Stopover Menu Diarist · 71 stories

Menus Between Stops

I write about restaurant meals I find while moving around Seoul. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Hair & beauty salons · Things to do · Bars · Shopping

PlaceGwacheon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Duck BBQ in Gwacheon, 1-minute grill by the house guide: Deo Chadol

Deo Chadol (더차돌) is a duck BBQ restaurant near Exit 3 of Seonbawi Station in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi. At Deo Chadol, the 55,000 won couple set is ordered on a table tablet. Following the restaurant's 'how to enjoy duck' tips, we grilled thin-sliced duck brisket for 1 minute, wrapped it in minari (Korean water parsley), then moved on to spicy marinated duck and self-cooked fried rice. With a self-serve bar, a spacious dining hall, baby chairs and a large car park, Deo Chadol is an easy duck course meal near Gwacheon and Seoul Land.

Written Nov 10, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwacheon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Duck BBQ couple set in Gwacheon with event cheese & shrimp: Deo Chadol

Deo Chadol (더차돌) is a duck brisket (ori chadol) BBQ restaurant near Exit 3 of Seonbawi Station in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi. The blogger ordered the Deo Chadol couple set for dinner, a course of duck brisket, spicy marinated duck (ori jumulleok), doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) and fried rice, and received grilling cheese from a Naver review event and shrimp from a Naver notification coupon event. With a self bar, private rooms, kids' chairs, dental floss, a coffee vending machine and a smartphone sterilizing charger, Deo Chadol is a solid pick for a family meal out in Gwacheon.

Written Apr 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Pork rib BBQ in Hapjeong: ₩5,000 crab doenjang stew, Champpoppo

Champpoppo Jjokgalbi Hapjeong Branch (참뽀뽀쪽갈비 합정점) is a charcoal-grilled pork rib (jjokgalbi) restaurant within walking distance of Hapjeong Station Exit 6 in Mapo, Seoul. The writer ordered soy ribs, seasoned ribs at the mild 'Jjomaep' spice level, a cheese bomb steamed egg and a ₩5,000 doenjang stew (soybean paste stew) with crab, and Champpoppo also served free tasters of pork skin, potatoes and chicken porridge. Big pre-grilled ribs eaten by hand with gloves and generous extras make Champpoppo Jjokgalbi Hapjeong Branch worth a return visit.

Written Nov 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGoyang, GyeonggiShopping

Goyang tire shop oil change and how to read tire date codes: Tire Tech

Tire Tech Ilsanseo-gu branch is a Nexen-signed tire shop on Songsan-ro in Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang, Gyeonggi, offering tire changes, wheel alignment, light maintenance such as engine oil changes, and tire rental information in one place. The writer had the engine oil changed with conventional oil at Tire Tech Ilsanseo-gu branch, asked how to read the production-date numbers on a tire, and relaxed in a waiting lounge with marble floors and leather chairs. Tire Tech Ilsanseo-gu branch is an Ilsan repair shop where you can hand over everything from tires to engine oil in one visit and wait in comfort.

Written Nov 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceEunpyeong, SeoulRestaurants

Bulgwang tonkatsu, ₩300,000 receipt review event: Insaeng Donkatsu

Insaeng Donkatsu Bulgwang branch is a tonkatsu (pork cutlet) restaurant near Exit 6 of Bulgwang Station in Eunpyeong, Seoul. The blogger ordered one each of the cheese, menchi, sweet potato cheese and whole loin cutlets to go, and checked out the ₩300,000 receipt review event, face payment and the sauces for each cutlet at Insaeng Donkatsu. The best cutlet was the cheese tonkatsu, with its long, stretchy melted cheese.

Written Nov 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulCafés

Jongno 5-ga bakery: teddy bear decor, red bean & injeolmi pies, Ssuk's

Ssuk's Choco Pie Seoul (쑥스초코파이 서울) is a mugwort choco pie bakery next to Gwangjang Market, near Exit 7 of Jongno 5-ga Station in Jongno, Seoul. The blogger browsed the green shop decorated with teddy bears and figures, bought a 6-piece gift set for ₩24,800 and tasted the Udo peanut, sea-breeze mugwort red bean and sea-breeze mugwort injeolmi (roasted soybean rice cake) flavors. With plenty to look at and elegant packaging, Ssuk's Choco Pie Seoul is a recommended stop for a dessert gift from Gwangjang Market.

Written Nov 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulCafés

Gwanghwamun café: mugwort pound cake & oat latte | Center Coffee

Center Coffee Gwanghwamun is a Blue Ribbon specialty café on basement level 1 of SFC Mall in Gwanghwamun, Seoul. The order was a pear lemonade, an oat latte and a mugwort pound cake: the cake had a chewy, injeolmi-like flavor (injeolmi is a rice cake coated in roasted soybean powder), and the oat latte had a nutty, grainy taste. Center Coffee is known for its coffee, but the pear lemonade was the star of the day because it was not too sweet and only lightly fizzy.

Written Nov 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceEunpyeong, SeoulRestaurants

Korean BBQ near Nokbeon Station: pork jowl & spicy tofu stew, Yukjjeup

Yukjjeup Nokbeon (육쯥 녹번점) is a newly opened Korean BBQ restaurant near Nokbeon Station, in front of Eunpyeong-gu Office in Eunpyeong, Seoul, specializing in Jirisan aged pork belly and pork neck. With the Yukjjeup sampler, staff grilled everything at the table, from the vegetables to pork neck, a tasting portion of pork jowl and pork belly, and the meal came with spicy soft tofu stew (yeol-sundubu jjigae) and tangy young radish bibim noodles (yeolmu bibim guksu). The thick-cut pork with the spicy soft tofu stew at Yukjjeup Nokbeon is a combination well worth recommending.

Written Nov 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Jonggak Station sushi: beef tartare gunkan add-on, Choe Uyeong

Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch (최우영스시야 종로점) is a basement sushi restaurant near Jonggak Station in Jongno, Seoul, with tablet ordering and both bar and table seating. The blogger ordered assorted sashimi and the special sushi set, then added scallop nigiri and a yukhoe (Korean beef tartare) gunkan, eating the thick-cut sashimi with pickled onion and chojang (vinegared chili sauce). Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch is a good pick near Jonggak Station for a generous meal of sushi and sashimi together.

Written Nov 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulCafés

Yeonnam-dong dessert café at night: heart-plate French toast, Jam Jam

Jam Jam is a brunch and dessert café on basement level 1 in an alley off Seongmisan-ro 29-gil in Yeonnam-dong, Mapo, Seoul. On a night visit to Jam Jam, the writer ordered blueberry ice cream French toast served on a heart-shaped plate, a green grape ade and a black sesame latte, and was impressed by the vintage concrete walls, plush mustard sofas and European-style outdoor terrace. All three items were reliably tasty, making Jam Jam a charming brunch café in the Yeonnam-dong and Hongdae area.

Written Nov 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Hyehwa Station Indian curry date, spicy Set B & yellow rice: Meono

Meono Kkameona Daehangno Branch (머노까머나 대학로점) is an Indian and Nepali curry restaurant on the 2nd floor of the Ihwa Building near Hyehwa Station in Jongno, Seoul. The blogger ordered Set B for two with spicy curry, which arrived as one spread of green salad, chicken tikka, lassi, naan and yellow rice. For a date meal near Hyehwa Station that feels a little different, Meono Kkameona Daehangno Branch is a good fit, with spicy curry for dipping naan and mixing into yellow rice.

Written Jun 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Jonggak Korean lunch: octopus in seaweed, pork bibimbap, Bonghyejane

Bonghyejane Jubang Jongno Tower branch (봉혜자네주방 종로타워점) is a Korean restaurant serving stir-fried octopus and other stir-fry set meals on basement level 2 of Jongno Tower at Jonggak Station, Seoul. At lunch, the octopus stir-fry set was mixed with the rice hidden under the plate as a rice bowl and wrapped in lunch-box seaweed. The pork stir-fry set was mixed bibimbap-style into rice topped with seaweed flakes and lettuce, and both came with perilla soup and sweet pumpkin porridge. Bonghyejane Jubang is a hearty, satisfying lunch for office workers around Jonggak Station.

Written Oct 26, 2026Sponsored