Tote Bag Wanderer · 28 stories

Spare Tote, Seoul, Gyeonggi and Incheon

Writes about restaurants, cafes, beauty spots, bars, and shops across Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Shopping · Hair & beauty salons · Bars

PlacePaju, GyeonggiCafés

Paju brunch café: pastry-dough margherita pizza at Brick Rouge

Brick Rouge (브릭루즈) is a large bakery brunch café with 4 floors and 1,000 pyeong of space in Paju, Gyeonggi, near the Paju Lotte Outlets, Unjeong and Paju Book City. The writer had a margherita pizza on pastry dough and a tomato seafood pasta loaded with seafood at Brick Rouge, then explored the differently styled floors and the wide range of baked goods. Verdict: the food at Brick Rouge is as good as the atmosphere, making it a Paju brunch café worth revisiting.

Written Nov 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangseo, SeoulRestaurants

Magok lunch octopus grill: phone waitlist, peanut sauce, Jju Baksa

Jju Baksa Magok Branch (쭈박사 마곡점) is a griddle-cooked baby octopus (jjukkumi) restaurant in Magok-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, near Seoul Botanic Park. On a first visit, the wait at Jju Baksa Magok Branch was one party. The set came with flying fish roe, crab steamed egg, corn cheese and flying fish roe fried rice. Staff cooked the octopus at the table, and waiting guests got a free soda. Verdict: the spicy flavor justifies the wait, making Jju Baksa Magok Branch worth revisiting for a Magok office lunch or a Seoul Botanic Park date.

Written Nov 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGimpo, GyeonggiRestaurants

Gurae, Gimpo sundae-guk: no-wait uncooked takeout for ₩10,000, Paldam

Paldam Sundae Gimpo Main Branch is a handmade sundae (Korean blood sausage) and sundae-guk (sundae soup) restaurant on Ungok-ro in Seokmo-ri, Gimpo, between Gurae-dong and Janggi-dong. Instead of queuing, the writer ordered uncooked takeout of clear sundae-guk (₩10,000) and handmade assorted sundae (₩11,000), and found that the generous side dishes and offal made it as satisfying as eating in. If you have no time to wait, Paldam Sundae takeout is a good choice, but bring your own rice because it isn't included.

Written Nov 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulCafés

Namdaemun peanut bread shop, dessert after braised hairtail: Daesin

Daesin Ttangkong-ppang Namdaemun Market branch is a snack shop in Namdaemun Market, Jung-gu, Seoul, selling the peanut bread and egg bread people line up for at Seomun Market in Daegu. After eating galchi jorim (braised hairtail) in Namdaemun's Galchi Alley, the writer bought 3 egg breads and 45 peanut buns at Daesin Ttangkong-ppang and ate them while shopping, pleased with the nutty, peanut-packed buns and the warm egg bread made on the spot. Daesin Ttangkong-ppang is a good-value, wholesome dessert stop after a meal in Galchi Alley.

Written Oct 30, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulRestaurants

Gyodae Station gimbap shop: solo dinner served in 1 minute, Halls

Halls Gimbap Main Branch (홀스김밥본점) is a gimbap and dakgangjeong (sweet, crispy fried chicken) snack bar near Gyodae Station in Seocho, Seoul, reopened under a new name after operating as the main branch of another gimbap brand. On a weekday evening alone, the writer ordered a set of Halls gimbap with spicy fish cake, double cheese egg gimbap and dakgangjeong, and the food came out 1 minute after ordering: the fish cake roll had a spicy kick, the cheese egg roll was soft and the chicken was crisp outside and juicy inside. For a fast, filling solo meal near Gyodae Station, Halls Gimbap Main Branch is an easy recommendation.

Written Oct 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulShopping

Namdaemun kids' shop: ₩50,000 fall sets & color zip-ups, Apple Smile

Apple Smile is a kids' clothing shop in Unit 12 of the Bourdain children's clothing arcade in Namdaemun Market, Jung-gu, Seoul. The writer went back to Apple Smile when the new fall and winter stock arrived, browsed striped pants, outerwear and top-and-bottom sets priced around 50,000 won, and bought an outer jacket. For thick, colorful fall and winter kids' clothes at far lower prices than a department store, Apple Smile is a satisfying choice.

Written Oct 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGeomdan, IncheonRestaurants

After-work Geomdan BBQ, aged beef short rib: Euljiro Yeontan Gui

Euljiro Yeontan Gui Majeon Branch is a briquette-grilled Korean BBQ restaurant at Geomdan Sageori (the Geomdan crossroads) in Geomdan, Incheon. The writer drove over after work, ordered aged beef short rib both plain and marinated, then added pork jowl and mul naengmyeon (cold noodles). For its modest prices, Euljiro Yeontan Gui Majeon Branch serves better meat than expected, making it a solid pick for a Geomdan work dinner or a hearty evening meal.

Written Oct 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeohae, IncheonShopping

Seohae home goods store for ₩8,600 group-buy eggs: On Saenghwal

On Saenghwal (온생활) is a large two-floor home goods store near Seohaegucheong Station in Seohae, Incheon. At On Saenghwal the writer found group-buy eggs at a ₩8,600 member price and aloe soothing gel at 3 for under ₩4,000, then stocked up on kitchen towels, cling wrap and bulk plastic bags. With 5% off for new members, points, delivery and free parking, On Saenghwal pays off the more often you shop there.

Written Oct 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

City Hall ramen shop: 5-oil abura soba, karaage, draft beer, Mentsuru

Mentsuru City Hall Branch is a ramen shop near City Hall Station in Jung-gu, Seoul, that works for both a solo meal and an after-work beer. On a hot summer day, the writer had abura soba made with 5 secret oils, handmade karaage fried to order from fresh chicken thigh, and draft beer at Mentsuru City Hall Branch, and has come back several times since. Verdict: the handmade karaage with draft beer is a combo worth ordering.

Written Jul 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGimpo, GyeonggiCafés

Gimpo bakery: mugwort castella, Earl Grey cream & Shine Muscat, Jinsim

Jinsim Castella Gimpo Gurae Main Branch is a takeout-only castella bakery near the Gurae-dong food alley in Gimpo, Gyeonggi. A longtime regular tried mugwort castella with Earl Grey whipped cream for the first time, picked it up with two café lattes and topped it at home with Shine Muscat grapes. Verdict: the mild mugwort and Earl Grey cream pair so well that you won't miss a fresh fruit cake, and Jinsim Castella's gift-box packaging makes it a good pick for group orders and thank-you gifts.

Written Oct 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGimpo, GyeonggiRestaurants

Gimpo BBQ holiday lunch, fire-seared beef rib for 2: Donpu The Grill

Donpu The Grill is a fire-grill Korean BBQ restaurant in the Janggi Station eatery alley in Gimpo, Gyeonggi, and it also serves a lunch menu. On a first visit for lunch on a public holiday, the writer ordered the fire-seared whole beef rib meat for 2 and was delighted by the included stone-pot kimchi rice, cold boiled pork, steamed egg and 6 sauces. With beef rib that staff cut and grill at the table and generous free sides, Donpu The Grill is a Janggi-dong BBQ spot worth a return visit.

Written Oct 10, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeongdeungpo, SeoulRestaurants

Yeouido Station tteokbokki bar: sundae dipped in broth, Hyeonseonine

Hyeonseonine Premium IFC Mall Branch (현선이네 프리미엄 IFC몰점) is a tteokbokki snack bar in the underground passage from Yeouido Station to The Hyundai Seoul and IFC Mall in Yeouido, Seoul. For dinner, the writer had the Hyeonseonine set (tteokbokki, fried snacks, sundae and gimbap) at the not-spicy level; a seaweed mayo rice ball came instead of gimbap, but the sundae (Korean blood sausage) dipped in tteokbokki broth made it a satisfying meal. If you want a full Korean snack spread in one go in Yeouido, the Hyeonseonine set is a safe choice.

Written Jul 21, 2026Sponsored