Slim Kettle · 23 stories

Narrow Kettle, Gyeonggi Restaurants

Writes about small restaurants around Gyeonggi worth a short drive. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Hair & beauty salons

PlaceSeongdong, SeoulCafés

Late-night Ttukseom café open 7am–1am: cold-day ice cream, Mellows

Mellows is a coffee and ice cream café in Seongdong, Seoul, about 2 minutes on foot from Exit 7 of Ttukseom Station, with a red-brick exterior that feels like a European alley. The writer stepped into Mellows on a cold day just to warm up with a coffee. Thanks to the affordable prices, the writer added an ice cream and found both the coffee and the ice cream delicious. Open from 7am to 1am, Mellows is a handy place to rest while exploring Seongsu.

Written Oct 22, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Seongsu restaurant for year-end dinners: pizza set at Rabbit Castle

Rabbit Castle Seoulsup is a rabbit-themed Western restaurant in a basement on an alley off Seoulsup 4-gil in Seongdong-gu, Seoul. The writer booked through Catch Table and ordered the pizza set: a ricotta cheese salad, a spicy squid ink oil pasta whose sauce got mopped up with bread, and a wood-fired Forest pizza eaten right down to the crust. Rabbit Castle Seoulsup is worth recommending for a Seoulsup date as well as a year-end gathering or company dinner.

Written Oct 22, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGoyang, GyeonggiRestaurants

Wondang Korean family lunch: ₩3,000 kids' pot rice, Kim Myeongju

Kim Myeongju Tteuranchae Bapsang Wondang Station Branch is a Korean restaurant serving stone pot rice and cheonggukjang (fermented soybean stew) near Exit 1 of Wondang Station in Deogyang-gu, Goyang. On a weekday lunch with a child, the writer ordered grilled mackerel (15,000 won), the Tteuranchae Bapsang set for two (13,000 won per person) and a kids' pot rice (3,000 won), and the generous spread, evenly tasty side dishes and nutty cheonggukjang kept the whole meal satisfying. For families who care about side dishes, or anyone taking parents out for Korean food in Wondang, Kim Myeongju Tteuranchae Bapsang Wondang Station Branch is an easy recommendation.

Written Oct 22, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGoyang, GyeonggiRestaurants

Ilsan Lake Park sushi restaurant, from takeout to dine-in: Hwangje

Hwangje Sushi Ilsan Main Branch is a sushi restaurant on the first floor of the M City shopping building, across from the Flower Exhibition Hall at Ilsan Lake Park in Goyang, Gyeonggi. Hwangje Sushi started as a takeout specialist and opened a dine-in hall after customers asked for one. The writer visited at opening time and had the 10-piece assorted sushi with pumpkin porridge, grilled salmon and pickled sides, and found the fish very fresh. Verdict: the sushi shows exactly why takeout regulars wanted to eat at Hwangje Sushi in person.

Written Oct 19, 2026Sponsored
PlacePaju, GyeonggiHair & beauty salons

Unjeong hair salon flat-crown root perm + digital C-curl: Tthe Art

Tthe Art Hair Unjeong Station Branch is a hair salon in Paju, Gyeonggi, near Unjeong Station and Starfield. The writer's hair clung to the scalp and lay flat at the crown, so she got a layered cut, an iron root volume perm and a digital C-curl perm at Tthe Art Hair, finished with Aveda Botanical Repair shampoo. The result was natural volume that looked like she had always had thick hair, not forced puffiness.

Written Oct 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hapjeong Thai restaurant with 3.5 hours free parking: Saeng Augustine

Saeng Augustine Hapjeong Branch is a Thai and Vietnamese restaurant on the B1 floor of Mecenatpolis Mall at Hapjeong Station in Mapo, Seoul. The writer, who doesn't handle strongly scented food well, ordered Vietnamese pho (rice noodle soup), nasi goreng (Indonesian fried rice) and beef pad thai, and all three suited their taste, with the pho coming in an especially generous portion. With 3.5 hours of free parking at the time of the visit, Saeng Augustine Hapjeong Branch made a satisfying meetup spot for anyone driving to Hapjeong.

Written Oct 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

BYOB sushi at Gwanghwamun Station, fried squid legs: Elephant Sushi

Elephant Sushi Gwanghwamun is a sushi restaurant serving sushi platters on basement level B1 of the KT Gwanghwamun building in Jongno, Seoul, connected to Exit 2 of Gwanghwamun Station. The writer ate two Elephant B sets (12 pieces + somen noodles, 28,000 won each) and ika geso karaage (fried squid legs, 10,000 won), and found the low-temperature-aged sushi, cured with different salts and aging times for each fish, truly delicious. Elephant Sushi Gwanghwamun is an easy sushi stop to fit into a day at Kyobo Book Centre, Sejong Center or Gwanghwamun Square.

Written Oct 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulCafés

Seochon photo spot hanok café with a red brick window view: Oldsse

Oldsse Seochon is a hanok café on Pirun-daero in Jongno, Seoul, in a Seochon alley within walking distance of Exit 1 of Gyeongbokgung Station. On a morning visit to Oldsse Seochon, the writer ordered an einspänner, an iced latte and a Basque cheesecake, and the exposed rafter ceiling and the big window framing a red brick house made it fun to take photos. Oldsse Seochon is a good café for a coffee-and-dessert break and a few photos during a walk through the Seochon alleys.

Written Oct 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGoyang, GyeonggiCafés

Siksa-dong dog-friendly brunch café, homemade ricotta salad: KEEN

KEEN (킨) is a dog-friendly brunch café with a park view in Siksa-dong, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang, Gyeonggi. At KEEN the writer had the tomato ricotta cheese salad, tomato ragu pasta, a Philly cheesesteak sandwich with fries and coffee, and found every dish mild, with the flavor of fresh ingredients coming through. KEEN is a Siksa-dong brunch café you visit for the atmosphere and fall for all over again because of the food.

Written Oct 14, 2026Sponsored
PlacePaju, GyeonggiRestaurants

Monday Korean BBQ in Paju Unjeong: free naengmyeon for waiting, Tannae

Tannae Paju Main Branch (탄내 파주본점) is a Korean BBQ restaurant in Garam-maeul, Unjeong, Paju, serving pork belly pre-grilled over coal briquettes. A family of four waited past 7pm on a Monday, then ate 3 portions of select pork belly (₩49,500) and boneless chicken feet (₩9,900). Pork kimchi stew came included, and mul naengmyeon (cold noodles) was a free service for waiting. Tannae Paju Main Branch combined great taste with kind service, making it an Unjeong BBQ spot worth returning to.

Written Oct 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGoyang, GyeonggiCafés

Goyang foliage café: persimmon sujeonggwa & mugwort latte, Baedagol

Baedagol Bakery House (배다골베이커리하우스) is a large garden-style bakery café at 123 Hoguk-ro 1121beon-gil, Deogyang-gu, Goyang, Gyeonggi. On a visit during fall foliage season, the writer ordered walnut chalppang (chewy rice-flour bread), a scone, a dried-persimmon sujeonggwa (cinnamon-ginger punch, 10,000 won) and a Ssuktteok Ssuktteok Latte (mugwort rice cake latte, 9,000 won). Neither drink was overly sweet, and the big windows and garden showed off the autumn leaves. Baedagol Bakery House suits a fall family outing, whether for tea with parents or sandpit play with kids.

Written Oct 14, 2026Sponsored
PlacePaju, GyeonggiCafés

Australian-style cappuccino café in Gyoha, Paju: Paun Coffee Gyoha

Paun Coffee Gyoha branch (파운커피 교하점) is an Australian-style coffee café on Chaekhyanggisup-gil in Gyoha, Paju, Gyeonggi, that also sells baked goods such as salt bread and financiers. The writer, an Unjeong resident, ordered an Australian-style cappuccino topped with chocolate powder and fell for the salt bread and financiers. Paun Coffee Gyoha branch is a Paju bakery café where you come for the coffee and the bread steals the show.

Written Oct 12, 2026Sponsored