Lunch Detour Taker · 16 stories

Lunch Detours

I write about meals at restaurants I visit in Gyeonggi Province. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Shopping · Bars

PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Yeoksam burgers before a salon visit: bacon & double cheese, Daily Fix

Daily Fix Gangnam Main Branch is an American diner-style handmade burger restaurant near Yeoksam Station in Gangnam, Seoul, right in front of Sindonggung Gamjatang. During an in-between hour, neither lunch nor dinner, the writer had a bacon cheeseburger with house-made bacon, a double cheeseburger with two Hanwoo (Korean beef) patties, thick-cut fries and refillable cola, and liked them enough to order takeout too. For a handmade burger lunch near Yeoksam Station, Daily Fix is a good choice.

Written Nov 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJeju, JejuBars

Nohyeong-dong bar in Jeju with a squid and mulhoe set: Jeju Bambam

Jeju Bambam (제주밤밤) is a bigfin reef squid izakaya on Sudeok-ro in Nohyeong-dong, Jeju City. During a Jeju trip, the writer had dinner there with Hallasan somaek (soju mixed with beer) and a 99,000 won set of bigfin reef squid sashimi, vegetable mulhoe (cold raw fish soup) and cheese potato pancake. The squid arrived fanned out like flower petals, diners make their own squid sushi, and the portion was generous for two. If you want a drink in Jeju City with seafood other than the usual sashimi, the Jeju Bambam set is a good choice.

Written Oct 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Daechi-dong izakaya with a large sashimi platter: Momiji Seolleung

Momiji Seolleung Branch is a Japanese izakaya on the third floor of a building in the restaurant alley by Seolleung Station in Gangnam, Seoul, where every table sits inside its own private room. The order started with the large seasonal sashimi platter, joined by Sichuan-style karaage (24,000 won) and mentaiko scallop fry (26,000 won), and the thick slices of aged fish and the crisp fried plates both went well with soju. Each room at Momiji Seolleung Branch has its own air conditioner, so it is an easy place to talk quietly without hearing the next table.

Written Sep 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulBars

Gangnam pocha with clam soup and udon noodles: 88 Nogari Seolleung

88 Nogari Seolleung Main Branch is a budget pocha (Korean pub) in the food alley by Seolleung Station in Gangnam, Seoul. The clam soup costs 15,000 won with a 2,000 won udon noodle add-on, nogari (dried pollack) is 10,000 won, and a bowl of sarigomtang instant noodles rounds off the night. With dishes in the 10,000 won range and a snack corner selling chips and cup noodles, 88 Nogari Seolleung works well for a second round or a team night out.

Written Sep 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Yeoksam eel restaurant for two by Chunghyun Church: Chisot

Chisot Yeoksam Main Branch is a Nagoya-style hitsumabushi (grilled eel rice bowl) restaurant directly in front of Chunghyun Church in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam, Seoul. On an after-work visit, two Hitsumabushi Sang sets at 37,000 won each came with chawanmushi (steamed egg custard) and clear soup, and each bowl was eaten four different ways. If you prefer eel with a gentle charcoal smokiness over eel that is simply sweet, Chisot is worth the trip.

Written Sep 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceUijeongbu, GyeonggiCafés

Chestnut-tree-view seats at Forerest, a large café in Uijeongbu

Forerest is a large café surrounded by trees in Nogyang-dong, Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi. Sitting side by side at a seat looking out on the chestnut trees, the writer ordered the basic Basque cheesecake and the Earl Grey Basque with an iced americano: the basic tasted richly of cheese, while the Earl Grey gave off a gentle tea aroma. Forerest suits anyone who wants a forest mood and dessert in one visit.

Written Sep 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceUijeongbu, GyeonggiRestaurants

Uijeongbu sundaeguk with kiosk topping choices: Yetnal Gyeongseong

Yetnal Gyeongseong Sundaeguk Nogyang Branch is a newly opened sundaeguk (pork and blood sausage soup) restaurant in Nogyang-dong, Uijeongbu, near Eulji University Hospital. At weekday lunch the writer ordered the spicy sundaeguk set and a basic sundaeguk, and the table kiosk let them pick toppings — no sundae, no head meat, intestines only — without telling the staff. The spicy bowl was the sharpest sundaeguk the writer has tried, while the broth itself stayed clean and free of any gamey smell.

Written Sep 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNamyangju, GyeonggiRestaurants

Byeollae dumpling hot pot in spicy broth, Namyangju: Onjeongban

Onjeongban Shabu Kalguksu Namyangju Byeollae Main Branch is a shabu-shabu and kalguksu (knife-cut noodle) restaurant on Siksong 1-ro in Byeollae-dong, Namyangju. The handmade gulrim mandu (rolled dumpling) hot pot costs 13,000 won per person, and it came with extra meat and the spicy broth, plus unlimited self-serve gondeure rice (herb rice) and geotjeori kimchi. Onjeongban landed as a Byeollae lunch that got price, portion and flavour right all at once.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Yeoksam eel rice bowl with scallion and wasabi hitsumabushi: Unagiwa

Unagiwa is a Nagoya-style hitsumabushi eel rice bowl restaurant on Bongeunsa-ro 30-gil, near Yeoksam Station in Gangnam, Seoul. The hitsumabushi (large) with a whole eel costs 38,000 won and is eaten four ways: eel with rice, then with scallion and wasabi, and finally as ochazuke, and the bowl went down without feeling heavy. For a proper meal in Yeoksam, Unagiwa's hitsumabushi is worth the trip.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSokcho, GangwonBars

Sokcho Yeongnang-dong bar for two: spicy jjukkumi set, Seo Jubang

Seo Jubang is a Korean-style drinking restaurant near the Yeongnang-dong food stall street and Yeongnang Beach in Sokcho. Visiting on a spur-of-the-moment trip with one friend, the writer ordered the Sokcho drinking set for 53,000 won, choosing spicy stir-fried octopus as the main dish and getting abai sundae, golbaengi (sea snail), spicy squid salad and pollock roe potatoes all on one tray. Seo Jubang's drinking set is a good fit for two people who want to sample lots of small dishes at once.

Written Sep 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSokcho, GangwonRestaurants

Special tonkotsu ramen at 9am in Yeongnang-dong, Sokcho: Ichiba Ramen

Ichiba Ramen is a tonkotsu ramen restaurant near the public parking lot entrance of Sokcho Tourist and Fishery Market in Yeongnang-dong, Sokcho. Opening at 9am, it made a perfect breakfast-and-lunch hangover meal on day two of the trip, with a special tonkotsu ramen (₩15,000) featuring a rich but never salty broth and huge char siu with zero funky smell. Two ramen lovers agreed it was the best they'd had, counting Korea and Japan combined.

Written Sep 9, 2026Sponsored