Night Road Wanderer · 12 stories
I write about restaurants I visit around Busan, Gyeongnam, Daejeon, and Chungcheong. · Writes about: Restaurants · Bars · Things to do
Cube Escape Daejeon Dunsan Branch is an escape room café in the busy Dunsan-dong area of Seo-gu, Daejeon. Two friends took on the "Obsession" theme, and its jump scares and math-based puzzles meant they used quite a few hints and only just escaped, missing out on the Hall of Fame photo zone. Cube Escape's Obsession theme is a good fit for thriller and mystery fans who want a game that makes them think.
Sanjang Samgyeop Daejeon Bongmyeong is a log-cabin-themed pork belly restaurant in Bongmyeong-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon. The writer ordered the minari pork belly set, which is grilled in the kitchen, and the Hanu daechang jjageuri (spicy Korean beef intestine stew). The writer found the minari (water dropwort) and pork belly pairing not greasy and the stew spicy and rich. Sanjang Samgyeop Daejeon Bongmyeong suits group meals that want minari pork belly in a cabin setting without worrying about smoke.
Myeonsikdang Jiwel City is a Japanese ramen and tonkatsu restaurant in front of Jiwel City in Bokdae-dong, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju. The set for two brings handmade sirloin katsu, hire katsu (pork tenderloin cutlet), tonkotsu ramen and a smoky mini butadon (pork rice bowl), so two kinds of katsu, a noodle dish and a rice bowl arrive in one meal. Myeonsikdang Jiwel City suits anyone looking for a restaurant that does both noodles and fried cutlets properly.
Dambaek Jujeom (담백주점) is a Korean pub in an alley on Yanghwa-ro 6-gil in Mapo, Seoul, between Hapjeong Station and Sangsu Station. A group of four shared Hanwoo beef yukhoe (Korean beef tartare) with sea urchin, a shredded potato pancake topped with cheese, and stir-fried octopus with gamtae (seaweed) rice balls, paired with Korean traditional liquor. The Hanwoo yukhoe and sea urchin wrapped in gamtae was the most memorable dish at Dambaek Jujeom.
Plate (플레이트 본점) is a Western-style restaurant near Jungangno Station in Jung-gu, Daejeon, serving steak and fresh pasta made in-house. The order was a 220g top blade steak (buchaesal) and a steak cream ragu with No. 3 squid ink spaghetti fresh noodles, preceded by bread, soup, pickles and salad. The black squid ink noodles in white cream sauce at Plate were the most memorable part of the visit.
Kkodeul Daepae Daejeon Wolpyeong Branch is a Korean BBQ restaurant specializing in shaved cold pork belly (daepae naengsam), on a side street in Wolpyeong-dong, Seo-gu, Daejeon. The writer ate the shaved pork belly with a soy sauce dip and a 23-item self-serve bar, then finished with unlimited cheese fried rice made from the bar's cheese and seaweed flakes. Verdict: with a self-serve bar and fried rice at no extra charge, Kkodeul Daepae Daejeon Wolpyeong Branch is a great-value pork BBQ spot in Wolpyeong-dong.
Bologna Daejeon Dunsan Branch is a wood-toned Italian restaurant in Dunsan-dong, Seo-gu, Daejeon. The writer ordered the spicy mare pasta with shrimp, mussels and baby octopus (18,000 won) and the truffle cream gnocchi (23,000 won), and also tried the ciabatta served before the meal. Bologna is a Dunsan-dong pasta spot where a red seafood sauce and a cream sauce pair without overlapping, making two plates easy to share.
Mat Chandeul Wang Sogeum Gui Moran Branch is a Korean BBQ restaurant on Dunchon-daero near Moran Station in Seongnam, Gyeonggi. The writer ordered the A Set, which pairs 400g of meat with a stew, and grilled the thick-cut meat with potatoes and rice cakes on the tabletop grill, eating it with scallion salad, lettuce wraps and a stone-pot stew. The Mat Chandeul A Set is an easy choice for a day when you want grilled meat and stew together without deliberating over the menu.
Uhwa Gopchang is a grilled beef intestine (gopchang) restaurant on Daedeok-daero 195beon-gil in Dunsan-dong, Seo-gu, Daejeon. Its signature gopchang modeum-hanpan brings gopchang, makchang, daechang, beef brisket and heart to the grill at once, and a guide printed on the table tells first-timers to start with the heart, while tteokbokki, kimchi, pickled radish, raw liver and tripe round out a generous run of side dishes. With outdoor tables on weekends, Uhwa Gopchang is an easy pick for a Dunsan-dong work dinner or a relaxed night out.
Sarugak20 is a Japanese home-style curry restaurant tucked in the basement of a building in the Jeonpo alleys of Busanjin, Busan. Sarugak curry and brisket cream curry were ordered side by side to compare color and flavor, and the wood-toned space, lined with props like bracelets and keyrings, made the wait for food fun to browse. With seating ranging from solo spots to seated-floor and table group seats, it worked well whether dining alone or grabbing lunch with a friend.
Bisyoku Gwangan Branch is a charcoal-grilled meat restaurant in Suyeong, Busan, with a Japanese-inspired setting. At counter seating, I slowly enjoyed 200g premium sirloin and 300g thin-sliced pork belly grilled by the staff, with salt, wasabi, and highballs. Verdict: a great fit for a relaxed, atmospheric dinner and drinks date in Gwangalli.
Plate Dunsan Branch is an Italian restaurant in Dunsan-dong, Seo-gu, Daejeon. I chose my own pasta shapes for the Classic Meatball Bolognese and Creamy Rosé Pasta in its calm dining space. Verdict: an easygoing choice for a pasta date.
