Supper Plate Keeper · 50 stories
Writes about small restaurants in Seoul's older neighborhoods, one supper at a time. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Hair & beauty salons · Shopping
Cuisine R is an Italian restaurant on the 2nd floor of the Baeksang Building near Exit 5 of Yeouido Station in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul. After work one evening in November, the writer and her husband booked through Catch Table, sat at a window seat overlooking yellow ginkgo trees, and had vongole pasta, truffle risotto and a glass of red wine. Cuisine R is a recommended spot for an autumn or year-end dinner date in Yeouido.
Eco Revy Hair Ewha Branch is a hair salon in Seodaemun, Seoul, near Exit 3 of Ewha Womans Univ. Station, specializing in repair straightening, repair perms and hair color. The blogger had never bleached, but her severely damaged hair had turned yellow from walks in the sun, so after a consultation she had it dyed cc8.1 dark ash brown to cancel the yellow tones. The calm color came out exactly as she wanted, making Eco Revy Hair Ewha Branch a solid pick for dyeing severely damaged hair.
Ongdoenjang Sangam is a Korean hotpot restaurant in Sangam-dong, Mapo, Seoul, a 5-minute walk from Digital Media City Station Exit 9. After loving the doenjang hotpot at lunch, the writer came back for dinner, ordered the beef tendon and boiled beef hotpot (seuji suyuk jeongol) and a barley shrimp minari jeon (savory pancake with water dropwort), refilled the broth twice and finished with free porridge. Verdict: Ongdoenjang Sangam is a warming, filling Korean dinner spot near Digital Media City, ideal for a day you feel a cold coming on.
Jeongyukdo (정육도) is a charcoal-grill Korean BBQ restaurant in Mapo, Seoul, a 5-minute walk from Hapjeong Station Exit 5, serving 1++ hanwoo beef, aged Korean pork special cuts and pork galbi (ribs). On a weekend evening date, the writer ate 1 portion of aged raw pork galbi and 2 portions of pre-seared marinated pork galbi at Jeongyukdo, and despite morning sickness had enough appetite to add doenjang stew and mul naengmyeon (cold noodles). Jeongyukdo is worth a visit when you crave charcoal-grilled pork galbi near Hapjeong Station.
Bass Burger Sinyongsan is a craft burger restaurant on Yongridan-gil near Yongsan Station and Sinyongsan Station in Seoul, with an entrance hall, an inner hall and a terrace. With Mom, who came to Seoul ahead of a grandchild's birth, and a partner, the writer ordered a wasabi mayo shrimp burger, a double bacon cheeseburger and a sriracha cheeseburger, plus free refills of house-fried chips from the refill bar (a combo is 2,200 won extra when dining in). Bass Burger Sinyongsan's fresh ingredients and restrained sauces make for well-balanced burgers and a light but filling meal.
Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang Sindang Direct Branch (진성한우곱창 신당직영점) is a hanwoo (Korean beef) gopchang (small intestine) restaurant right outside Exit 7 of Sindang Station in Jung-gu, Seoul. The writer, Mom and a partner arrived early in the evening, got in after about 15 minutes behind 5 parties, and ordered 3 portions of hanwoo gopchang with kkakdugi yangbap (fried rice with radish kimchi and beef tripe) and anchovy noodles. The gopchang was packed with rich gop, the kimchi was homemade and a steamed egg came free. Three people can try both sides, making Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang a sure pick for beef gopchang in Sindang.
Hapjeong Sushi House is an aged-sushi restaurant near Exit 3 of Hapjeong Station in Mapo, Seoul, run by an owner who previously cooked in hotels and overseas fine-dining kitchens. The writer and their partner ordered the omakase-style Hap and Jeong sushi sets and enjoyed every piece, from the fire-torched flounder fin sushi and ankimo (monkfish liver) sushi to the steamed egg and udon. Hapjeong Sushi House is a place worth revisiting for a date or a solo meal when you want omakase-style sushi without the pressure.
Kosi Gyodae Branch (코시 교대점) is a Japanese restaurant serving house-made udon and tonkatsu near Exit 14 of Gyodae Station in Seocho, Seoul. On a rainy weekend evening, the writer ordered fried tofu udon (yubu udon) with two extra 2-piece inari sushi sets, while a companion had the half-and-half katsu of cheese katsu and fresh loin katsu. The chewy noodles, generous inari sushi and tender fresh loin katsu at Kosi Gyodae Branch were all satisfying.
Hyeonseonine Yongsan Main Branch (현선이네 용산본점) is a tteokbokki (spicy rice cake) and Korean snack shop within a 5-minute walk of Yongsan Station and Sinyongsan Station in Seoul. On a weekday evening date after work, the writer walked in with no wait and ordered the mild Hyeonseonine combo set: tteokbokki, assorted fritters, sundae (Korean blood sausage), mini gimbap, fish cake skewers and fish cake broth. The chewy rice cakes and moist sundae and offal stood out. Hyeonseonine is a good Yongsan snack shop for 2–3 people to share or to pair with a beer.
Baegyeom Makchang Euljiro Main Branch (백염막창) is a Daegu-style makchang (grilled pork intestine) restaurant in the Hipjiro area of Euljiro 3-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul. After a 3-party wait around 6:30 pm on a weekday, the writer had 2 servings of pre-grilled Daegu makchang and the Baegyeom doenjang stew made with kongbiji (ground soybean) and cheonggukjang (fermented soybean paste). Thanks to the chewy, unseasoned makchang with no gamey smell and the house-ground soybean dipping sauce, Baegyeom Makchang is a must-visit in Euljiro for anyone who loves makchang.
Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch is a charcoal-grilled black pork Korean BBQ restaurant on the ground floor of the CGV building near Jongno 3-ga Station in Seoul. A couple arrived after 8:30 PM on a weekday, waited about 15 minutes, and ate Jirisan black pork five-layer belly (₩19,000 per serving) and doenjang (soybean paste) stew, while staff grilled the pork over hardwood charcoal and rice-husk smoke and cooked kimchi, bean sprouts, dropwort and potatoes alongside it. Verdict: Cham Dwaejitgan is a Jongno 3-ga pork belly spot worth the wait, even late at night.
Drunken Thai Gongdeok is a Thai restaurant in Dohwa-dong, Mapo, Seoul, a 5-minute walk from Gongdeok Station. The writer and her husband sat at the bar table at Drunken Thai Gongdeok and ordered beef rice noodle soup, pad see ew, morning glory (stir-fried water spinach), spring rolls and tod mun goong (Thai shrimp cakes); the food came out quickly, and because cilantro isn't added by default, it was easy to eat. With generous portions and reasonable prices, Drunken Thai Gongdeok is the couple's regular pick whenever they crave Thai food in Gongdeok.
