Dinner Corner Turner · 29 stories

A Turn for Dinner

Notes on restaurant meals around Gyeonggi. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Hair & beauty salons · Bars · Things to do

PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiCafés

Galleria Gwanggyo café: afternoon flat white & fig cake, Café Diaz

Café Diaz Galleria Gwanggyo is a takeout-focused cake café in the B1 food hall of Galleria Gwanggyo in Suwon, Gyeonggi. After a tiring morning of shopping, I picked up an ice cream latte, a flat white and a fig cake to go and ate them at the shared tables in front of Five Guys on B1, where the lightly sweet fresh cream paired well with the very sweet figs. Café Diaz is a good place for a coffee-and-cake sugar boost during a Galleria Gwanggyo shopping trip.

Written Oct 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceHwaseong, GyeonggiRestaurants

Dongtan kalguksu restaurant revisit: giant meat dumplings, Yubok

Yubok Haemul Kalguksu Dongtan Direct Branch is a kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) restaurant with pufferfish broth near Dongtan Central Park in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi. On a return visit, the writer ordered one pufferfish seafood kalguksu, one fire-grilled webfoot octopus stir-fry and giant meat dumplings, and loved the broth simmered 3 more minutes by hourglass, the chewy house-made noodles and the dumplings with the soup. Verdict: the clean kalguksu and spicy octopus stir-fry combo makes Yubok Haemul Kalguksu a Dongtan noodle spot worth going back to.

Written May 31, 2026Sponsored
PlaceHwaseong, GyeonggiRestaurants

Dongtan chicken stew restaurant with leftovers packed to go: Mandori

Mandori Dongtan Jikyeongjeom (만도리 동탄직영점) is a Korean restaurant specializing in dakdoritang (spicy chicken stew) on Yeoul-ro in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi. Two people shared one whole bone-in dakdoritang with udon noodles added; the tender meat of Harim domestic size-11 chicken and the rich, fiery sauce made with Cheongyang chili peppers stood out, and the portion was so generous that the leftovers were packed to go at the self-service counter. With ample parking, a spacious hall and separate rooms, Mandori Dongtan Jikyeongjeom is also a strong pick for group dinners in Dongtan.

Written Jun 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Suwon late-night bone grill: rice balls and cabbage salad, Taeneung

Taeneung Gamjatang Suwon Ingye is a gamjatang (pork bone stew) and cast-iron grilled pork bone restaurant in Ingye-dong, Suwon, open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Two diners ordered the medium cast-iron grilled bones in a sweet-spicy sauce about as hot as Buldak spicy noodles, paired with self-made rice balls and cabbage salad; the bones were so big that three were packed to go and eaten the next day. With its own parking lot and spacious group seating, Taeneung Gamjatang Suwon Ingye is a strong Ingye-dong pick for a late-night second round or a team dinner.

Written Jun 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hongdae group dinner for 6: chicken hot pot & dakjjim, Ttukdak Hongdae

Ttukdak Hongdae (뚝닭홍대) is a dakhanmari, dakjjim and herbal dakgalbi restaurant in Mapo, Seoul, a 3-minute walk from Exit 9 of Hongik Univ. Station. A group of 6 booked ahead and ordered 3 servings of dakhanmari (whole chicken hot pot) and 3 servings of dakjjim (braised chicken) with extra glass noodles, finishing the dakhanmari with porridge and the dakjjim with nurungji (crispy rice) mixed into the sauce. With clean, rich dakhanmari broth and garlicky sweet-spicy dakjjim on one table, Ttukdak Hongdae made a satisfying group dinner spot in Hongdae.

Written Jun 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiCafés

Mangpo Station café date: Vietnamese-style coconut latte at Hongrad

Hongrad Mangpo Station Branch is a cozy, sofa-filled café in the Nonghyup building right in front of Mangpo Station in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, open until 11 p.m. On a daytime café date, the writer ordered a decaf coconut latte, an iced Americano and Ex-Boyfriend Toast served with ice cream and banana. The coconut latte, a coconut smoothie with a shot of espresso poured over it, recalled Vietnamese coconut coffee. As long as you know the entrance is at the back of the building, Hongrad Mangpo Station Branch is a stylish café worth recommending for a relaxed stay near Mangpo Station.

Written Jun 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Suwon barley rice buffet with a stroller: pumpkin fritters, Boriook

Boriook Main Branch (보리옥 본점) is an all-you-can-eat barley rice set-meal restaurant near Mangpo Station in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon. On a weekday lunch with a stroller and a baby who can't sit up yet, the writer was shown to a wall-side table first. At Boriook Main Branch, the writer mixed namul (seasoned vegetables) from the self-serve bar with cheonggukjang (pungent fermented soybean stew) into a bibimbap, and the freshly fried sweet pumpkin fritters were the highlight. Boriook Main Branch is a good fit for families with babies or anyone looking for a Korean set meal with their parents.

Written Oct 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceHwaseong, GyeonggiBars

Dongtan pub dinner before giving birth: mild jjamppong at Jusangnakwon

Jusangnakwon (주상낙원) is a newly opened Korean gastropub at Dongtan North Plaza (Dongtan Jungsim Sangga) in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi. Shortly before giving birth, the writer and her husband skipped alcohol and ate the beef brisket jjamppong soup (23,900 won) and the Cheongyang chili cream risotto (16,900 won) as a meal. The jjamppong was milder than expected and loaded with toppings and noodles, while the risotto was savory without being greasy. Jusangnakwon is a Dongtan North Plaza pub that works as a filling meal spot even if you don't drink.

Written Jun 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Gangnam waxing salon, full-term pregnancy Brazilian wax: Super Waxing

Super Waxing Gangnam is a reservation-only waxing salon between Gangnam Station and Sinnonhyeon Station in Seoul. The writer, heavily pregnant and close to giving birth, got her first-ever Brazilian wax at Super Waxing Gangnam. Thanks to the waxer's quick hands and regular check-ins on her position and comfort, the pain was far milder than she had feared. Verdict: even a pregnant first-timer can tick one birth-prep task off the list at Super Waxing Gangnam without stress.

Written Jun 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceHwaseong, GyeonggiRestaurants

Dongtan Chinese spot: uni-jajang dine-in, cockle rice to go, Bultina

Bultina Kkomak Jjamppong Dongtan Namgwangjang Branch is a Korean-Chinese restaurant in Dongtan Namgwangjang, Hwaseong, that specializes in cockle jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup). The writer, a regular since Bultina Kkomak Jjamppong opened, ate uni-jajang-style jajangmyeon (black bean noodles with finely minced sauce) at the restaurant and took cockle jjamppong rice home. Verdict: Bultina Kkomak Jjamppong tastes the same every visit and is generous with cockles and vegetables, a reliable pick whenever a jjamppong craving hits.

Written Jul 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceHwaseong, GyeonggiRestaurants

Dongtan Korean restaurant: crunchy pork belly kimchi jjim, Yangpuni

Yangpuni Kimchi Jjigae & Samgyeopsal is a Korean restaurant tucked inside the Gaenari Park food alley in Dongtan, Hwaseong, serving kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew), kimchi jjim (braised kimchi) and pork dishes. The writer, a kimchi jjim fan, ordered the pork belly kimchi jjim set with a rolled omelet as the side and found it better than expected: the kimchi kept a firm, crunchy bite instead of going mushy, and the pork was generous. Yangpuni Kimchi Jjigae & Samgyeopsal is a satisfying pick for anyone after crunchy kimchi jjim paired with a giant rolled omelet.

Written Jul 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceHwaseong, GyeonggiHair & beauty salons

Dongtan hair salon non-puffy setting perm for mom's bob: Juno Hair

Juno Hair Dongtan Solbitnaru Branch is a hair salon on the 2nd floor of Jeongrim Plaza, 65 Dongtansolbit-ro, in Dongtan, Hwaseong, Gyeonggi. The writer brought her mother, who keeps her hair in a bob, for a setting perm with natural curls that don't look puffy; the Juno Hair designer checked her age, existing hair color and hair condition, then suggested a style that keeps the bob looking neat. The soft, gentle curls left the mother happy with her bob setting perm.

Written Oct 4, 2026Sponsored