Last Call Guest · 33 stories
I write about restaurants and bars I visit around Seoul. · Writes about: Bars · Restaurants · Cafés · Shopping
Bako Jumak (바코주막) is a Korean pub in Mapo, Seoul, a 6-minute walk from Hapjeong Station, decorated like a Joseon-era roadside tavern. The writer often stops by Bako Jumak after work for grilled rockfish, served as two fish that are crispy outside and moist inside, with a savory special seasoning sauce, plus Cheongha and draft beer. Bako Jumak is an easygoing Hapjeong bar for a light dinner and a drink on the way home.
Girin Samgyeopsal (기린삼겹살) is a recently opened pork belly restaurant near Yadang Station in Paju, Gyeonggi. On an early visit, the writer ordered 1 portion of pork belly and kkodeulsal, a chewy cut from the pork trimmings known as dwitgogi. Both were grilled a little at a time on an unusual griddle, eaten with Girin Samgyeopsal's 3 signature sauces and grilled kimchi, and followed by a steamed egg to finish. With clean, good-quality meat and tidy service, Girin Samgyeopsal is a pork belly spot worth recommending near Yadang Station.
Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch (참돼짓간 종로본점) is a Korean BBQ restaurant right in front of Jongno 3-ga Station in Seoul that specializes in grilled Jirisan black pork. The writer ordered 1 serving each of Jirisan black pork belly and neck, grilled them a little at a time to match their eating pace, and ate them with dropwort (minari), kimchi and bean sprouts grilled in the pork belly fat, dipped in a spicy sauce and a mushroom sauce. Cham Dwaejitgan is a regular spot the writer visits two or three times a year, and a reliable choice for properly good pork.
Bongmaruji Hapjeong is a new spicy braised short rib (maeun galbi-jjim) restaurant between Hapjeong Station and Sangsu Station in Mapo, Seoul. On an April day with cherry blossoms still out, the writer ate a 2-serving portion of the plain spicy galbi-jjim, with no bean sprouts or aged kimchi, for ₩30,000 at the spicy level, alone; the thick rib meat, mushroom flavor and cool heotgae fruit tea stood out. Bongmaruji Hapjeong is a good pick near Hapjeong Station when you crave classic spicy galbi-jjim.
Onggyejip Sutbul Dakgalbi Namyeong branch is a charcoal chicken BBQ restaurant a 3-minute walk from Sookmyung Women's University Station (Sukdae-ipgu) in Yongsan, Seoul. On a third visit, the writer had 2 servings of herbal-aged marinated dakgalbi (grilled marinated chicken). The dakgalbi arrived pre-grilled and was crisped over charcoal, served with iced honey dongdongju (rice wine) and a free shepherd's purse doenjang stew. Onggyejip is the Sookmyung-area dakgalbi spot the writer keeps coming back to for a feel-good meal after a tiring day.
Tannae Paju Main Branch (탄내 파주본점) is a briquette-grilled Korean BBQ restaurant on the Garam-maeul restaurant street in Unjeong, Paju. The writer ordered 2 servings of briquette pre-grilled pork neck, which came with 4 free extra pieces, plus meljeot (salted anchovy dipping sauce), spicy boneless chicken feet, crab doenjang (soybean paste) stew and steamed egg, and grilling the boneless chicken feet once more over the briquette gave them a different flavor. Tannae Paju Main Branch is a good Unjeong pick when you want properly briquette pre-grilled meat.
Katsu Monster Yeonsinnae Branch is a tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet) restaurant 3 minutes from Yeonsinnae Station in Eunpyeong, Seoul. The writer ordered the Katsu Monster triple set of cheese katsu, loin katsu and tenderloin katsu, dipped the cutlets in Japanese curry with a cola on the side, and picked the tenderloin katsu as the best. Verdict: a satisfying meal, best ordered tenderloin first, then loin, then cheese.
Boulangerie Tan Unjeong Main Branch is a bakery on the ground floor of a shopping building in Chorongkkot Village, Unjeong, Paju, and it says it uses French Lescure butter. The writer queued on a weekday afternoon, sent photos of the salt bread to his wife so she could choose, and took home a full bag of mostly salt bread, which was salty, crisp and rich with butter. Boulangerie Tan is a good Unjeong, Paju bakery for picking up salt bread for a family that loves it.
Kkondae Kim Bujang Gogi-jip Gangnam Station Branch is a charcoal-grilled pork restaurant in the Gangnam Station food alley in Gangnam, Seoul. The writer ordered one portion each of pork neck (moksal) and kkodeulsal (a chewy pork cut) and was pleased with the generous 200g portions and the free side dishes, which include mushroom jeon (savory pancake), acorn jelly salad, salted pollack roe, spicy raw squid salad and salted oysters. With private rooms and group seating, Kkondae Kim Bujang Gogi-jip is a charcoal BBQ worth recommending for a team dinner near Gangnam Station.
Omokgyo Gopchang Mokdong Main Branch is a beef gopchang (grilled beef intestine) restaurant in Yangcheon, Seoul, a 4-minute walk from Omokgyo Station on Line 5. The order was 1 serving of limited-quantity garlic gopchang and 1 serving of mixed gopchang with heart, daechang (large intestine), makchang (abomasum) and small intestine. The meal came with liver and omasum side dishes, a scallion salad, complimentary soft tofu stew and a fire show. The verdict: ordering garlic gopchang and mixed gopchang together at Omokgyo Gopchang gives you different textures in one meal.
Yangeunine Samseong Station Branch is a newly opened pollack stew and bossam (boiled pork) restaurant on the first floor of an alley building in Gangnam, Seoul, about a 6-minute walk from Samseong Station on Line 2. On a sweltering summer day, in the Korean spirit of fighting heat with heat, the writer ordered scallion-heaped pollack stew (dongtae-tang) and a whole boiled squid, simmered half the squid in the stew, and finished with glass noodles and ramyeon. The pollack stew at Yangeunine Samseong Station Branch has fresh pollack and a clean, refreshing broth, which makes it a meal worth recommending.
Rosetta is a cocktail and whisky bar with an outdoor terrace and bar seating on Eoulmadang-ro, between Hongdae and Hapjeong in Mapo, Seoul. On an autumn day the writer went to Rosetta alone, took a bar seat and ordered a whisky tasting board of blended and single malt whisky with cheese, fruit, olives and jamón, and found the whisky very rich with a wonderful aroma. Rosetta is worth recommending when you want a light, relaxed drink on your own.
