Interchange Eater · 11 stories

Dining by the Interchange

I write about restaurant meals and small stops around Gyeonggi. · Writes about: Restaurants · Bars

PlaceSeongnam, GyeonggiRestaurants

Mother-daughter omakase in Pangyo: abalone and rare cheesecake, Kkweda

Kkweda Pangyo Avenue France Branch is an omakase restaurant at Avenue France in Pangyo, Seongnam, serving a borderless course menu that changes every season. In June, the blogger and her mother had Kkweda's 12th-season 'Spring and Jang' course (₩75,000 per person) at the first dinner seating, added a hanwoo uni maki and paired the meal with a Full Moon highball and a non-alcoholic Kkweda mojito. The steamed abalone with eggplant, the hanwoo uni maki and the rare cheesecake were the highlights, making Kkweda a recommended choice for a formal meal with parents.

Written Jun 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Gwanggyo gyukatsu restaurant: sirloin, fuel swapped twice, Gyuen-dang

Gyuen-dang Avenue France Gwanggyo Branch is a gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet) restaurant on the first basement floor of Avenue France Gwanggyo, near Gwanggyojungang Station in Suwon. Craving gyukatsu for the first time in almost a year, the writer and a friend each ordered a sirloin gyukatsu (₩19,000), grilled it on a mini brazier over melted Isigny butter, and ate it with fresh wasabi and salt. Thanks to tender, high-quality beef and friendly staff who replace the burner fuel quickly, Gyuen-dang Avenue France Gwanggyo Branch is worth recommending to anyone looking for gyukatsu in Gwanggyo.

Written Jul 20, 2026Sponsored
PlacePohang, GyeongbukRestaurants

Pohang mulhoe restaurant, Sunday 40-min wait tips: Ppwang Mulhoe

Ppwang Mulhoe (퐝물회) is a pet-friendly mulhoe (cold raw fish soup) restaurant in the mulhoe district on Haean-ro, facing Yeongildae Beach in Pohang. On a first trip to Pohang, local friends recommended Ppwang Mulhoe, and the group waited about 40 minutes at Sunday lunch for two half-and-half mulhoe bowls and one Ppwang 3-combo (₩20,000 each). The self-bar's sea snails, squid soup and unlimited somyeon noodles also impressed. Verdict: Ppwang Mulhoe is worth the weekend wait if one person goes ahead to join the queue or you call ahead to reserve.

Written Jul 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Korean restaurant near Samseong Station: rolled kimchi, Obongjip

Obongjip Samseong Branch is a Korean restaurant in Gangnam, Seoul, specialising in fire-grilled octopus stir-fry and bossam (boiled pork wraps), on Teheran-ro 81-gil between Samseong Station and Samseongjungang Station. Three of us arrived around 11:15 a.m. on a Sunday and shared the Nakji Obong Special (62,000 won): fire-grilled octopus stir-fry for 2, a small bossam and tray makguksu (cold buckwheat noodles). The writer, who rarely eats fresh kimchi, fell for the Doldori kimchi (rolled kimchi) and dried radish kimchi, and the Nakji Obong Special suits groups who want to share several dishes.

Written Oct 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceWonju, GangwonRestaurants

Wonju gyukatsu restaurant with my parents after Spider-Man: Ichigyu

Ichigyu Wonju is a gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet) restaurant on the first floor of the Lotte Cinema building in Musil-dong, Wonju. After an opening-day screening of Spider-Man, the writer and their parents grilled two sirloin gyukatsu and one steki (Japanese-style steak) set at Ichigyu Wonju, topping the beef with Isigny butter on mini braziers, for ₩61,500 in total; Mom's favorite was the gyukatsu and Dad's was the steki set. Ichigyu Wonju is a good fit for families who want a movie and dinner in one building.

Written Jul 30, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulBars

Mangwon Korean pub: yuja makgeolli, bulgogi noodles at Jeongju Ilga

Jeongju Ilga (정주일가) is a Korean pub on Poeun-ro (Mangridan-gil) in Mangwon, Mapo, Seoul. Arriving right at the 6pm weekday opening, two people ordered half-and-half jeon (Korean savory pancakes: bulgogi chive and cheese kimchi), bulgogi sesame bibim noodles and a cucumber salad with tiger yuja draft makgeolli and Cheongsong apple makgeolli, for ₩47,500 in total. For makgeolli (Korean rice wine) with food to match, Jeongju Ilga's tiger yuja draft makgeolli with the bulgogi sesame bibim noodles is the pairing to order.

Written Aug 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulBars

Hapjeong izakaya for a 10pm second round: HOT rump set, Soottori

Soottori Hongdae Hapjeong is a skewer-omakase (Sootmakase) izakaya on Dokmak-ro 9-gil in Mapo, Seoul. After a first round of makgeolli at a Korean pub in Mangwon, the writer came in at 10pm. She ordered the Signature HOT Rump Set for 19,900 won and ice draft beer for 3,500 won, then added rump tare skewers, tsukune, chicken skin, wings and enoki pork belly, for 54,700 won for two. It was her first yakitori and kushikatsu, and Soottori was good enough that she kept ordering more even though she arrived full.

Written Aug 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuyeong, BusanBars

Gopdoritang set at Buheongsanjang, a bar near Suyeong Station, Busan

Buheongsanjang Busan Suyeong branch is a lodge-style Korean pub on Muhak-ro 21beon-gil in Suyeong-gu, Busan. Two people spent 69,000 won in total on the Bu Set (gopdoritang, a spicy chicken and beef-intestine stew, with a cheese potato pancake) at 46,000 won, Tiger yuja raw makgeolli, cheese fried rice and a draft beer, working through boneless chicken thigh, gopchang and minari before finishing with the fried rice. The second floor was not open yet at 6:10 p.m. on a weekday, so the meal happened on the first floor — an easy pick for a long, filling night out near Suyeong Station.

Written Aug 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangseo, BusanRestaurants

Myeongji seafood jjim restaurant for dinner with parents: Haemullae

Haemullae is a hot stone seafood and pork bone jjim restaurant on the first floor of JT Plaza in Myeongji International City, Gangseo, Busan, open since July 10, 2026. On a weekday visit at 5pm with her parents, the writer ordered the medium hot stone seafood and pork bone jjim for 3 people at 58,000 won plus fried rice at 3,000 won, at about Shin Ramyun spice level, and found the squid tempura, whole squid, abalone, shrimp and pork neck bones generous enough for a full second round. Just turn off the burner partway through so the sauce does not reduce and turn salty, and Haemullae is an easy pick for seafood and meat on one stone plate.

Written Aug 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDongjak, SeoulRestaurants

Oak-smoked pork belly at a Seoul BBQ spot near Isu Station: Chammak

Chammak Isu Station Branch is a first-generation Daegu-style makchang (grilled beef and pork intestine) restaurant near Isu Station in Dongjak, Seoul. On a weekend evening with a cousin home from studying in the US, the writer ordered the two-person mixed makchang and Korean pork belly set for 39,000 won, added 150g of oak-smoked pork belly for 13,000 won, and grilled unlimited ramyeon and vegetables from the self-serve bar. Chammak is an easy choice for a group dinner near Isu Station, with clean-tasting beef and pork makchang alongside smoky pork belly.

Written Sep 15, 2026Sponsored
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