Display Case Gazer · 27 stories

By the Pastry Case

I write about cafés I visit around Gyeonggi. · Writes about: Cafés · Restaurants · Things to do · Bars

PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Frozen pork belly at opening time near Suwon Station: Taejang Sikdang

Taejang Sikdang Suwon Station Branch is a retro-style Korean BBQ restaurant for frozen and fresh pork belly, on the 2nd floor of a building on Rodeo Street near Suwon Station in Suwon. Arriving at weekday dinner opening time, the blogger ordered 3 portions of 4mm naengsam (frozen pork belly, ₩11,000 each) and a zucchini doenjang (soybean paste) stew, then grilled kimchi, bean sprouts and fernbrake on the same grill and paired the pork with scallion salad and wasabi. Taejang Sikdang Suwon Station Branch is worth visiting at opening time for a relaxed frozen pork belly meal with generous side dishes.

Written Oct 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJeonju, JeonbukRestaurants

Jeonju dakgangjeong shop by Gyeonggijeon: steam-vented to go, Mannyeon

Mannyeon Dakgangjeong Hanok Village Direct Store is a takeout-only dakgangjeong (sweet, crispy Korean fried chicken) shop right in front of Gyeonggijeon Shrine in Jeonju Hanok Village. On a two-day, one-night Jeonju trip, a large half-and-half box of mild and soy dakgangjeong (₩30,000) was picked up as an evening snack and eaten back at the lodging, with no wait on a weekday just after lunch. If you can't settle on one flavor, the large half-and-half at Mannyeon Dakgangjeong is a good choice.

Written Oct 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiCafés

Suwon dessert café for after-dinner talks: decaf flat white, Hongrad

Hongrad Suwon Station Branch is a dessert café on the 2nd floor of a building behind Suwon Tax Office, at the end of Rodeo Street near Suwon Station in Suwon. After a weekday dinner near Suwon Station, the writer sat on a sofa at Hongrad and talked for hours over a decaf flat white, Crimson Punch tea and the Ex-Boyfriend Toast (₩7,000). With a hip space, comfortable seats and hours until 11pm, Hongrad Suwon Station Branch is a good café for a long after-dinner chat.

Written Oct 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Suwon ramen shop solo set with a smoky mini buta-don: Myeonsikdang

Myeonsikdang Mangpo Station (면식당 망포역점) is a Japanese restaurant serving ramen, soba, katsu and rice bowls on the first floor of Golden Square at Mangpo Station in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon. On a weekday lunch after a visit to a clinic in Golden Square, the writer had the set for one with tonkotsu ramen and a smoky mini buta-don (pork rice bowl) for 12,900 won, plus a mozzarella cheese katsu for 12,500 won, and despite the 'mini' name the buta-don portion was generous. Myeonsikdang Mangpo Station is an easy, no-fuss lunch spot near Mangpo Station for days when you want ramen and rice in one meal.

Written Oct 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Suwon Western restaurant for a weekday date dinner: Nonchalant Lounge

Nonchalant Lounge is a lounge-style Western restaurant in Haenggung-dong, Suwon, right in front of Janganmun Gate at Suwon Hwaseong Fortress. Two people booked a weekday dinner at Nonchalant Lounge and ordered classic carbonara, a chuck flap steak platter (37,000 won) with garlic butter rice added, and lemon draft beer; they chose it for the atmosphere, but the food is what stayed with them. Nonchalant Lounge is worth remembering for a Hwaseong Fortress date dinner when you want good atmosphere, food and prices all at once.

Written Oct 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Ingye-dong, Suwon BBQ with staff-grilled pork belly: Jipbul Taebaek

Jipbul Taebaek Suwon Ingye Branch (짚불태백 수원인계점) is a Korean BBQ restaurant on Nahyeseok-gil in Ingye-dong, Suwon, that pre-sears its meat over a straw fire, and its staff grill the meat for you at the table. On a reserved Sunday lunch visit, the order was two servings of straw-fire samgyeopsal (pork belly), one serving of galmaegisal (pork skirt meat), beef cheonggukjang (fermented soybean stew) and rice, and the staff explained each pairing, including black sesame salt, neungi mushroom pesto and grilled kimchi. Jipbul Taebaek suits an Ingye-dong date or get-together where you would rather talk than tend the grill.

Written Sep 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiCafés

London-style tea room café in Suwon: fig cream cake at Diaz Cake

Diaz Cake Boutique is a seasonal fruit cake dessert café on the second floor of a building behind Na Hye-seok Street near Suwon City Hall Station. After a Sunday lunch, the writer ordered a fig cream cake for 11,900 won, a peach oolong tea for 8,900 won and a flat white for 5,900 won, then took a slow tea break in a tea room displaying teacups and tea tins. Diaz Cake Boutique suits a leisurely cake-and-tea break better than a quick coffee stop.

Written Sep 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiBars

Suwon gastropub with a green tangerine highball early dinner: Hwial

Hwial Ajou University Branch (휘얼 아주대점) is a Korean gastropub on Aju-ro near the Ajou University three-way intersection in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon. A stop for one green tangerine highball on an early weekday evening turned into a full dinner of beef brisket jjamppong hotpot (spicy seafood stew) and corn cheese jeon (pan-fried pancake), and new-menu prices run from 15,000 won for salmon salad to 22,000 won for aged salmon sashimi. With low lighting, wide gaps between tables and a hotpot big enough to share, Hwial works as a proper meal rather than just bar food.

Written Aug 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Ingye-dong donkatsu spot, weekday lunch for two cutlets: Gyewondang

Gyewondang Ingye Branch is a Western-style cutlet (donkatsu) restaurant in Ingye-dong, Suwon, near Suwon City Hall Station. On a weekday lunch, one Gyewon chicken cutlet at 12,500 won and one hand-breaded pork loin cutlet, plus a cabbage hot dog bun add-on, came out crisp rather than greasy and in a genuinely large portion. Tucking the chicken cutlet into the bun like a hot dog is the combination worth ordering at Gyewondang.

Written Sep 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYongsan, SeoulRestaurants

Itaewon gamjatang with six pork bones at weekday lunch: Nuri Maeul

Nuri Maeul Gamjatang Itaewon Branch is a 24-hour gamjatang (pork bone stew) restaurant on the second floor right outside Itaewon Station Exit 4 in Yongsan, Seoul. On a weekday lunch visit for two, the small Nuri Gamjatang (34,000 won) came with six meat bones, plus a potato sujebi (hand-torn noodle) add-on and two servings of self-serve fried rice to finish. Nuri Maeul Gamjatang Itaewon Branch is worth remembering when you want a hot, hearty Korean meal right by the station.

Written Sep 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGapyeong, GyeonggiRestaurants

Cheongriwon dakgalbi restaurant in Gapyeong: half and half, Dami

Dami Seorak Charcoal-grilled Dakgalbi (다미설악숯불닭갈비) is a charcoal-grilled dakgalbi (spicy grilled chicken) restaurant at 150 Hanseo-ro in Seorak-myeon, Gapyeong, Gyeonggi. After a weekend outing to Cheongriwon, a family of four ordered two servings of spicy dakgalbi, two of soy-sauce dakgalbi and one mul-makguksu (cold buckwheat noodles in broth), all grilled over real charcoal. The pre-grilled Korean chicken thigh was tender, and alternating the two sauces kept the meal interesting to the last bite.

Written Sep 22, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Ingye-dong Chinese lunch: eggplant rice bowl at Gang's Duck, Suwon

Gang's Duck is a Peking duck restaurant in Ingye-dong, Suwon, near Suwon City Hall. On a weekday lunch visit booked in advance, half a Peking duck at 39,000 won came with the lunch-only spicy eggplant rice bowl at 11,000 won, and the crisp-edged, tender eggplant in its spicy sauce filled out the rich, savory duck. For a first visit to Gang's Duck, pairing a lunch dish with the Peking duck is the combination to order.

Written Sep 15, 2026Sponsored