Terminal Teacup · 30 stories

Cups Between Stops

I write about cafés I visit around Daejeon and Chungcheong. · Writes about: Cafés · Restaurants · Bars · Hair & beauty salons

PlaceYongin, GyeonggiCafés

Gongse-dong bakery café: warm red bean butter salt bread, Terreno Cité

Terreno Cité Special is a large bakery café near Gongse-dong in Giheung-gu, Yongin, with plenty of parking. With spare time after an errand in Gongse-dong, the writer stopped at Terreno Cité Special for an iced café latte and a red bean butter salt bread (angbeoteo sogeumppang) that came out warmed, but missed the Sangha Farm ice cream latte because it is a seasonal menu item. Terreno Cité Special is a decent place to take a short break nearby with coffee and bread.

Written Oct 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulRestaurants

Yangjae noodle shop: sand-free clam kalguksu, 5-car parking, Seonbawi

Seonbawi Memil Jangteo Yangjae Branch (선바위메밀장터 양재점) is a buckwheat restaurant near Yangjae Citizens' Forest in Seocho, Seoul. On a chilly day in Yangjae, the writer had an early lunch of buckwheat clam kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) for two and giant mandu (dumplings). The clams had no grit and the broth was so refreshing that nearly all of it got drunk. Seonbawi Memil Jangteo Yangjae Branch has only about 5 parking spots out front, but it is worth a stop when you want a warm, brothy lunch.

Written Oct 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSejongCafés

Big café near Sejong City Hall: fresh tomato juice over bingsu, Apere

Apere is a large rooftop café on the 4th floor of River Picnic on Sicheong-daero in Sejong, overlooking the Geumgang River and Sejong's Ieung Bridge. After an errand at Sejong City Hall, the writer stopped at Apere with her older sister for a fresh tomato juice, an iced café latte and toasted brioche, putting off the bingsu (shaved ice dessert) because she felt a cold coming on. Apere is a spacious café with great views, and the skipped bingsu is a good reason to go back.

Written Oct 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSejongRestaurants

Solo sushi lunch near Sejong City Hall: ₩30,000 set at Sushi Resto

Sushi Resto Sejong Sodam Main Branch is a sushi restaurant on the 2nd floor of Icomstar City in Sodam-dong, near Sejong City Hall. After finishing errands at Sejong City Hall, the writer had a late solo lunch of the premium assorted sushi set for 30,000 won (12 pieces of sushi, 4 pieces of sashimi, salad and mini udon), adding a shrimp tempura for 2,000 won. The sea urchin was a little fishy, but the sashimi and crispy shrimp tempura were satisfying, which makes Sushi Resto a good solo stop near Sejong City Hall for sushi and sashimi in one meal.

Written Oct 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceAsan, ChungnamRestaurants

Pork rib BBQ in Baebang, Asan, not too sweet: Hwahwa Dwaeji Wanggalbi

Hwahwa Dwaeji Wanggalbi (화화돼지왕갈비) Asan Baebang is a newly opened charcoal-grilled pork rib restaurant in Baebang-eup, Asan, South Chungcheong Province. The blogger and her husband, just recovered from COVID, ordered 3 servings of giant pork ribs (dwaeji wanggalbi) and grilled them with shrimp. They liked the not-too-sweet marinade, the thick yet tender meat and a self-serve bar with as many wrap greens as a ssambap (leaf-wrap rice) restaurant. For a family meal or group dinner in Baebang, Hwahwa Dwaeji Wanggalbi is a Korean BBQ restaurant worth a look.

Written Oct 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceCheonan, ChungnamRestaurants

Cheonan soy crab restaurant for a quiet after-work dinner: Kkotgeok

Kkotgeok Cheonan Yuryang-dong Branch (꽃게옥 천안유량동점) is a soy sauce crab (ganjang gejang) restaurant in a hanok building in Yuryang-dong, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan. After her husband's stressful day at work, the blogger chose Kkotgeok for a quiet dinner and ordered the C set for two at 80,000 won, which brings roe-filled soy crab, spicy marinated crab and crab stew. Verdict: Kkotgeok's crab was neither fishy nor salty, and with a large parking lot and private rooms, it is a satisfying spot for a calm dinner or a family meal.

Written Jun 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDangjin, ChungnamBars

Dangjin seafood pub: first-time goose barnacle platter at Haemuljeom

Haemuljeom Dangjin CGV Branch is a new pojangmacha-style (retro Korean street-tent pub) seafood bar on Bungmun-ro 1-gil in Dangjin, Chungnam, near Dangjin CGV. The writer ordered the signature Bada Hansang (바다한상, "sea table") platter with goose barnacles, octopus, abalone, scallops, sea cucumber and rock sea squirt, and found the sea cucumber and abalone even more impressive for freshness than the goose barnacles tried for the first time. For seafood lovers, the Bada Hansang at Haemuljeom is an easy way to sample many kinds of seafood in one order.

Written Oct 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceCheonan, ChungnamHair & beauty salons

Couples Thai massage with scalp massage in Cheonan Sinbuldang: Rutai

Rutai Massage Cheonan Sinbuldang Branch (루타이마사지 천안신불당점) is a Thai massage shop on the 3rd floor of a building tucked inside the Sinbuldang food alley in Buldang-dong, Cheonan. When her husband got off work early, the writer and her husband skipped the movies and booked a 90-minute couples Thai massage in a private couples room (135,000 won list price, 130,000 won with a Naver Reservation coupon), which came with a foot bath, a timer, pressure checks and a scalp massage that is only included from the 90-minute course up. The elbow work on the back hurt quite a bit, but afterwards the husband's sore right shoulder and the writer's neck and shoulders felt refreshed, so they would choose the 90-minute course at Rutai Massage again.

Written Jul 31, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDangjin, ChungnamRestaurants

Two self-bar plates at a Dangjin Gijisi BBQ buffet: Myeongnyun Jinsa

Myeongnyun Jinsa Galbi Dangjin Gijisi Branch (명륜진사갈비 당진기지시점) is an all-you-can-eat charcoal pork galbi restaurant on the 2nd floor of 6275 Seohae-ro, Dangjin, Chungnam. The writer's husband planned to eat plenty of meat but filled up on two plates from the self-bar and had only a little meat, while the charcoal-grilled seasoned galbi paired well with Haenaru rice. Myeongnyun Jinsa Galbi Dangjin Gijisi Branch suits a family lunch where you want to enjoy the self-bar as much as the meat.

Written Oct 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceCheonan, ChungnamRestaurants

Back-door parking and payment at a Cheonan Chinese restaurant: Bultina

Bultina Kkomak Jjamppong Sinbang Branch (불티나꼬막짬뽕 신방점) is a Chinese restaurant specializing in cockle jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup) on Seobu-daero in Sinbang-dong, Cheonan, close enough to E-mart Cheonan for a lunch stop after grocery shopping. The order was jjamppong noodles and jjamppong rice at spice level 1 plus tangsuyuk (sweet-and-sour pork) with the sauce on the side; it wasn't cockle season, so cockles were few, but clams and scallops were plentiful and the broth was spicy and refreshing. With a parking lot behind the building connected to a back door where you can also pay, Bultina Sinbang Branch is especially convenient for shoppers who come by car.

Written Oct 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceCheonan, ChungnamRestaurants

Korean restaurant near Taejosan, Cheonan, with group rooms: Eohaerang

Eohaerang Wang Kodari Cheonan Yuryang-jeom is a Korean restaurant specializing in braised kodari (half-dried pollock) on Taejosan-gil in Yuryang-dong, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan, with a large parking lot in front and 4 large private rooms. On a scouting visit for a group gathering, the writer ordered the kodari for 2 + beef short rib couple set with stone-pot rice; the short ribs come cooked in the same braising sauce as the kodari, which was unexpected at first but well seasoned. For a family meal or group gathering after hiking Taejosan, Eohaerang Wang Kodari Cheonan Yuryang-jeom is a solid choice for both space and food.

Written Oct 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceAsan, ChungnamRestaurants

Jungbok family duck baeksuk in Eumbong, Asan: Oneungi Shabu Baeksuk

Oneungi Shabu Baeksuk (오능이샤브백숙) is a baeksuk (slow-boiled whole poultry) restaurant in Eumbong-myeon, Asan, Chungnam, that cooks in a neungi mushroom broth. Around Jungbok, the midsummer day for restorative food, the writer's whole family, including a son home for the visit and his grandparents, pre-ordered the Special Neungi Duck Baeksuk (79,000 won) through a Naver reservation and ate everything from mushroom shabu to sticky rice porridge. Oneungi Shabu Baeksuk serves the meal with no wait and leaves the stomach comfortable, making it a family restorative meal worth returning for.

Written Aug 5, 2026Sponsored