gwangbok-ro inside Kkangtong Market (깡통시장) in Jung-gu, Busan. On the first evening of their Busan trip, a couple who don't drink booked ahead, ordered the Gaek set for two, and grilled rib finger meat (galbi-sal), kkotsal, skirt (anchangsal), tri-tip (samgaksal) and flat iron (buchaesal) over charcoal in that order. Yakiniku Gaek's café-like Japanese-style room makes it a good place to taste wagyu cut by cut before a walk through Kkangtong, Jagalchi and Gukje markets.

Written Jun 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceHaeundae, BusanRestaurants

Marine City Chinese late lunch: last window seat & eggplant, Bueokgan

Bueokgan Chinese Marine City Branch is a casual Chinese restaurant with panoramic floor-to-ceiling ocean views, on the 2nd floor of the Adelis building in Marine City, Haeundae, Busan. During a Haeundae trip, the writer arrived for a late lunch at 1:30 PM, took the very last window seat, and ordered eoyang gaji (eggplant in yuxiang-style sauce), seafood jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup) and poached-egg pork belly ganjajang (dry-fried black bean noodles). Bueokgan Chinese Marine City Branch delivers both the view and the food, but a relaxed meal by the sea means competing for a window seat.

Written Jun 29, 2026Sponsored