Spare Spoon Friend · 23 stories

A Side Spoon in Hwaseong

Writes about a restaurant visit in Gyeonggi Province. · Writes about: Restaurants · Home & living · Cafés · Things to do · Bars

PlacePyeongtaek, GyeonggiRestaurants

Pyeongtaek Station sushi train dinner: 7 sushi picks, 6 sauces, Mikado

Mikado Sushi Pyeongtaek Station Branch is a conveyor belt sushi restaurant near Pyeongtaek Station in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi, where every plate costs 2,100 won. The writer came for dinner with a partner, took grilled tilapia belly sushi off the belt and then reordered it by QR code, and tried seven favorite sushi picks, including cuttlefish, yukhoe (Korean beef tartare), salmon with onion and fresh fish with aged kimchi, plus made-to-order QR items, six sauces and thoughtful extras. Verdict: Mikado Sushi Pyeongtaek Station Branch is a satisfying sushi meetup spot by Pyeongtaek Station for anyone who wants good value and friendly service.

Written Apr 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSokcho, GangwonRestaurants

Sokcho ramen shop for a date near Museum X: stylish restroom, Ichiba

Ichiba Ramen (이찌바라멘) is a Japanese-style ramen shop on Jungangno in Sokcho, Gangwon, near Jangsa Port, which moved to a larger space at the end of February this year. On a weekday morning, two diners ordered the special tonkotsu ramen, the red crab and mentaiko cream ramen and a seasoned egg, and were impressed by the deep pork-bone broth, the careful table setup and the spotless restroom. Ichiba Ramen is an easy ramen stop to pair with Museum X Sokcho or Jangsa Port on a date.

Written Apr 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSokcho, GangwonCafés

Sokcho bakery café: microwaved potato bread beat the sample, Bultan

Sokcho Bultan Gamja Bread Main Store is a bakery café in a graffiti-covered container building on Haksapyeong-gil in Sokcho, Gangwon, selling potato bread and Sokcho jjondeugi (chewy dried snack strips), with a Musstoy ceramic doll-making activity. The writer tasted the Bultan potato bread in store, took some home, froze it, then thawed it naturally and microwaved it, and also compared three jjondeugi flavors: squid, chicken gangjeong and red crab meat. Verdict: the creamy filling of the in-store sample turned more intensely potato-flavored when reheated, making the microwaved Bultan potato bread even better.

Written Apr 7, 2026Sponsored
ProductSandeulsandeulHome & living

Organic cotton period pants absorbency test: Sandeulsandeul Slim Fit

Sandeulsandeul (Sandeulsandeul) is a Korean-made period pad brand that uses organic cotton covers. The writer received Sandeulsandeul medium pads and the Slim Fit Ipover wearable overnight pad in size R, wore both, and ran an absorbency test with water mixed with red ginseng juice. Verdict: Sandeulsandeul pads feel soft and absorb quickly, but the Slim Fit Ipover in size R runs slightly small, so the writer recommends size L if you only wear it to sleep.

Written Apr 29, 2026Product provided
PlaceBoryeong, ChungnamRestaurants

Oyster set for two in Boryeong's Cheonbuk: Cheongsu Gul House Susan

Cheongsu Gul House Susan (청수굴집수산) is a second-generation oyster and seafood restaurant in the Cheonbuk Oyster Village in Boryeong, Chungnam, carrying on the oyster cooking of the owner's parents. Two people ordered Set B in November, before the oyster festival, and tried mixed steamed oysters, oyster jeon (pancakes), spicy oyster salad, fried oysters, raw oysters, oyster kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) and cauldron oyster rice, with side dishes made from vegetables grown in the parents' own field. The top recommendation at Cheongsu Gul House Susan is the cauldron oyster rice wrapped in seaweed.

Written Nov 10, 2026Sponsored
PlacePyeongtaek, GyeonggiRestaurants

Kalguksu spot in Pyeongtaek: mini suyuk & seaweed kalguksu, Ijeong

Ijeong Kalguksu Memil Pyeongtaek Main Branch is a kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) and memil (buckwheat noodle) restaurant on Sosabeol Café Street in Bijeon-dong, Pyeongtaek. A regular and one companion ordered two sets with mini suyuk (boiled pork slices): buckwheat kongguksu (cold soy milk noodles) and maesaengi kalguksu (seaweed fulvescens noodle soup), plus half-and-half dumplings and unlimited gondeure bibimbap (thistle rice bowl) from the self-service corner. With generous sets and self-serve gondeure bibimbap, Ijeong Kalguksu Memil is a good-value lunch spot in Pyeongtaek.

Written May 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceAnseong, GyeonggiCafés

Anseong brunch café: salt ciabatta & basil tomato hotteok, Chat Baker

Chat Baker Brunch & Bakery Café is a large brunch and bakery café in Gongdo-eup, Anseong, Gyeonggi, with a first floor, a second floor and a terrace. For a late breakfast and early lunch with my partner, we had jambon truffle cream risotto, ham and cheese toast, basil tomato hotteok (Korean filled pancake), salt ciabatta and pineapple coconut juice, and the salt ciabatta we picked with no expectations became our surprise favorite. Chat Baker is a spacious café for sharing bread and brunch on a date or over a long conversation.

Written May 11, 2026Sponsored
PlacePyeongtaek, GyeonggiRestaurants

Pyeongtaek naengmyeon house, Busan milmyeon-like bibim: Seoul Myeonok

Seoul Myeonok (서울면옥) is a third-generation naengmyeon (cold noodle) restaurant a 2–3 minute walk from Exit 1 of Pyeongtaek Station in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi. On an early weekend evening, just after the break time ended at 5pm, the writer ordered Pyongyang naengmyeon, bibim naengmyeon and a half plate of Korean pork suyuk (boiled pork). The bibim naengmyeon was not spicy and had a savory depth like Busan milmyeon, and seasoned pollock salad came as a side dish. Seoul Myeonok is an easy meal for Pyongyang naengmyeon beginners and families with kids.

Written May 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYongsan, SeoulRestaurants

Itaewon Station pork bone stew lunch: mild bean cream pot, Nuri

Nuri Maeul Gamjatang Itaewon Branch is a 24-hour gamjatang (pork bone stew) restaurant on the 2nd floor of a building near Exit 4 of Itaewon Station in Yongsan, Seoul. For lunch, the writer tried bean cream gamjatang, a menu item new to them, for 2, with a potato sujebi (hand-torn dough) add-on and 2 bowls of rice, and found the bean cream made the stew mild and clean rather than harsh. Nuri Maeul Gamjatang is a good Itaewon pick for anyone who prefers lightly seasoned food or a foreign friend trying gamjatang for the first time.

Written Nov 3, 2026Sponsored
PlacePyeongtaek, GyeonggiRestaurants

Pyeongtaek seasoned pork BBQ with pickled onion & radish: Ihwajeong

Ihwajeong Charcoal-Grilled Pork Galbi (이화정 숯불돼지갈비) is a charcoal-grilled pork galbi restaurant on the 2nd floor of a building on Manse-ro in Sosabeol, Pyeongtaek. Missing the taste, the writer went back for 3 servings of seasoned grilled pork, doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) and 2 bowls of rice, and fell for piling pickled onion, radish salad, garlic scapes and salad straight onto the meat instead of making lettuce wraps. Ihwajeong is delicious every time, a Sosabeol Korean BBQ spot worth returning to with family.

Written May 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulRestaurants

Gangnam Station Japanese spot: uni crab aburi-don + croquette, Ilpum

Ilpum Gangnam Branch (일품 강남점) is a Japanese restaurant specializing in sushi, kaisendon (seafood rice bowl) and unagi-don (eel rice bowl), located on basement level 1 of a building on Seocho-daero 74-gil near Gangnam Station in Seocho, Seoul. Two diners sat at the bar and ordered kaisendon, aburi-don topped with sea urchin roe and crab meat, and a Hokkaido scallop cream croquette, and the mains came with complimentary chawanmushi (savory egg custard), mini udon and milk pudding. Ilpum Gangnam Branch is a great-value Japanese restaurant near Gangnam Station where a single rice bowl feels like a full course.

Written May 28, 2026Sponsored
PlacePyeongtaek, GyeonggiRestaurants

Jije Station sundaeguk spot: six-cut pork platter, Old Gyeongseong

Old Gyeongseong Sundaeguk Pyeongtaek Jije Dongsak Branch is a sundaeguk (Korean blood sausage soup) restaurant on the Mosangol food street near Jije Station in Pyeongtaek. After booking a table for dinner past 6 p.m., the writer had the mixed pork platter with six cuts (head meat, osori gamtu pig stomach, native-style sundae, glutinous rice sundae, liver and lung) and the signature sundaeguk, whose broth tasted good even without extra seasoning. Old Gyeongseong Sundaeguk is a good Jije Station pick when you want drinks and a hearty gukbap meal in one sitting.

Written May 29, 2026Sponsored