Pine Window Guest · 49 stories

By the Pine Window

I write about stays I visit across Gangwon. · Writes about: Stays · Restaurants · Shopping · Things to do · Cafés · Hair & beauty salons

PlaceJung-gu, SeoulCafés

Cheonggyecheon café with B&O speakers and drip bag coffee: Lemangdoré

Lemangdoré Gwanghwamun is a three-floor bakery café on Mugyo-ro in Jung-gu, Seoul, near Cheonggyecheon Stream. Every table and chair at Lemangdoré Gwanghwamun is Fritz Hansen, Bang & Olufsen speakers hang from the ceiling and in the restroom, and the visit included Hadong pumpkin tea (6,500 won), an Amber Garden Refresher (6,800 won), a pain au chocolat (6,200 won) and a classic egg tart (3,700 won), plus drip bag coffee to take home. For Fritz Hansen fans, Lemangdoré Gwanghwamun is a Gwanghwamun café that works equally well for studying or catching up with friends.

Written Jul 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulCafés

Ogeum-dong café for mocha salt bread and solo tablet work: Grid Cafe

Grid Cafe is a bakery café focused on salt bread, set on a residential stretch of Macheon-ro in Ogeum-dong, Songpa, Seoul. The writer went alone by bus, ordered crack salt bread (3,000 won), mocha salt bread (3,800 won), a gourmet butter scone (3,500 won) and the signature Grid Cream Shot (5,500 won), and wrote a blog post on an iPad at the table. If you love crisp salt bread and sweet coffee, Grid Cafe is a great fit.

Written Jul 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Bangi-dong monkfish stew restaurant: free leftover takeout, Ttoksuni

Ttoksuni Agujjim Jamsil Direct Branch is a monkfish stew (agujjim) restaurant in Bangi-dong, Songpa, Seoul, next to Olympic Park and near Hanseongbaekje Station Exit 3. The writer ordered the medium meaty monkfish stew for two (52,000 won) at Shin Ramyun spice level and got big chunks of monkfish, plenty of bean sprouts and a free shrimp fritter for a Naver receipt review. The leftovers were packed for free and stretched to lunch the next day, making Ttoksuni Agujjim a generous, filling meal.

Written Oct 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Chinese restaurant in Apgujeong with noodles served last: Bobo Sikdang

Bobo Sikdang Apgujeong is a Chinese restaurant with 5 private rooms on the first floor of Robin Luxury Hall, near Apgujeongnodeo Station in Gangnam, Seoul. On a booked weekday lunch, Bobo Sikdang served kkanpung monkfish (38,000 won), butter sweet and sour pork (35,000 won) and meat jjamppong (17,000 won), holding the noodles back about 10 minutes so the dishes could be enjoyed first. Bobo Sikdang Apgujeong suits anyone looking for a stylish, hotel-like Chinese restaurant for a family meeting before a wedding or a company dinner.

Written Jul 31, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Dog-friendly Seongsu shabu-shabu, dog stroller welcome: Shabu in Seoul

Shabu in Seoul Seongsu is a dog-friendly shabu-shabu restaurant on the first floor of the Yuwonji Industrial Center, right by Seongsu Station Exit 3 in Seongdong, Seoul. When the writer arrived pushing a dog stroller, staff cleared away a chair to make room for it; the pair ate two Hanwoo chuck flap shabu sets (₩31,000 each) plus extra meat, then finished with omija (five-flavor berry) tea and egg porridge. For an upscale shabu-shabu meal in Seongsu with your dog, Shabu in Seoul Seongsu is a great fit.

Written Oct 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangjin, SeoulRestaurants

Jayang-dong burger shop: sweet potato fries and parking, Reel Burger

Reel Burger (릴버거) is a handmade burger shop on Jayang Gangbyeon-gil in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, near Ttukseom Han River Park. On a weekday lunch visit the writer ordered the Classic Burger (12,800 won), El Taco Burger (14,900 won), sweet potato fries (6,400 won) and onion rings (6,900 won); Reel Burger has no parking, so the writer parked at Ttukseom Parking Lot No. 4 and walked 7 minutes. There was no wait, but Reel Burger was full even on a weekday, and it is a great burger shop to order takeout from before heading to Ttukseom Han River Park.

Written Aug 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulShopping

Songpa florist bouquet pickup with clear bag: Helio Flower by Su

Helio Flower by Su is a flower shop in Building B (Unit 1114) of the Helio City shopping arcade in Songpa, Seoul, right in front of Songpa Station. On a second visit, after buying a fresh-flower money box the first time, the writer reserved and picked up a size S fresh-flower bouquet for 60,000 won and added a clear shopping bag for 2,000 won, which kept the bouquet steady in the car. Parking in the Helio City arcade lot was free once the owner registered the car, making Helio Flower by Su an easy reserve-and-pick-up florist.

Written Aug 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceHanam, GyeonggiHair & beauty salons

Hanam hair salon layered cut and Korean head spa: Moen.D Hair

Moen.D Hair Hanam Gamil is a hair salon on the second floor of a commercial building across from Gamil Sweet City in Hanam, Gyeonggi. The visit fell on the day before Chuseok and covered a layered cut followed by an Ayounche head spa with scalp peeling and moisture care, plus a complimentary Ayounche treatment and a flat-iron finish. For long hair that turns frizzy easily, the blow-dry finish at Moen.D Hair is the part worth going back for.

Written Sep 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeongdeungpo, SeoulRestaurants

Yakisoba restaurant near Mullae Station, Seoul: second plate at Jojo

Jojo Mullae Branch is a teppan Japanese restaurant serving okonomiyaki, yakisoba and monjayaki, 347 meters from Exit 1 of Mullae Station in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul. The signature 2-person set came with donpeyaki and karai yakisoba, and the karai yakisoba was good enough to order a second plate. Cooking okonomiyaki on the built-in table grill and getting a nickname flag planted on top makes Jojo Mullae Branch as fun as it is filling.

Written Aug 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Short gale cut at an Apgujeong barber shop: Coup Barber & Coffee

Coup Barber & Coffee is a one-man barber shop in Apgujeong, Gangnam, Seoul, 410m from Apgujeong Station Exit 2, run together with its own café. A short gale cut consultation at Coup Barber & Coffee led into clippers from the back of the head, a design cut and a down perm, taking about an hour in total, with an iced americano served during the service. Walking into a men's barber shop felt awkward at first, but a companion can wait in a café seat, which made the visit easy.

Written Aug 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Apgujeong seafood pub: Jinju-style raw fish at Negi Silbi Sinsa

Negi Silbi Sinsa is a seafood pub serving direct-from-the-coast catch near Sinsa Station Exit 8 in Gangnam, Seoul, introduced as an Apgujeong favorite on the show Choiza Road. Arriving as the first customer of the day at 17:00 for a reserved window seat, the writer ordered Jinju-style chapdomi makhoe (chewy sea bream sashimi, medium 52,000 won) and sannakji chadol dolpan-gui (live octopus and beef brisket on a hot stone, 65,000 won), toasting with Terra non-alcoholic beer instead of soju. Too full for the fried rice finish, the writer has already booked a self-funded return visit to Negi Silbi Sinsa.

Written Aug 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangdong, SeoulRestaurants

Garlic salt, spicy chicken galbi near Cheonho Station, Seoul: Ondogye

Ondogye is a charcoal chicken galbi restaurant near Exit 6 of Cheonho Station in Gangdong, Seoul. After a Naver reservation, the writer sat at a reserved table and had 270g each of garlic salt chicken galbi and spicy sauce chicken galbi, plus cheese steamed egg and a rice ball, with staff grilling the meat table-side from the first sear. Free chicken gizzards and doenjang stew (soybean paste stew) come standard, and ice cream arrives at the end — a small Cheonho favorite where reservations are a must.

Written Sep 7, 2026Sponsored