Mug and Balm · 64 stories
I write about beauty products I use in everyday routines. · Writes about: Cafés · Beauty products · Hair & beauty salons · Restaurants · Home & living · Food & snacks · Bars · Things to do
Sarugak20 is a Japanese curry restaurant in a basement near Exit 8 of Jeonpo Station in Busanjin, Busan, across from the entrance of the Jeonpo community center. The writer ordered Sarugak20's signature half-and-half curry, starting at ₩10,000, with shrimp cream curry and beef curry, and added a sweet potato croquette topping. With fair prices and a warm, quiet atmosphere, Sarugak20 is the writer's favorite curry spot in Jeonpo.
Working Holiday Millak is a brunch café and dining spot on the 7th floor of Bada Maru on Millaksubyeon-ro in Suyeong, Busan, and the third Working Holiday location. Working Holiday Millak serves brunch and coffee by day and dinner after 5 p.m. From a Gwangalli ocean-view window seat, the writer had a margherita pizza (₩20,000), shrimp oil pasta (₩19,000) and a mortadella sandwich with pumpkin soup (₩17,000), and liked the chewy pizza dough and the European-holiday feel of the space most. Working Holiday Millak is a solid pick for Western-style brunch while looking out over Gwangalli Beach.
Vinik Cake Shop (BINIKE) is a new vintage-style cake and dessert café on Deokjeong-ro 138beon-gil in Gimhae, Gyeongnam. At Vinik Cake Shop the writer took in the balloon lights, the mirror menu and the treble clef mirror photo spot over a Lotus cake, an americano and an oat latte, and was also given complimentary Shine Muscat grapes. Vinik Cake Shop is a good new Gimhae dessert café for enjoying cake and coffee while exploring the space.
Famous Benny Gwangalli Branch is an Australian-style brunch café in Millak-dong, Suyeong, Busan, near Gwangalli Beach. Seated on the sunlit 2nd floor, the writer tried the Egg in Hell shakshuka (₩14,000), avocado toast (₩16,000), house salad (₩12,000) and a peach tea, and especially loved the rye bread, the fresh salad and the pretty plating. Famous Benny Gwangalli Branch is a brunch café worth returning to on a sunny morning in Gwangalli.
Berg I'Park Mall Yongsan is an American-style ice cream and specialty coffee takeout shop on the 6th floor of I'Park Mall at Yongsan Station in Seoul, next to CGV. The blogger tried Berg's signature kadayif soft serve (7,500 won) and the Ibeuje cold brew ice cream latte, and found the ice cream quality higher than expected. Berg is an easy one-stop for dessert and coffee before or after shopping or a movie at I'Park Mall.
Collagen Double Vita Capsule Cream is a functional brightening cream from MEDIPICKME (MEDIPICKME) made with low-molecular collagen, a 5-vitamin complex and glutathione. The Collagen Double Vita Capsule Cream comes in pink-and-white packaging with yellow capsule beads inside, and its light, non-heavy texture still felt quite moisturizing. Verdict: a good fit for anyone looking for a daily moisturizer for dry autumn and winter skin, or for a gift.
Hiku Soba (히쿠소바) is a soba and udon restaurant in Yangjeong-dong, Busanjin-gu, near Busan City Hall. At Hiku Soba the writer had a hot udon set topped with crown daisy greens, along with eggplant, shrimp, carrot and chili pepper tempura, and especially liked the chewy noodles and the gat kimchi (mustard leaf kimchi) served in a mother-of-pearl box. With sets priced around 12,000 to 13,500 won, Hiku Soba is a good spot for a filling solo meal or lunch.
Wanbeoljip Kyungsung University Branch is a pork skin (gyeopdegi) restaurant in Daeyeon-dong, Nam-gu, Busan, near Pukyong and Kyungsung universities, that serves its meat already pre-grilled. At a two-person corner window seat, the writer ate a set of 2 servings of pork skin and 3 servings of aged pork belly, plus fluffy steamed egg. Thanks to the pre-grilling, less smell clung to clothes and the room stayed quiet enough to talk. For chewy pork skin and thick pork belly without the mess, Wanbeoljip Kyungsung University Branch is a solid pick for friends or a date.
Yeongdong Milmyeon & Dwaeji Gukbap (영동밀면&돼지국밥) Busan Station branch is a local restaurant in Dong-gu, Busan, about 3 minutes on foot from Busan Station, serving house-made milmyeon (Busan-style wheat cold noodles) and dwaeji gukbap (pork soup with rice). The writer walked in with no wait at 7 PM on a weekday, left a suitcase by the entrance and had mul milmyeon topped with slushy ice, with a clean broth and chewy noodles. Yeongdong Milmyeon is a good pick for a quick, cool solo meal near Busan Station before or after a train.
Misikga-ui Udon Daeyeon Direct Branch is a newly opened udon and perilla oil soba restaurant near Exit 6 of Daeyeon Station in Nam-gu, Busan. The writer had kake udon (hot udon in broth), a perilla oil soba set and a combo with 5 mini katsu pieces. The vegetable tempura came on the side rather than in the broth, so it stayed crisp to the end. For warm udon with springy noodles in Daeyeon-dong, Misikga-ui Udon is worth a stop.
Lazy Yogurt Seongsu is an organic, handmade Greek yogurt café in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, near Ttukseom Han River Park. On a solo visit, the writer ordered the Beh Single topped with seasonal strawberries (₩8,600) and found the thick but not very sour yogurt, granola and separate honey stick kept the bowl from getting boring to the last spoonful. Lazy Yogurt Seongsu is worth a stop for anyone looking for Greek yogurt as a light dessert or a meal replacement.
Gyuen Dang Seongsu Main Branch is a Japanese restaurant on the 2nd floor along Yeonmujang-gil near Seongsu Station in Seoul, serving meat dishes grilled over a brazier. On a weekday lunch visit, the hamburg steak omurice (17,000 won) came as a set with salad, miso soup and red pickled radish, and the juicy hamburg steak balanced well with the soft omurice egg. For a neat Japanese-style set lunch near Seongsu Station, Gyuen Dang Seongsu Main Branch is worth booking ahead.
