Roundtrip Roamer · 93 stories

Out and Back

I write about food in Seoul and everyday encounters with home goods, clothes, digital products, and books. · Writes about: Books & stationery · Beauty products · Food & snacks · Tech & gadgets · Fashion · Home & living · Cafés · Restaurants · Shopping · Bars · Hair & beauty salons

PlaceAnsan, GyeonggiRestaurants

Ansan sashimi spot, flounder fin & tablet ordering: Eochongye 1beonji

Eochongye 1beonji (어촌계1번지) is a sashimi restaurant on Bandalseom island in Danwon-gu, Ansan, Gyeonggi. On a weekend evening, the writer and her husband shared the small seasonal sashimi platter of salmon, flounder fin meat, flounder and red seabream, then finished with a spicy fish stew (maeuntang) with fish roe and an added serving of potato sujebi (hand-torn dough). The flounder dipped in salted hairtail guts sauce and the easy tablet kiosk ordering made Eochongye 1beonji a satisfying Bandalseom sashimi dinner.

Written Jun 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeonsu, IncheonRestaurants

Yeonsu, Incheon weekend sashimi lunch course: Songdo Jonghap Eosijang

Songdo Jonghap Eosijang (송도종합어시장) is a live-fish sashimi and seafood restaurant on Haedoji-ro in Yeonsu, Incheon. On a weekend, the writer and her husband had the 12,000 won per person lunch special sashimi set, which came with steamed egg in a stone pot, sea squirt, sushi, seasoned vegetables and fried shrimp, followed by spicy fish stew. For a full sashimi spread at a modest price in Songdo, the Songdo Jonghap Eosijang lunch special is a satisfying choice.

Written Jun 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNamdong, IncheonRestaurants

Guwol-dong brunch spot, spicy brisket cream pasta for two: Withwich

Withwich is a brunch restaurant serving sandwiches, salads and pasta on the ground floor of The Blue City building at the Guwol Seonsuchon rotary in Guwol-dong, Namdong-gu, Incheon. On a weekend, the writer and her husband shared Withwich's With Brunch Best set for two, from ₩33,100: a ricotta house salad, a ham and tomato sandwich and a spicy beef brisket cream pasta. Verdict: the Withwich set for two is a good way for first-time visitors to try several dishes at once, and the perilla-topped beef brisket cream pasta was the standout.

Written Jun 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Cheese katsu restaurant in Hongdae: cheese poured tableside, Omil

Omil Hongdae is a fusion Western restaurant on the 2nd floor at Yanghwa-ro, near Hongik Univ. Station in Mapo, Seoul. At Omil Hongdae the writer ate the sizzling iron plate cheese katsu, with cheese poured by staff right at the table, the "Chongchongchong!" rubber duck omurice topped with quail egg ducks, and soba maki (a gimbap-style roll filled with buckwheat noodles), and got a free canned drink and a rubber duck gift through the review event. Thanks to the cheese-pouring show and cute plating, Omil Hongdae is a good fit for a date or a get-together with friends.

Written Jun 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulCafés

Yeonnam-dong café: watermelon Colombia vs jasmine Geisha, Central Site

Central Site Yeonnam is a roastery café on Yeonhui-ro in Yeonnam-dong, Mapo, Seoul, near Hongik Univ. Station, with a brewing bar and roasting space on the 1st floor, table seating on the 2nd floor and a rooftop on the 3rd floor. The writer visited Central Site Yeonnam with her coffee-loving husband and tried the watermelon- and melon-scented Colombia Campo Hermoso Watermelon Mosto Co-Fermented, the jasmine-scented Honduras Finca Mi Yerisi Santa Lucia Geisha Washed and a classic tiramisu. Verdict: the contrast between a fruit-basket bean and a flower-garden Geisha makes Central Site Yeonnam a café you remember by its aromas.

Written Jun 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMichuhol, IncheonRestaurants

Ramen shop at Lotte Incheon: Coca-Cola keycap set lunch, Menya Seoul

Menya Seoul Lotte Department Store Incheon Branch is a Japanese-style ramen shop on B1 of Lotte Department Store Incheon in Michuhol, Incheon. For lunch with her husband, the blogger ordered the jambon (French ham) chashu ramen and the spicy mala dongpo (braised pork belly) chashu ramen as a set with chicken, and set orders came with a Coca-Cola special keycap as part of a running event. Choose the jambon chashu ramen for a mild broth, or the mala dongpo chashu ramen for Shin Ramyun-level heat.

Written Oct 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBucheon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Bucheon pizza place for Hawaiian with hollow cheese crust: Cheesewave

Cheesewave Bucheon City Hall is a cheese-loaded pizza restaurant near Bucheon City Hall Station in Bucheon, Gyeonggi. The writer ordered the Hawaiian pizza and enjoyed the sweet-salty mix of ham and pineapple, but the standout was the crust edge: hollow inside with cheese running through instead of bread. Anyone who often leaves pizza crusts behind should try the Cheesewave Bucheon City Hall crust at least once.

Written Jun 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceIcheon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Icheon Korean BBQ with ventilated sofa seats & naengmyeon, Neul Gogi

Neul Gogi Jip Icheon Main Branch is a pork galbi (marinated pork ribs) restaurant on Gyeongchung-daero in Icheon, Gyeonggi. In a spacious, well-ventilated dining room with chair and sofa seating, staff grilled the regular marinated pork galbi, served with side dishes such as yangnyeom gejang (spicy marinated raw crab) and sweet-and-sour tofu, a self-serve wrap vegetable zone, and mul naengmyeon and bibim naengmyeon to finish. Neul Gogi Jip Icheon Main Branch suits anyone who wants moist, well-marinated pork galbi without doing the grilling, finished off with cold noodles.

Written Oct 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeonsu, IncheonCafés

Songdo date café: Nuts Einspänner & Dwaejiba cookie at Standard Square

Standard Square is a white-toned coffee and cookie café on Keonbensia-daero in Songdo, Yeonsu, Incheon. Ordering for two, we tried a Cream Mocha (hot), a Nuts Einspänner (iced only), a Dwaejiba cookie (inspired by the Korean Dwaejiba ice cream bar) and a red velvet cream cheese cookie, and the Nuts Einspänner was the most memorable. Quiet and full of natural light, Standard Square is a great date café in Songdo.

Written Jun 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSiheung, GyeonggiRestaurants

Siheung dumpling hot pot with free coffee and ice cream: Myeongseong

Myeongseong Handmade Dumpling Hot Pot Baegot Branch (명성손만두전골 배곧점) is a handmade dumpling hot pot restaurant in Baegot-dong, Siheung, Gyeonggi. The handmade dumpling hot pot, ordered with clear broth (white hot pot), came with 4 meat dumplings and 4 kimchi dumplings plus generous mushrooms, napa cabbage, bok choy, beef and kabocha squash in a mild, clean-tasting broth, and coffee and ice cream were served free after the meal. Myeongseong in Baegot is a filling, satisfying choice for a family meal out.

Written Jun 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeonsu, IncheonRestaurants

Baby-friendly Songdo Italian restaurant: vongole pasta set at Salerno

Salerno Songdo Onesta is a wood-fired pizza and pasta Italian restaurant on the 3rd floor of the Onesta building in Songdo, Incheon. The writer visited Salerno Songdo Onesta with a baby, ordered a quattro formaggi wood-fired pizza and a vongole pasta as a set, and added corn soup, Amalfi lemonade and an iced Americano. The spacious dining room made eating out with a baby comfortable, and the vongole pasta was the dish most worth ordering.

Written Oct 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNowon, SeoulRestaurants

Nowon sushi buffet with Catch Table waitlist and topped sushi: Kuu Kuu

Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch (쿠우쿠우 노원점) is a sushi and roll buffet on the 6th floor of the Seoul Oncheon Building on Nowon-ro in Nowon, Seoul. At Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch the writer filled one plate with shrimp, salmon and white fish sushi plus sushi finished with sauces and toppings, and checked the Catch Table waitlist and unlimited draft beer at 5,900 won per person. Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch suits anyone who wants to try a little of many kinds of sushi.

Written Oct 15, 2026Sponsored