Ilsan Pouch Diary · 20 stories

A Small Pouch Through Munjeong

Writes about restaurants, cafes, bars, and beauty spots she visits around Seoul and Gyeonggi. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Bars · Hair & beauty salons

PlacePaju, GyeonggiCafés

Late-evening Paju bakery café: salt bread sandwich at Mokushura

Mokushura French Café is a large four-floor bakery café of about 760 pyeong in Jori-eup, Paju, right in front of Gongneung Reservoir. Arriving just before 7 pm on a weekday, after the dining kitchen had already closed, the writer turned the visit into a 'bread party' with a croissant sandwich, a special salt bread sandwich and a strawberry vanilla latte. The evening visit missed the lake view and the dining menu, but the space and the sandwiches alone make Mokushura French Café worth a return trip.

Written Oct 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Gyukatsu restaurant in Gwanghwamun: Isigny butter on the grill, Hurato

Hurato Sikdang Gyeongbokgung Main Branch is a gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet) Japanese restaurant in the Royal Building basement arcade near Gwanghwamun Station Exit 1 in Jongno, Seoul. Two friends visited at 5pm on a weekday, right after the break time, ordered one gyukatsu and one steki (steak) set, and added Isigny butter to grill both on the mini charcoal grill. With the butter aroma and the fun of comparing two dishes, Hurato Sikdang was a satisfying pick for dinner or a date in Gwanghwamun.

Written Oct 22, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hapjeong BBQ for group dinners, a college haunt revisited: Dojeok

Dojeok Hapjeong (도적 합정점) is a Korean BBQ restaurant specializing in knife-cut pork belly, located between Hapjeong Station and Sangsu Station in Mapo, Seoul. Returning with a friend years after being a regular in college, the writer ordered 3 servings of knife-cut pork belly and the cheese bomb steamed egg, and checked out the AI robot pre-grilling, the staff who grill at the table and the weekday whole-floor rental for groups of 20 or more. Dojeok Hapjeong is delicious even without the nostalgia, an easy recommendation for group dinners and get-togethers in Hongdae.

Written Jun 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

After-work smoked gyukatsu set with a coworker at Mapo Station: Gyudo

Premium Gyukatsu Gyudo Mapo Gongdeok Main Branch (규도) is a smoked gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet) restaurant in the Obelisk shopping arcade, connected underground to Mapo Station in Seoul. The writer, a repeat regular, came after work with a coworker for the smoked gyukatsu set, grilled the beef with Isigny butter from a review event and finished the pot rice as scorched rice in bonito broth. Verdict: Gyudo's smoked gyukatsu set is the pick even for first-timers, and the writer's chance of returning is 100%.

Written Jun 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGoyang, GyeonggiRestaurants

Kitchen-grilled Goyang BBQ, 500g pork and yukhoe: Baekseok Kkogijip

Baekseok Kkogijip is a Korean BBQ restaurant in the food alley near Baekseok Station in Ilsandong-gu, Goyang, where the kitchen grills all the meat before serving it. The writer visited with one other person and ordered the set for two: 500g of marinated pork, a tasting portion of yukhoe (Korean beef tartare) and doenjang rice (soybean paste stew with rice), and called the yukhoe the best they had eaten recently. For team dinners or family meals where you would rather eat than grill, Baekseok Kkogijip is a good fit.

Written Oct 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGoyang, GyeonggiRestaurants

Western Dom Thai eatery: pad kra pao & morning glory at Drunken Thai

Drunken Thai Ilsan is a Thai restaurant right in front of Western Dom in Ilsan, Goyang, near Ilsan Lake Park and La Festa. Two diners shared shrimp pad thai, pad kra pao moo sap (stir-fried minced pork with holy basil) and stir-fried morning glory, with dishes in the 10,000-won range, decor brought over from Thailand and free extra noodles or rice when dining in. Drunken Thai Ilsan is the Ilsan Thai restaurant worth returning to whenever a Thai food craving hits.

Written Jun 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Anguk hanok noodle house with mom: bibim makguksu & bossam, Goshine

Goshine Donghae Makguksu Jongno branch is a hanok (traditional Korean house) makguksu (buckwheat noodle) restaurant on Insa-dong's culture street in Jongno, Seoul. The writer visited Goshine Donghae Makguksu with her mom around 11am on a weekday and shared the 2-person set of house-made bibim makguksu (spicy mixed buckwheat noodles) and bossam (boiled pork wraps), then watched the restaurant fill with Jongno office workers and a waiting line soon after. For a relaxed hanok meal with your parents in Insa-dong, Goshine Donghae Makguksu Jongno branch is a safe choice.

Written Jun 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGoyang, GyeonggiRestaurants

Ilsan ramen shop near Madu Library: weekday lunch, 7th in line, Gyedan

Gyedan Ramen Ilsan Main Branch (계단라멘 일산본점) is a tonkotsu ramen shop on Bamlidan-gil (Yulcheon-ro) in Ilsandong-gu, Goyang. Even at a weekday lunch the writer was 7th in line, joined the Catch Table remote waitlist and waited about 20 minutes, then ordered Gyedan ramen and motsu ramen with rich broth and tried the soft-boiled egg, chashu, noodles and tamago rice (egg rice). The verdict: Gyedan Ramen is an Ilsan ramen shop worth the wait that keeps calling you back.

Written Oct 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Yeonnam-dong tonkatsu, first dine-in after delivery: Katsu Monster

Katsu Monster Yeonnam Main Branch is a tonkatsu (pork cutlet) restaurant in Yeonnam-dong, Mapo, Seoul, within walking distance of Hongik Univ. Station. After ordering Katsu Monster for delivery many times, the writer and a friend ate in on an early weekday evening, ordering hirekatsu (pork fillet cutlet) and premium loin katsu, and the restaurant filled up quickly. For tender fillet tonkatsu that hirekatsu lovers rank among their favorites, Katsu Monster Yeonnam Main Branch is a sure bet.

Written Jun 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulCafés

Food trucks that eased an LG loss to Samsung at Jamsil: Bingdongdaeng

Bingdongdaeng is a bingsu (Korean shaved ice dessert) food truck in the food truck zone in front of Outfield Ticket Gate 1 at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Songpa, Seoul. On an LG vs Samsung game day, the writer arrived 1 hour before the first pitch and worked through cream shrimp nachos from Cream Shrimp Station, a bacon corn mayo hot dog and a bacon white garlic hot dog from Ippeun Yeou Hot Dog, and Bingdongdaeng's Nonsan strawberry bingsu, which barely melted even when carried to a far-off seat. LG lost, but the three Jamsil Baseball Stadium food trucks made it a fun day at the ballpark regardless of the score.

Written Jul 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Myeongdong jokbal restaurant with fish roe rice balls: Miss Jokbal

Miss Jokbal Seoul Myeongdong Branch is a jokbal (braised pig's trotters) restaurant in Myeongdong, Seoul, known for 30 years of history and located near Euljiro 1-ga Station and Myeongdong's main street. The writer and a friend ordered the small Original Jokbal (for 2–3 people) with fish roe rice balls and steamed egg, then enjoyed the free kimchi kalguksu that comes with a main dish and three dipping sauces (salted shrimp, mala sauce and ssamjang) that kept every bite interesting. With satisfying flavor, portions and service, Miss Jokbal is a Myeongdong jokbal spot the writer plans to visit again.

Written Jul 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Gongdeok sushi omakase with summer striped jack: Jeulgeoun Maeumeuro

Jeulgeoun Maeumeuro (즐거운 마음으로) is a sushi omakase restaurant in an alley between Gongdeok Station and Daeheung Station in Mapo, Seoul, opened in May 2026. The writer and her husband had the 100,000 won lunch course at Jeulgeoun Maeumeuro, which began with kongguksu (cold soybean noodle soup) and moved through summer fish sushi such as greater amberjack, horse mackerel and striped jack, then kinmedai, anago (conger eel) and a white melon dessert. The verdict: a high-level summer omakase that is well worth 100,000 won at lunch.

Written Jul 14, 2026Sponsored