Rearview Wanderer · 19 stories
Writes about Seoul restaurants, cafes, bars, things to do, and beauty spots she happens to visit. · Writes about: Restaurants · Hair & beauty salons · Cafés · Bars · Things to do · Shopping
Mandala Indian Lounge is an Indian restaurant on the 3rd floor of a building near Exit 3 of Hapjeong Station in Mapo, Seoul. The writer shared chicken makhani (butter chicken curry) and lamb masala with plain naan and garlic naan, and found the spices gentle enough for first-timers to Indian food. For a first Indian curry date in Hapjeong, butter chicken with garlic naan at Mandala Indian Lounge is a safe pick.
Mibundang Sungshin Women's University Branch is a pho restaurant in Seongbuk, Seoul, near Seongbuk-gu Office between Sungshin Women's University Station and Bomun Station. The writer had brisket pho and tendon pho, made them spicy with 1 part hoisin sauce to 4 parts hot sauce, and added wedding shumai and buffalo wings as sides. With a quiet dining room and fast service, Mibundang Sungshin Women's University Branch is a solid pick for a solo lunch.
Pyeongando Sikdang Sinchon Branch (평안도식당 신촌점) is a sundae-guk (Korean blood sausage soup) and hangover soup restaurant near Sinchon Station Exit 3 in Seoul, open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. The writer tried the Pyeongando sundae-guk set meal, the premium seolleongtang (ox bone soup) served with thin somyeon noodles, and a side of charcoal-grilled galbi mandu (short rib dumplings); the sundae-guk broth was hearty yet clean, and the sundae and pyeonyuk (sliced boiled meat) plate that comes with the set made the meal filling. Pyeongando Sikdang Sinchon Branch is a dependable Sinchon gukbap spot for a late-night hangover cure, an early breakfast, a solo meal or a group dinner.
La Avenue (라에비뉴) is a cake café near Exit 1 of Seongsu Station in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, that makes its cakes in-house with dairy whipped cream. On this visit the kiwi cake slice, an Americano and a maesil ade (green plum ade) were ordered, and the kiwi cake layered with yogurt cream stood out as light, clean-tasting and the best of the three. With a spacious room and 1 hour of parking when each person orders one drink, La Avenue is one of the best cafes in Seongsu for a relaxed cake stop by car.
Fong Thai Sinchon Main Branch is a Thai restaurant on the 2nd floor at 8 Baekbeom-ro in Sinchon, Mapo, Seoul, a 2–3 minute walk from Sinchon Station Exits 6 and 7. The order was a shrimp-packed pad thai kung (₩12,000), served with a spicy rice noodle broth on the side, and poo pad pong curry (Thai crab curry, ₩17,000) with crispy fried crab in a soft, creamy curry sauce. Fong Thai Sinchon Main Branch gets the pad thai basics right, making it a place worth returning to whenever Thai food calls in Sinchon.
Omil Seongsu is a Western restaurant in a red brick building down an alley in Seongsu, Seoul, about a 6-minute walk from Seongsu Station Exit 1. On a weekday around 7pm, the writer walked into Omil Seongsu with no wait and ordered the 2-person set: Omil buckwheat soba maki, Rubber Duck omurice (omelet rice) and gochujang butter pasta (K-butter pasta). The spicy, nutty K-butter pasta was especially addictive, and Omil Seongsu is worth recommending as a Seongsu date spot with good atmosphere, looks and flavor.
Baekok Yongsan is a Korean restaurant specializing in clear pork gomtang (pork soup with rice), tucked in an alley behind HYBE between Yongsan Station and Sinyongsan Station in Seoul. The writer ordered pork gomtang, herbal gomtang (yak-gomtang) made with neungi mushrooms and astragalus, and 5 cabbage dumplings, and was pleased with the generous Korean sow front-leg meat in clear broth and the well-filled dumplings. Baekok Yongsan's gomtang is mild rather than strongly seasoned, which makes it a recommended bowl for lunch or for a hangover.
Muhwawon Bukchon Perfume Workshop is a perfume workshop in Bukchon near Anguk Station, Seoul, that reinterprets Korean scents like wild grape, wild mugwort, hagyul (summer orange) flower and omija (five-flavor berry), inspired by the Secret Garden of Changdeokgung Palace. At Muhwawon, the writer spent about 1 hour 30 minutes on a preference survey, a theory video, scent testing, a perfumer-recommended blend, first to third rounds of adjustments, weighing, a name sticker and gift wrapping. With a perfumer's help, Muhwawon is an easy indoor date idea in Seoul even for first-time perfume makers.
Anew Hair Cheongdam Main Branch is a hair salon in Gangnam, Seoul, a 3–5 minute walk from Exit 2 of Gangnam-gu Office Station. For dry hair with damaged ends, the blogger had a cut with a side bang trim, a massage-chair shampoo, a clinic treatment, a scalp spa and a blow-dry at Anew Hair Cheongdam Main Branch, and the hair came out neater and noticeably softer. This course is worth considering if you want to lighten heavy summer hair and treat damage in a single visit.
Kosi Seongsu Branch is a Sanuki udon and tonkatsu restaurant in Seongsu, Seoul, about a 1-minute walk from Exit 6 of Ttukseom Station. The writer ordered the tori-ten bukkake udon (chicken tempura udon with a pour-over broth, ₩11,000) as a set with added tonkatsu, a mild gyudon (beef rice bowl, ₩10,500) and a sweet potato cheese croquette on the side, and found both the chewy noodles and the crisp frying satisfying. Kosi Seongsu Branch suits anyone near Seoulsup who wants a filling meal of udon and tonkatsu together.
Picnic List Mangwon (피크닉리스트 망원) is an unstaffed picnic gear rental shop in Mapo, Seoul, directly across from the entrance to Mangwon Hangang Park. The writer rented a tent, a backrest chair, a square table, Halli Galli and badminton gear from Picnic List Mangwon, then picked up takeout from Mangwon Market for an autumn picnic at Mangwon Hangang Park. For a Han River picnic without heavy bags, pairing Picnic List Mangwon with Mangwon Market makes an easy route.
Bored & Hungry Mapo is a handmade burger restaurant near Exit 4 of Daeheung Station in Mapo, Seoul, close to the Gyeongui Line Forest Park. On a rainy Friday evening the writer walked into Bored & Hungry Mapo with no wait and tried the Classic Cheese Double (12,900 won), the Shrimp O.G (12,400 won), Butter Garlic Fries and Chilliz Cheesestick. Verdict: the Shrimp O.G is the writer's top shrimp burger, the sides are just as satisfying, and Bored & Hungry Mapo makes a great Sinchon–Mapo date spot.
