Tape Measure Regular · 13 stories

The Measuring Tape

I write about everyday experiences at home. · Writes about: Home & living · Restaurants · Cafés · Bars · Food & snacks

PlaceYuseong, DaejeonRestaurants

Eel buffet with chicken neck refills, Jijok-dong, Daejeon: Songrimbok

Songrimbok Jangeo (송림복장어) is an all-you-can-eat freshwater eel restaurant in Jijok-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, where 29,900 won per person (plus a 3,000 won table setting fee) buys unlimited eel, pork belly and chicken neck. Two diners ate 3 to 4 eels and went back for eel and chicken neck refills at least 3 to 4 times, and found the eel plump, free of fishy smell and carefully cleaned of small bones. With room for up to 130 people, Songrimbok Jangeo is also a strong pick for group gatherings in Jijok-dong.

Written May 22, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, DaejeonCafés

Café near Jungangno Station, Daejeon: Danish brunch plate at HUSK

HUSK is a café styled like a Nordic home on Bomun-ro in Seonhwa-dong, Jung-gu, Daejeon, near Jungangno Station. Before exploring Jungang Market, the writer ordered HUSK's Husk Latte made with Maldon salt, a Citrus Shrub of fruit aged with vinegar, and a Danish Plate of sourdough with house-made jambon. HUSK is a quiet, cozy café worth returning to for Danish-style brunch.

Written May 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYuseong, DaejeonRestaurants

Daejeon pork belly restaurant with daechang stew fried rice: Sanjang

Sanjang Samgyeop Daejeon Bongmyeong is a mountain-lodge-themed pork belly restaurant in Bongmyeong-dong, Yuseong, Daejeon, where the meat is served fully grilled. The order was the minari pork belly set with cold noodles, self-cooked fried rice and extra cheese, and the set's Hanu beef daechang jjageuri (spicy stew with Korean beef intestines) and the jjageuri fried rice stood out most. Sanjang Samgyeop suits anyone who hates smoky clothes or grilling instead of talking, and it works well for group dinners.

Written May 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulRestaurants

Salad shop at Gyodae Station: smoked duck soba poke for two, Olla Poke

Olla Poke Seocho Gyodae Branch is a poke and salad restaurant on basement level 1 near Gyodae Station in Seocho, Seoul. Before a Seoul day trip, a couple ordered a smoked duck poke (switched to buckwheat noodles, with teriyaki sauce) and a wrap and soup set (chicken breast wrap and tomato soup), and they liked the fresh vegetables and the free coffee for diners. Olla Poke Seocho Gyodae Branch is a light but filling Gyodae Station salad spot worth recommending for solo diners or a meal before a trip.

Written Jun 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulCafés

Ttukseom café on a gacha run: peach soft serve & decaf, Mellows

Mellows is a small café in an alley near Ttukseom Station in Seongdong, Seoul, serving coffee and soft serve made with Sangha Farm milk. Running low on energy after hunting for gacha on a Seoul trip, the writer stopped at Mellows before heading to Seongsu for peach and chocolate soft serve, a decaf iced americano and an iced café latte, and was pleased by the fruit-packed peach soft serve and a decaf that didn't taste watery. Mellows is a good Ttukseom Station dessert café for topping up on sugar and caffeine without feeling weighed down.

Written Jun 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Seongsu taco spot for an afternoon snack: takoyaki & Corona, Morimoly

Morimoly is a taco restaurant on an alley off Seongsuil-ro 3-gil in Seongsu, Seoul, serving tacos that use crispy fried seaweed topped with rice instead of a tortilla. After a salad lunch, a hungry afternoon called for a Morimoly taco, takoyaki and a bottle of Corona, and because thick fries came with the taco, the snack turned into a filling meal. Morimoly is a good fit for anyone in Seongsu looking for a solo meal, a quick lunch or a snack with beer.

Written Jun 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Seongsu Thai restaurant to end a day trip: cilantro noodles, Thanon55

Thanon55 is a Thai restaurant in an alley off Ttukseom-ro 9-gil in Seongsu-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, where the Thai owner and a Thai staff member cook the food themselves. As the last stop of a Seoul day trip, the writer ordered Thanon55's gamjatang rice noodles (rice noodles in Korean pork bone soup style) with extra cilantro and a small mu thod curry (curry with crispy fried pork), and both the rich broth and the crispy pork curry suited Korean tastes. Verdict: Thanon55 is a clean, satisfying meal after tacos and ice cream in Seongsu, and its broth even feels like a hangover soup.

Written Jun 10, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYuseong, DaejeonRestaurants

Yuseong, Daejeon charcoal octopus restaurant for spice wimps: Gim Ojo

Gim Ojo Charcoal Webfoot Octopus (김오조숯불쭈꾸미) is a charcoal-grilled webfoot octopus (jjukkumi) restaurant in Bongmyeong-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon. On a weekday evening the writer ordered octopus for 2, garlic pork for 1 and a roe rice ball; the octopus arrives pre-grilled and picks up its charcoal smokiness at the table, and cheonggukjang (fermented soybean stew) came free. With heat somewhere between Shin Ramyun and Buldak noodles plus a charcoal aroma, Gim Ojo Charcoal Webfoot Octopus works both as a proper meal and as drinking food.

Written Jun 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeo-gu, DaejeonRestaurants

Late-night Daejeon BBQ: Iberico neck with galchi sokjeot at Gildon

Gildon is an Iberico pork Korean BBQ restaurant in Galma-dong, Seo-gu, Daejeon, in the Sangga-dong wing of the Gallery Hurium building, where staff grill the meat for you to the end. On a June weeknight evening, the writer and her husband ate flower pork belly, Iberico pork neck (kkotmoksal), kimchi stew and kudzu bibim naengmyeon (spicy cold noodles), and the salt and pepper sprinkled by the owner plus simmered galchi sokjeot (fermented cutlassfish innards) stood out. Open until 23:55 with 2 hours of free parking in the building, Gildon is an easy choice for a late after-work BBQ dinner.

Written Jun 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeo-gu, DaejeonRestaurants

Daejeon shaved pork BBQ near E-Mart Traders before shopping: Kkodeul

Kkodeul Daepae Daejeon Wolpyeong Branch (꼬들대패 대전월평점) is a cold pork and shaved pork belly BBQ restaurant in Wolpyeong-dong, Seo-gu, Daejeon, near E-Mart Traders. Before grocery shopping at Traders, a couple paid ₩3,000 per table for the self-serve bar. They ate 4 servings of Kkodeul shaved pork, 3 servings of shaved pork belly, blue crab doenjang stew and steamed egg, then finished with cheese fried rice. Kkodeul Daepae's cheap shaved pork and well-stocked self-serve bar made for a filling, satisfying meal before shopping.

Written Jun 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeo-gu, DaejeonBars

Galma-dong Chinese bar date night: baijiu tasting & Terra at Yongju

Yongju is a Chinese pub serving food and drinks in Galma-dong, Seo-gu, Daejeon, with a huge dragon on the ceiling and a red interior. On a date night, a married couple ordered Yongju's mala rosé xiang guo set with nurungji guobaorou (crispy sweet-and-sour pork on scorched rice), a Terra beer and a risotto add-on, and tried the baijiu tasting offered on the notice board. Yongju lets you try baijiu with no pressure to commit to a bottle, and the food is just as good, a solid pick for anyone looking for a distinctive Chinese bar in Galma-dong.

Written Jul 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeo-gu, DaejeonRestaurants

Dunsan-dong soup restaurant, ₩12,000 galbitang with 5 ribs: Hanppong

Hanppong is a newly opened galbitang and gukbap (Korean rice soup) restaurant in Dunsan-dong, Daejeon, right next to Daejeon City Hall. Hanppong's 12,000-won galbitang (beef short rib soup) came with 5 rib bones loaded with meat, and the doganitang (ox knee soup) my husband ordered had a rich broth with no gamy smell, both served with silbi kimchi (spicy fresh kimchi) and kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi). For a bowl of soup in Dunsan-dong, Hanppong is great value.

Written Aug 2, 2026Sponsored