Napkin Chronicler · 6 stories

Paper Napkin Stories

I write about restaurants I visit around Seoul. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Shopping

PlaceSeongnam, GyeonggiRestaurants

Couple's weekday omakase dinner in Pangyo: shrimp cannelloni at Kkweda

Kkweda Pangyo Avenue France Branch is a fusion omakase restaurant on the first floor of Avenue France in Pangyo, Seongnam, with a menu that changes every season. The writer and her husband had the ₩75,000 course at the weekday first dinner seating (5 PM), added the hanwoo uni maki, and found the shrimp cannelloni, the clear chicken soup with charcoal-grilled chicken and the eel katsudon the most memorable. With soft lighting and friendly explanations of every dish, Kkweda was a satisfying spot for an anniversary date.

Written Jun 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Garak-dong gopchang grill with bean sprouts & chives: Jinseong

Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang Garak Flagship is a beef gopchang (grilled small intestine) restaurant in Garak-dong, Songpa, Seoul, between Garak Market Station and Police Hospital Station. Two women who work nearby waited about 10 minutes on a weekday evening, then ordered 2 servings of Korean beef gopchang, 1 serving of daechang (large intestine) and kkakdugi yangbap (fried rice with radish kimchi and beef tripe). The crispy gopchang grilled with bean sprouts, chives and kimchi was a hit with the pickled minari garlic sauce. After many repeat visits, the writer calls Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang a Garak-dong gopchang spot that is delicious every time.

Written Jun 30, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangju, GyeonggiCafés

Namhansanseong café for a double-shot latte after chicken soup: Sum

Sum (카페 숨) is a bakery café with floor-to-ceiling windows on both floors, on Ojeon-gil in Namhansanseong-myeon, Gwangju, Gyeonggi. Ahead of Chobok, the first of Korea's hottest summer days, the writer had dak-baeksuk (whole boiled chicken soup) with her mom at Namhansanseong and then made a second visit to Sum on a rainy weekday for an iced Americano, a double-shot iced café latte, salt bread and a financier; Sum was nearly full despite the rain. Sum is worth a repeat visit as a place to unwind with green window views after a meal at Namhansanseong.

Written Jul 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Sindang Exit 4 gopchang restaurant, first-time makchang: Jinseong

Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang Sindang Direct Branch is a Korean beef gopchang (grilled small intestine) restaurant right in front of Sindang Station Exit 4 in Jung-gu, Seoul. After enjoying the Garak branch, the writer visited on a weekday evening with her husband, waited about 10 minutes, and ordered 2 servings of hanwoo gopchang, 1 serving each of daechang (large intestine) and makchang (abomasum), and kkakdugi yangbap (rice stir-fried with radish kimchi). Even the makchang she tried for the first time was satisfying, and Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang tasted just as good at Sindang as at Garak.

Written Jul 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Beef intestine restaurant in Bangi-dong, a hot summer date: Jinseong

Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang Bangi Direct Branch is a Korean beef gopchang (grilled beef small intestine) restaurant inside the Bangi food alley in Songpa, Seoul. On a sweltering weekend evening, the writer and her husband waited about 10 minutes, then ordered 2 portions of hanwoo gopchang, 1 portion each of makchang and daechang, kkakdugi fried rice (rice fried with cubed radish kimchi) and cold beer, the same combination they had enjoyed at another Jinseong branch. Verdict: the staff grill the gopchang for you, and the minari pickled garlic sauce and kimchi cut the richness, so the Bangi branch was just as satisfying.

Written Jul 27, 2026Sponsored
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