Banchan Case Gazer · 28 stories

By the Banchan Case

I write about restaurants I visit around Gwangju and Jeolla. · Writes about: Restaurants · Bars · Cafés · Shopping

PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiCafés

Suwon Station café with Rilakkuma goods and hot peach oolong: Hongrad

Hongrad Suwon Station Branch (홍라드커피 수원역점) is a vintage-style dessert café on the 2nd floor of a building in an alley off Hyanggyo-ro, near the Rodeo Street area by Suwon Station. The blogger browsed Hongrad's small goods corner of keyrings, stickers and Rilakkuma pouches, then had a hot peach oolong tea with a brownie topped with ice cream. If you want a tea with a full, never-watery aroma and a brownie that doesn't get cloying, Hongrad Suwon Station Branch is a good fit.

Written Nov 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceHwaseong, GyeonggiRestaurants

Dongtan gyukatsu restaurant: taste of Japan, 5-min wait, Hurato

Hurato Sikdang Dongtan Lake Commo (후라토식당 동탄레이크꼬모점) is a Japanese restaurant on the 2nd floor of Songdong-gil in Dongtan Lake Commo, Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, serving mainly gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet), omurice and rice bowls. On a weekend lunch, the writer joined the Catch Table waitlist, got a table in 5 minutes and grilled the gyukatsu to their preferred doneness on a personal brazier, one per person. Hurato Sikdang's gyukatsu tastes close to what the writer had in Japan, nutty and never greasy, making it a solid pick for a Dongtan Lake Park date or family lunch.

Written May 22, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiCafés

Haenggung-dong hanok-view café, Suwon: Matilda cake, Jung Ji-young

Jung Ji-young Coffee Roasters Sinpung is a newly opened café and dessert spot on the second floor of an alley building on Sinpung-ro in Haenggung-dong, Suwon. At a floor-to-ceiling window seat overlooking tiled hanok roofs, the writer had a coconut latte, a Chamomile Relaxer and the Matilda cake. Jung Ji-young Coffee Roasters Sinpung suits a Haenggung-dong date when you want a hanok view and a rich chocolate dessert together.

Written Nov 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Suwon Station noodle shop main branch: Monday clam kalguksu, Daseon

Daseon Kalguksu Main Branch is a 25-year-old kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) restaurant on Hyanggyo-ro in front of Suwon Station, Suwon. After loving the kalguksu and suyuk bossam (boiled pork with kimchi wraps) at the Gyodae directly run branch, the writer went to the Suwon Station main branch for a Monday lunch with her boyfriend and ordered clam kalguksu and plate suyuk (sliced boiled pork). The broth at Daseon Kalguksu is clean enough for people who don't usually enjoy seafood, and the portions are generous, making it a solid pick for a kalguksu lunch near Suwon Station.

Written May 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Suwon dog-friendly brunch: French toast & egg in hell, Kueodeukkutteu

Kueodeukkutteu (쿠어드꾸뜨) is a brunch and Western restaurant in a converted house on Sinpung-ro in Haenggung-dong, Suwon, where pets are welcome and guests can sit at outdoor tables or on the rooftop. The writer came back to Kueodeukkutteu because the staff had been so kind on a first visit with their dog, and a planned light brunch turned into French toast, egg in hell (eggs baked in spicy tomato sauce), carrot rapé oil pasta and perilla oil ice cream. Verdict: Kueodeukkutteu delivers on atmosphere, food and friendly service, making it an easy recommendation for a Haenggung-dong date.

Written Oct 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiCafés

Study café near Ajou Univ Hospital, Suwon: dark espresso at Jo Hui-tak

Jo Hui-tak Coffee (조희탁커피) is a dessert café on a side street near Ajou University Hospital and Ajou University in Paldal-gu, Suwon. The writer studied at a long seat with outlets and a cozy two-person seat over an iced Americano made with dark espresso and a fudgy chocolate cake. The writer also browsed the Halloween décor and a lineup of cakes, mochi, sando and salt bread. Jo Hui-tak Coffee suits anyone near Ajou University looking for a laptop-friendly café with good desserts.

Written Oct 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiCafés

Gwanggyo café: chamomile tea & layered-sweet choco cake, Café Diaz

Café Diaz Galleria Gwanggyo is a cake café on the B1 floor of Galleria Gwanggyo in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon. On her third visit the writer had already had coffee that day, so she ordered a mild chamomile tea and a choco cake that is richly sweet on top and gently sweet underneath, and she was happy with it. For a tasty dessert café or an anniversary whole cake in Gwanggyo, Café Diaz Galleria Gwanggyo is a good choice.

Written Oct 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Gwanggyo Café Street pizzeria at sunset, free corkage: The European

The European Gwanggyo (더유로피언 광교점) is a wood-fired pizza restaurant on Gwanggyo Café Street in Suwon, connected to Gwanggyo Lake Park and ideal for a walk after dinner. A writer who has lived in Gwanggyo for about 10 years visited The European Gwanggyo with a friend around sunset, ordering the jambon (French ham) arugula tomato pizza and truffle cream gnocchi, and enjoyed the chewy wood-fired dough and the cream gnocchi mixed with a poached egg. For an atmospheric dinner or a wine date, the second-floor window seats at The European Gwanggyo are worth recommending.

Written Oct 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceTongyeong, GyeongnamRestaurants

Ocean-view Tongyeong restaurant for brisket tteokbokki: Brown Hands

Brown Hands Tongyeong (브라운핸즈 통영) is an ocean-view Western restaurant on the 2nd floor of Tongyeong International Music Hall in Tongyeong, Gyeongnam. Two diners visited around sunset during a Tongyeong trip and shared beef brisket tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), seafood oil pasta and squid ink risotto. The generous portions left them full, and the spicy tteokbokki paired well with the two Western dishes. Brown Hands Tongyeong suits an anniversary, a date or any special day when you want a meal facing the sea.

Written Oct 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiCafés

Yeongtong, Suwon bakery café with mentaiko salt bread: Cork Bake Bar

Cork Bake Bar is a European-style bakery café on Dongsuwon-ro in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, near the former courthouse intersection. The writer had Cork Bake Bar's mentaiko (pollock roe) salt bread and thousand-layer toast with an iced Americano and an iced vanilla latte, and found the bread range, from salt bread and sando to cakes, the widest of any bakery café they had visited in Suwon. If you want a Suwon bakery with lots of bread to choose from, Cork Bake Bar is a great fit.

Written Jun 30, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiBars

Suwon Station room bar with beef mushroom hot pot & ramen: Manseokjip

Manseokjip Suwon Station Branch (만석집 수원역점) is an all-private-room pub on the 2nd and 3rd floors on Maesan-ro near Suwon Station. A Suwon local skipped dinner and came with a friend for beef brisket mushroom hot pot, pollock roe and seaweed flake rice balls and draft beer, then added ramen noodles to the hot pot at the end. Verdict: Manseokjip Suwon Station Branch is a quiet room bar near Suwon Station, good for talking over dinner and a drink.

Written Oct 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulCafés

Blind-date café in Sinnonhyeon, Lotus caramel latte: Upper and Under

Upper and Under is a multi-floor café between Sinnonhyeon Station and Gangnam Station in Gangnam, Seoul. On the quiet, breezy 3rd-floor terrace, the writer tried a salty caramel latte topped with Lotus biscuit, an einspänner and a hwang cheese (rich yellow cheese) financier, and judged Upper and Under's sweet, smooth signature cream drinks a pass. Desserts sell out fast, so go early: Upper and Under is a Sinnonhyeon café where the atmosphere, coffee and desserts all hold up.

Written Oct 11, 2026Sponsored