Cheongju Menu Keeper · 35 stories

Harbor Menu Stub

I write about restaurants I visit around Incheon. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Bars

PlaceSeocho, SeoulCafés

Post-lunch café with a friend in Yangjae: Tomatade, babka, Mini Male

Mini Male Coffee Roasters Yangjae Main Branch is a roastery café near Exit 3 of Yangjaesiminuisup Station in Seocho, Seoul, and the first Mini Male shop. After lunch with a friend, the writer shared a hot Helsinki latte made with Dunkel beans (₩5,400), a Tomatade (tomato ade, ₩5,600), an Original Levain cookie (₩4,500) and a butter babka (₩4,500). The Helsinki latte stood out, with milky richness first and espresso rising behind it. Mini Male Yangjae Main Branch is a good café near Yangjaesiminuisup Station for coffee and baked goods after lunch.

Written Oct 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulRestaurants

Yangjae noodle shop for a diet-friendly lunch: clam kalguksu, Seonbawi

Seonbawi Memil Jangteo Yangjae Branch (선바위메밀장터 양재점) is a buckwheat kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) and makguksu (buckwheat noodle) restaurant near Exit 2 of Yangjaesiminuisup Station in Seocho, Seoul. The writer, who was on a diet, went with a friend for lunch on a chilly weekday, timing the visit to avoid the wait. The two ordered the buckwheat clam kalguksu and the neungi mushroom wang mandu (giant dumplings), and the clear, refreshing broth left the writer feeling light afterward. For a light, warm lunch, the buckwheat clam kalguksu at Seonbawi Memil Jangteo Yangjae Branch is a good fit.

Written Oct 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangseo, SeoulRestaurants

Balsan Station Japanese restaurant, kelp-aged kaisendon date: Ilpum

Ilpum Magok is a kaisendon (sashimi rice bowl) and sushi restaurant on the ground floor of Leaders Tower Magok in Gangseo, Seoul. The writer booked counter seats for a Sunday lunch with his wife, ordered a kaisendon and the sushi set of the day, and added monkfish liver (ankimo). The freshness of the kelp-aged sashimi and wrapping each bite in seaweed stood out. Verdict: Ilpum Magok is a satisfying Japanese restaurant for a couple's date meal in Magok or Balsan.

Written Oct 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangseo, SeoulCafés

Magok café: iced mocha & Kyoto matcha basque cheesecake, Pict Roastery

Pict Roastery Magongnaru Branch is a roastery café that brews coffee from its own roasted beans, on the 2nd floor of the Castle Park building by Magongnaru Station in Magok, Seoul. Before a weekend lunch reservation, the writer and his wife stopped by Pict Roastery for a floral-bean iced Americano, an iced café mocha and a Kyoto matcha basque cheesecake (₩7,500), and both the coffee aroma and the dessert pairing were good. Pict Roastery Magongnaru Branch is a café worth revisiting before or after a walk in Seoul Botanic Park or on a Magok date.

Written Oct 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangseo, SeoulRestaurants

Balsan Station Korean BBQ, ₩50,000 for belly & neck: Chamdwaejitgan

Chamdwaejitgan Magok Branch is a Korean BBQ restaurant on the 1st floor of Queens Park Nine Building C, near Exit 9 of Balsan Station in Gangseo, Seoul, where staff grill rice-husk-smoked pork over real charcoal for you. Two portions of cham-samgyeopsal (pork belly), one portion of kkotmoksal (flower pork neck) and a can of Fanta Pineapple came to 50,000 won in total, and the good ventilation, generous side dishes and potato wraps grilled on the pan stood out. Chamdwaejitgan Magok Branch is a sensible, good-value choice among Korean BBQ spots around Magok and Balsan Station.

Written Jun 7, 2026Sponsored
PlacePaju, GyeonggiCafés

Café across from Gyoha Church, Paju: weekend financiers at Paun Coffee

Paun Coffee Gyoha branch is a Melbourne-style specialty bakery café across from Gyoha Church in Paju, Gyeonggi. On a weekend visit right at opening time, a hazelnut choco financier, a vanilla macadamia financier, an Americano and a café latte, each coffee made with a different bean, came to ₩16,500 in total; the salt bread only comes out from 10:30am, so it was not available yet. Paun Coffee Gyoha branch offers great value thanks to its quality coffee and financiers baked the same day.

Written Jun 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGimpo, GyeonggiRestaurants

Gimpo black goat restaurant with turnip kimchi: Gunha Black Goat

Gunha Black Goat (군하흑염소) is a black goat restaurant on Yulsaengjungang-ro in Daegot-myeon, Gimpo, where a young couple has taken over a recipe kept for more than 20 years. On a drive out to Daegot we ordered black goat hot pot for two (25,000 won per person), a bottle of Jinro soju and fried rice to finish (3,000 won). The rich broth had no gamey smell, and with Ganghwa turnip kimchi and a distinctive dipping sauce it never got tiring. Gunha Black Goat is a good stamina-food stop in Daegot, Gimpo, with parents or family when you need an energy boost.

Written Jun 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Charcoal brazier hanwoo BBQ in Munjeong with a friend: Cheongdam Hwaro

Cheongdam Hwaro is a charcoal-brazier restaurant on Beobwon-ro in Songpa, Seoul, near Munjeong Station Exit 3, specializing in hanwoo (Korean beef) special cuts. On an early dinner with a friend, the writer was seated without a wait and ordered the 500g signature assorted set (₩55,000 for two) and a brisket doenjang stew (₩7,000), and the charcoal brazier kept the beef warm to the last bite. For good-value hanwoo special cuts near Munjeong Station, the Cheongdam Hwaro signature assorted set is a safe choice.

Written Jun 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeo-gu, IncheonRestaurants

Tonkatsu dinner with a friend in Geomdan: 3-katsu & wasabi, HOKATSU

HOKATSU is a handmade tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet) restaurant on the 1st floor of Megabox Geomdan in Geomdan New Town, Seo-gu, Incheon, known for aging its pork with a homemade yogurt dry-aging method. Over dinner with a friend, the writer ordered HOKATSU's Popular 3-Katsu (18,000 won) and the Hogyu Katsu + Spicy Mini Curry set (21,400 won), tasting the starter yogurt, the beef katsu grilled on a small brazier, and pink salt, wasabi and perilla oil as dips. Crisp outside and juicy inside, HOKATSU is a Geomdan tonkatsu restaurant that could easily earn long-term regulars.

Written Jun 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeo-gu, IncheonRestaurants

Seongnam-dong butcher BBQ dinner for two, ₩49,000: Jeongyuk Donthree

Jeongyuk Donthree Seonam Main Branch (정육돈쓰리 석남본점) is a butcher-shop Korean BBQ restaurant, a butcher counter and dining room in one, near Seongnam Station in Seongnam-dong, Seo-gu, Incheon. Two people ate there on an early Sunday evening for ₩49,000 in total, and both the freshness of meat trimmed by an owner with 18 years of butchery experience and a ventilation system that keeps smoke smells away stood out. Jeongyuk Donthree Seonam Main Branch is a Seongnam-dong pork belly spot whose freshness justifies its prices.

Written Jun 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSokcho, GangwonRestaurants

Sokcho hanok restaurant: herb bibimbap & acorn jelly, Daecheongmaru

Daecheongmaru is a hanok-style Korean restaurant with red-clay walls in Haksapyeong Sundubu Village, Sokcho, Gangwon, and it opens at 7:20 a.m. On a Sokcho trip, breakfast at Daecheongmaru was sanchae bibimbap (mountain herb bibimbap, ₩16,000) and dotorimuk (acorn jelly, ₩17,000), with generous side dishes and hwangtae haejangguk (dried pollack soup), a filling meal that was not greasy and sat easy on the stomach. If you want to start a Sokcho morning with a light meal of seasoned greens, Daecheongmaru is a good fit.

Written Jun 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSokcho, GangwonCafés

Sokcho market snack seen on KBS: sulppang & ice cream, Sokcho Sulppang

Sokcho Sulppang (속초술빵) is a snack shop deep in the main alley of Sokcho Jungang Market in Sokcho, Gangwon, selling sulppang (steamed bread made with fresh makgeolli) and honeycomb ice cream, and it has been featured on KBS's 6 Si Naeui Gohyang. The writer bought 2 takeaway pieces of sulppang and 1 honeycomb ice cream for ₩16,000 and ate them while browsing Sokcho Jungang Market; the sulppang was studded with kidney beans and peas and tasted mild, while the honeycomb ice cream had an unusual texture from the honey and beeswax. Sokcho Sulppang's bread-and-ice-cream combo is worth adding to a Sokcho Jungang Market food crawl at least once.

Written Jun 28, 2026Sponsored