Thursday Evening Stroller · 15 stories

Thursday Awning, Seoul and Gyeonggi Eats and Evenings

Writes about restaurants, cafes, bars and things to do around Seoul and Gyeonggi, based on places they have visited. · Writes about: Restaurants · Things to do · Cafés · Bars

PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Jamsil Italian date: highballs & blueberry arugula pizza, Mano di Chef

Mano di Chef Jamsil Branch is an Italian restaurant on basement level 1 (B1) of Tower 730 near Jamsil Station in Songpa, Seoul. The writer reordered two favorites from a previous visit, the blueberry & arugula pizza and the Jameson highball (two glasses for ₩17,900), and tried the June carrot-themed steak & carrot hummus plate (₩29,900) for the first time. The fresh pizza, hearty steak and not-too-sweet highball didn't overlap, making Mano di Chef a good pick for an atmospheric dinner for two.

Written Jun 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Wangsimni Korean pub: 58,000 won kkotdoritang, pajeon and soju set

Hanyang Saram Moeuneungot is a Korean pub in Wangsimni, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, known for kkotdoritang, a spicy braised chicken stew with domestic Korean blue crab added. The Hanyang Set of medium kkotdoritang, seafood pajeon (savory pancake) and 1 bottle of soju cost 58,000 won, and the owner's proud explanation of the domestic crab stood out most. Hanyang Saram Moeuneungot has no boneless option, but the Hanyang Set is worth a look for stew, pancake and drinks on one table in Wangsimni.

Written Jun 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Seongsu fusion Korean: cockle rice & vongole kalguksu, Out of Order

Out of Order Seongsu is a fusion Korean restaurant on the second floor of a building in an alley near Seongsu Station in Seoul, serving Korean ingredients with a trendy Seongsu touch. Two people ordered one rice dish and one noodle dish to share, seasonal greens cockle gondre rice (16,000 won) and vongole kalguksu (15,000 won), and the pairing of clean and savory flavors worked well. Out of Order is not a budget pick, but it is worth a stop when you want both atmosphere and a satisfying meal.

Written Jun 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulBars

Blind date izakaya in Seolleung: sashimi and yakitori set at Goko

Izakaya Goko Seolleung is a partitioned-room izakaya on the 2nd floor of a building near Seolleung Station Exit 1 in Gangnam, Seoul. On a Thursday evening, the writer went with a friend on a reservation and ordered the aged sashimi and 6-skewer yakitori set for ₩68,000; the thick-cut aged sashimi and a room layout quiet enough for easy conversation stood out most. For anyone looking for a room izakaya in Seolleung or a blind date spot where two people can sit face to face and talk, Izakaya Goko Seolleung is worth considering.

Written Oct 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceHanam, GyeonggiRestaurants

Korean lunch in Hanam Misa, mix-and-match green wraps: Dolsoe Ssambap

Dolsoe Ssambap (돌쇠쌈밥) is a Korean restaurant specialising in ssambap (rice and fillings wrapped in leafy greens) in Misa Gangbyeon, Hanam, Gyeonggi. At lunch, two people shared the Dolsoe Jeyuk Ssambap (₩14,000 per person), which brings wrap greens, jeyuk bokkeum (spicy stir-fried pork), rice, stew and side dishes to the table all at once, and keeping the pork and rice as the base while switching between different greens meant the meal never got boring. Dolsoe Ssambap is worth a stop when you want a filling Korean lunch in Hanam Misa.

Written Jun 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulCafés

Sinnonhyeon bakery gift: Cream Forest Gangnam Sand, Bakerist Brown

Bakerist Brown (베이커스트 브라운) is a large multi-floor bakery café near Sinnonhyeon Station in Gangnam, Seoul. After a meal, the writer had a black sesame latte at Bakerist Brown and picked a 6-piece Gangnam Sand cookie set (14,000 won), and the Cream Forest, made with matcha, cream cheese and white chocolate, was the favorite. The Gangnam Sand set from Bakerist Brown makes a good dessert gift when you don't want to arrive at a Gangnam get-together empty-handed.

Written Jun 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Yeoksam Italian: squid ink blueberry pizza, shrimp salad, Mano di Chef

Mano di Chef Gangnam is a Blue Ribbon–listed Italian restaurant in the basement of Bithumb Finance Tower near Yeoksam Station in Gangnam, Seoul. At Mano di Chef Gangnam, a favourite blueberry & arugula pizza on squid ink dough came with a premium avocado salad topped with shrimp. The blueberries, cheese and walnuts gave the pizza a fresh, nutty balance, and the shrimp were pleasantly springy. A satisfying, not-too-heavy pairing for two, though the prices are above a casual quick meal.

Written Jun 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeongdeungpo, SeoulBars

Yeongdeungpo bar: level-2 spicy chicken stew and jjolmyeon, Yeokjeon

Yeokjeon Pojangmacha Yeongdeungpo is a retro pojangmacha-style bar near Yeongdeungpo Station in Seoul. The writer ordered a large boneless dakbokkeumtang (spicy braised chicken stew) at spice level 2, added 100g of jjolmyeon (chewy wheat noodles), finished with fried rice, and drank Terra draft beer (300cc for 2,900 won) and Busan16 Galmaegi. Spice level 2, labelled 'spicier than Shin Ramyun' on the order screen, really was hotter, but the dakbokkeumtang at Yeokjeon Pojangmacha was still delicious.

Written Oct 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangdong, SeoulRestaurants

Gukbap restaurant at Cheonho Station, jeon and beer dinner: Boseung

Boseung Hoegwan Cheonho Station Branch is a gukbap (rice soup) restaurant near Cheonho Station in Gangdong, Seoul, that also serves sharing dishes like jeon (savory pancakes) and suyuk (boiled pork). Two diners ordered pork jowl boiled pork gukbap for ₩13,000, mung bean jeon and seafood scallion jeon for ₩15,000, and a Cass beer for ₩6,000, a ₩34,000 dinner in total, though Cass costing ₩1,000 more than soju was a letdown. Boseung Hoegwan Cheonho Station Branch suits an evening when gukbap alone feels too little but a heavy barbecue meal feels like too much.

Written Jun 22, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulThings to do

LP listening room to end a Seongsu dinner date: Budweiser at Wanita

Wanita Music Listening Room Seongsu is an LP listening room on Yeonmujang-gil near Seongsu Station in Seoul, where visitors choose vinyl records themselves and play them on a turntable. After staff showed the writer how to use the turntable, the writer listened to LPs over a Budweiser, both on headphones at a seat and in the shared listening area. Wanita Music Listening Room is best as the unhurried last stop of a Seongsu date, after dinner and a stroll through the neighborhood.

Written Jul 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Seongsu burgers, Shrimp O.G & Classic Cheese halves: Bored & Hungry

Bored & Hungry Seongsu is a colorful handmade burger restaurant in Seongsu, Seoul, about a 10-minute walk from Seongsu Station Exit 3. A Shrimp O.G, a Classic Cheese Single, butter garlic fries and two Budweiser drafts were ordered, and both burgers were split in half; the shrimp patty and the cheeseburger are distinct enough that sharing them made the meal more satisfying. At Bored & Hungry Seongsu, pick the Shrimp O.G if you order one signature burger, and split the Shrimp O.G and Classic Cheese if you go as a pair.

Written Jul 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Bangi Station Chinese dinner: thin-batter tangsuyuk, Jjambbongwan

Jjambbongwan Seoul Bangi Branch is a Chinese restaurant near Bangi Station in Songpa, Seoul. Three friends came for dinner and shared a level-1 seafood tray jjajang (black bean noodles on a sharing platter, 13,000 won) and a small tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork, 18,000 won); the tangsuyuk, with thin batter and tender meat, was the standout. Jjambbongwan Seoul Bangi Branch suits groups of friends who like to share several dishes, but despite its 24-hour sign it closes at 9:30 pm.

Written Oct 8, 2026Sponsored