Vanity Table Nights · 18 stories

Loose Vanity, Busan/Gyeongnam, Seoul and Daegu/Gyeongbuk Restaurants, Cafes, Bars and Beauty

Writes about restaurants, cafes, bars and beauty spots visited across Busan/Gyeongnam, Seoul and Daegu/Gyeongbuk. · Writes about: Restaurants · Bars · Cafés · Hair & beauty salons

PlaceJung-gu, BusanRestaurants

Busan salad shop: pork neck & sweet potato mash salad in pita, PARENTS

PARENTS Coffee & Salad Jungang-dong Branch is a poke and salad shop near Exit 14 of Jungang Station in Jung-gu, Busan. Before an outing to Nampo, the blogger stopped by in the late afternoon after the lunch crowd had cleared. The blogger had the seasoned pork neck sweet potato mash salad with wasabi soy sauce and stuffed the fillings into the pita bread served with it, like a sandwich. With a spacious room, a wide menu and light calories, PARENTS Coffee & Salad is a well-rounded salad lunch spot in Jungangdong.

Written Jul 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Pizza date near Insadong after an exhibition: day beer, Low Five Anguk

Low Five Anguk (로우파이브 안국) is a casual wood-fired pizza and pasta restaurant on Bukchon-ro in Jongno, Seoul, near Anguk Station Exit 2. After an exhibition in Insadong, the writer and her husband joined the Catchtable waitlist for a weekday lunch at Low Five Anguk and had a 1664 Blanc beer, a taco-and-corn half-and-half pizza and vongole pasta. With generously topped pizza and a well-balanced vongole at reasonable prices and portions, Low Five Anguk made for a satisfying lunch date.

Written Jul 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBusanjin, BusanRestaurants

Jeonpo, Busan tonkatsu a well-done fan loved: rare black pork at Hets

Hets Jeonpo Branch is a tonkatsu (Japanese pork cutlet) restaurant near Jeonpo Station in Busanjin-gu, Busan. The writer first visited Hets Jeonpo Branch alone, then returned on a weekend with her husband for the Jeju black pork combo katsu, YBD loin katsu and meat curry. Hets Jeonpo Branch was full with a waiting line right after opening, but the dining room was spacious and clean. The verdict: even a die-hard well-done eater loved the nearly rare Jeju black pork at Hets Jeonpo Branch.

Written Oct 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNam-gu, BusanRestaurants

Kyungsung Univ pork soup after an exhibit, free noodle refills: Geumsu

Geumsu Dwaeji Gukbap Gyeongseong-Pukyongdae Branch (금수돼지국밥 경성대부경대점) is a Busan pork and rice soup restaurant in Nam-gu, a 5-minute walk from Kyungsung Univ. Station Exit 1, open from 9am to 2:30am with no break time. After an exhibition, in the awkward late-afternoon hours, the writer ordered mixed gukbap for 9,500 won and a boiled pork set for 13,000 won, with unlimited refills of rice, noodles and side dishes. Geumsu Dwaeji Gukbap, with its strong air conditioning and generous portions, works for both a solo meal and a night of drinks.

Written Aug 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBusanjin, BusanRestaurants

Gaegeum Korean BBQ: Iberico pork neck and cheesy pork skin at Mijin

Mijin Chuksan Sinjurye-jeom is a Korean BBQ restaurant grilling pork, beef and chicken on Baegyang-daero in Busanjin-gu, Busan, between Gaegeum and Naengjeong stations. A couple ordered Iberico pork neck (200g for 13,800 won), pork belly (300g for 13,200 won) and pork skin (100g for 4,400 won), and a 3,000 won side dish fee covered unlimited wrap greens and baek-kimchi (white kimchi). The verdict: the juicy, thick-cut Iberico pork neck and the pork skin wrapped in leftover melted cheese are the highlights at Mijin Chuksan Sinjurye-jeom.

Written Aug 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBuk-gu, BusanRestaurants

11am opening run at Gupo Jjambbong, a Busan Chinese restaurant

Gupo Jjambbong Gupo Main Branch is a Chinese restaurant on Sirang-ro in Buk-gu, Busan that has been serving sanghwang mushroom and medicinal-herb broth for 15 years. Booking on Naver and arriving at 10:58 for the 11am opening put the writer first through the door, in time for the 18,000 won short rib and abalone jjambbong (spicy seafood noodle soup) limited to 10 bowls a day, plus eggplant mandu and a seafood platter jjajang that can be ordered as a single portion. The herbal notes are barely there at Gupo Jjambbong, leaving clean seafood sweetness over a heavy broth that makes one bowl feel genuinely restorative.

Written Aug 12, 2026Sponsored
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