Paper Lamp Wanderer · 21 stories
Writes about restaurants, cafes, bars, beauty counters and shops found while traveling between Seoul, Gyeonggi, Gangwon, Chungcheong and Jeju. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Hair & beauty salons · Bars · Shopping
Yum Bbokki is a tteokbokki (spicy rice cake) shop near the cram-school district in Danwon-gu, Ansan. Around 4 p.m. on a weekday, the writer took home 3 servings of rosé tteokbokki plus fried snacks, seasoned fries and sundae (Korean blood sausage); the rosé sauce was creamy with a gentle heat building behind it, and the rice cakes were chewy with no stale smell. For rosé tteokbokki fans, Yum Bbokki is well worth a visit.
DU Esthetic Wangsimni is a bridal and face-contouring esthetic salon on the 5th floor of the Daedo Building near Wangsimni Station in Seongdong, Seoul. A bride-to-be with a November wedding came to DU Esthetic Wangsimni for hydration care. After her consultation she added skull suture contouring and a Hypernova chin-fat treatment, and found the trapezius and side cheekbone hand massage gentle enough that she nearly fell asleep. DU Esthetic Wangsimni suits engaged couples who want to refine both face line and skin texture before the wedding.
Onzon Hair Wangsimni Main Branch is a hair salon on the 2nd floor of the Garden Building near Exit 10 of Wangsimni Station in Seongdong, Seoul, formerly known as Urban Round Hair. Before a formal meeting between the two families ahead of the wedding, the writer had split, tangled hair tidied up with a tone-down dye and cut. The writer valued the one-on-one service, the thorough consultation and the staff even lending a power bank. Verdict: Onzon Hair is a strong pick when you need neat, polished hair for an important occasion.
Orange Bagel is a large bakery café on Omokcheon-ro in Gwonseon-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi, whose orange brick building and neon sign give it an American feel. At Orange Bagel the writer ate a crab shrimp bagel (₩8,500), a bacon egg mayo bagel (₩8,500) and the new Orange Breeze drink, then took a laugen bagel (₩6,900) home as a late-night snack. With a spacious 2nd floor and filling bagels, Orange Bagel is a café worth recommending for a date in the Suwon area.
Hanmaeum Jeonguk Sikdang Bongdam is a butcher-shop Korean BBQ restaurant with no table-setting fee, on the 2nd floor of the central shopping arcade in Bongdam District 2, Hwaseong. On a weekend evening the writer booked a window seat and ordered the aged half pig (39,000 won, 500g), which came with free doenjang stew (soybean paste stew), bomdong geotjeori (freshly tossed spring cabbage kimchi) and multigrain ssamjang, and everything was delicious. With a big play room, group seating and private rooms, Hanmaeum Jeonguk Sikdang Bongdam is a strongly recommended Bongdam BBQ spot for family gatherings.
Picnic List Mangwon (피크닉리스트 망원) is a picnic gear rental shop right in front of the tunnel at Mangwon Hangang Park in Mapo, Seoul. On a Sunday afternoon with the dog Jjari, the writer rented the pick-your-own 4-item set (₩8,000 for 3 hours) plus a shade tent, air mat and wagon, then parked at Mangwon Nadeulmok Public Parking Lot A and arrived with nothing to carry. For a gear-heavy Hangang picnic with a dog, renting from Picnic List Mangwon was the easiest option.
Gogit-ri 88beonji Ansan Gojan Branch (고깃리88번지 안산고잔점) is a Korean BBQ restaurant serving pre-grilled pork on the 25-si Plaza food street in Gojan-dong, Ansan, across from NC Department Store. The writer shared Set A (pork neck, pork belly and gabrisal) for 45,000 won with Jjari on the terrace, and the pork neck the writer usually avoids turned out surprisingly tender when grilled only lightly, as the owner recommended. Gogit-ri 88beonji is above average for meat quality, service and atmosphere: a solid, basics-first Korean BBQ spot in Ansan for group and team dinners.
Jangjakgun Mullae (장작꾼 문래점) is a nurungji (crispy scorched rice) whole-chicken restaurant at 81 Seonyu-ro, Yeongdeungpo, Seoul, about a 7-minute walk from Mullae Station Exit 3. After riding a Ttareungyi (Seoul public bike) there and waiting about 40 minutes, the writer had Cheongyang cream nurungji chicken, a rice ball and non-alcoholic beer: the Cheongyang chili cream sauce was about as spicy as Shin Ramyun, even the breast meat was moist, and the nurungji with yeolmu kimchi (young radish kimchi) was the highlight. Jangjakgun Mullae is a Mullae Station chicken spot worth returning to despite the wait.
Gin Jaryoko Ansan Gojan Branch is a tonkatsu and udon restaurant in the Gojan new town of Ansan, Gyeonggi. After watching Ansan street theater in Gojan-dong, the writer and her husband ordered a demiglace katsu and hamburg steak set, a Toowoomba pasta udon upsized to 1.5 portions for free, and fried shrimp, then mixed the leftover Toowoomba sauce into the katsu set's rice like a risotto. For big portions and good value at a katsu spot in Gojan, the Toowoomba pasta udon at Gin Jaryoko is a safe bet.
Handam Guksu Gwakji Aewol Branch (한담국수 곽지애월점) is a pork noodle and sundae (Korean blood sausage) restaurant at the entrance to Aewol Café Street in Jeju. On a spring trip to Jeju, two people sat at a sea-view window seat and ordered two bowls of bone broth pork noodles and the chive pork sundae (₩15,000), enjoying the clean bone broth with bean sprouts and the big slices of dombe pork (boiled pork). Handam Guksu's pork noodles are a recommended lunch before moving on to the cafés of Aewol Café Street.
Daedu Jokbal Guro Digital Complex Station branch is a jokbal (braised pork trotter) restaurant on Kkalkkal Street (깔깔거리) near Gudi Station in Guro, Seoul, run by an owner who holds a jokbal master certificate. Two people ordered the mild fried jokbal and bossam (boiled pork slices) set with rice balls, enjoyed the free soft tofu stew that came with it, and took the leftovers home. Daedu Jokbal is worth a visit when you want half non-greasy jokbal and half thick bossam with no porky smell.
Mibundang (미분당) Dongtan Station Branch is a counter-seat pho restaurant on the first floor of the Richian shopping arcade at Dongtan Station in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, and it suits solo diners. The writer ordered the brisket, flank and tendon pho (차돌양지힘줄 쌀국수) and the 5-piece assorted fried platter (모듬전식), tossed the noodles and bean sprouts with hoisin sauce and hot sauce like Korean bibim noodles, and shares how to ask for extra cilantro. Mibundang Dongtan Station Branch is a no-fail meal for days when you just want to eat quietly and focus on the food.
