Jung-gu Door Pusher · 84 stories

Through the Restaurant Door

I write about meals and visits to restaurants in Gyeonggi. · Writes about: Restaurants · Bars · Cafés · Hair & beauty salons · Shopping · Things to do

PlaceUijeongbu, GyeonggiRestaurants

Uijeongbu burger shop: XO mozzarella shrimp burger to go, Mom's Touch

Mom's Touch Uijeongbu Haengbok-ro branch is a chicken and burger restaurant on the 2nd floor of Rodeo Street, near Exit 5 of Uijeongbu Station in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi. On a weekend drive, the writer picked up chef Hu Deok-juk's new collaboration item, the XO Whole Mozzarella Shrimp Burger (₩7,600 on its own), along with a regular Hot Cheese Thigh Boneless Chicken, cheese balls, corn salad and ranch sauce, and was especially happy with the tender boneless thigh meat and the clean shop. The Mom's Touch XO Whole Mozzarella Shrimp Burger, with its shrimp and mozzarella double patty, is worth trying at least once if you're tired of the Thigh Burger.

Written Oct 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Chungmuro noodle spot for two: bukkake udon & karai ramen at Haekbap

Haekbap Dongguk (핵밥 동국대본점) is a Japanese rice bowl and noodle restaurant a 5-minute walk from Chungmuro Station Exit 1, at the start of the street toward Dongguk University in Jung-gu, Seoul. Two diners ordered the summer bukkake udon topped with a poached egg, a karai ramen with karaage (Japanese fried chicken) set and a potato croquette at the kiosk, and the meal came with a honey-drizzled cheese rice cake for dessert. With chewy noodles and a spicy broth that never gets overpowering, Haekbap Dongguk is an easy, filling stop for Japanese noodles in summer, and the writer plans to return.

Written Jun 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Euljiro tteokbokki shop: medium spice, mayo rice ball at Hyeonseoni-ne

Hyeonseoni-ne Cheonggye Instant Branch (현선이네 청계즉석점) is an old-school tteokbokki (spicy rice cake) and instant tteokbokki snack bar in Jung-gu, Seoul, between Euljiro 1-ga Station and Jonggak Station. On this repeat visit the writer ordered the Hyeonseoni Combo Set (₩25,000) with a ₩6,000 medium-spice tteokbokki, sundae (Korean blood sausage) mixed with innards, vegetable fritters, mini gimbap and fish cake, plus a savory mayo rice ball from the review event. Verdict: unless you handle heat very well, order Hyeonseoni-ne tteokbokki medium, and the savory mayo rice ball is a must.

Written Oct 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGeumcheon, SeoulRestaurants

Gasan burger lunch: hash brown cheeseburger at Downtown Gasan Public

Downtown Gasan Public is a handmade burger restaurant in Building A of Public Gasan, about a 10-minute walk from Gasan Digital Complex Station in Geumcheon, Seoul. The writer added a hash brown to a cheeseburger and ordered sides such as jumbo mozzarella sticks (₩3,800 each) and hot honey chicken, and found the self-serve drink refills and in-building parking registration convenient. Downtown Gasan Public is an office-worker lunch spot where the sides are as good as the burgers.

Written Jun 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceUijeongbu, GyeonggiRestaurants

Uijeongbu cutlet house: set no. 7 mini cutlet & hamburg, Yangchonri

Yangchonri Donkaseu Millak Branch (양촌리돈가스 민락점) is a Western-style Korean pork cutlet (gyeongyangsik donkatsu) restaurant, said to be in its third generation, on the 2nd floor of Jeil Punggyeongchae on Omok-ro in Uijeongbu. Two people visited right after the evening break time and ordered set no. 7, a mini pork cutlet and mini hamburg steak (13,900 won), plus the basic Western-style pork cutlet (9,900 won) with added fried shrimp. The cutlet stayed crispy under plenty of demi-glace sauce, and the set was big enough to leave a few pieces. The basic pork cutlet alone, under 10,000 won, makes Yangchonri Donkaseu Millak Branch worth a return visit in Uijeongbu.

Written Jun 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangseo, SeoulCafés

Balsan Station café: ₩1,100 takeout discount & sandwich baguette

Byway Bakers Balsan Station is a dessert bakery café in an alley near Balsan Station Exit 3 in Gangseo, Seoul, selling trendy treats in one place: wakppu salt bread, financiers, dujjonku (Dubai-style chewy cookie) and butter tteok (buttery rice cake). After leaving work early on a Friday, the blogger stopped by just for takeout, browsed the menu with its ₩1,100 takeout discount on drinks, and picked a plain financier (₩2,900) and a baguette for sandwiches (₩3,500). Thanks to the takeout discount and the wide range of trendy desserts, Byway Bakers Balsan Station is a satisfying after-work dessert stop.

Written Jun 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongbuk, SeoulRestaurants

Chicken feet spot in Seongbuk, Seoul: no-capsaicin heat at Garobdeung

Garobdeung Jeongneung Main Branch is a charcoal-grilled chicken feet restaurant in Seongbuk, Seoul, right outside Exit 2 of Jeongneung Station on the Ui-Sinseol Line. After about a 20-minute wait on a Saturday evening, the writer had the tulip chicken feet and clam soup set, steamed egg, rice balls and dakjjonku, and the chicken feet kept a smoky charcoal flavor and a clean heat made without capsaicin. Garobdeung is a good Seongbuk chicken feet spot for anyone who dislikes the heavy aftertaste of capsaicin.

Written Jun 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Mangwon Station salad shop: smoked duck poke to go at Green & Fini

Green & Fini Mangwon is a salad, poke, sandwich and Greek yogurt shop on the second floor near Exit 2 of Mangwon Station in Mapo, Seoul. The writer visited in the early evening and ordered a smoked duck poke (11,000 won), a tenderloin tender sandwich (8,000 won) and plain Greek yogurt at the kiosk; even after time had passed, the vegetables stayed crisp and the smoked duck had no gamey smell. Green & Fini Mangwon is worth a return trip for Mangwon Hangang Park picnic takeout or a light summer diet meal.

Written Jun 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJungnang, SeoulRestaurants

Crunchy tonkatsu and big chicken karaage in Myeonmok: Katsu Monster

Katsu Monster Myeonmok is a tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet) restaurant with mostly solo seating in Jungnang, Seoul, right next to the Myeonmok Bondong police box and near Seoil University. Just after the break time, the writer sat at a wall-facing counter seat and ordered the pork loin + cheese set and 3 pieces of chicken karaage for ₩6,000, praising a coating so crunchy you have to mind the roof of your mouth and juicy thigh-meat karaage. For anyone after crispy tonkatsu, Katsu Monster Myeonmok is worth a return visit.

Written Jun 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSiheung, GyeonggiRestaurants

Sunday drive shellfish buffet in Siheung Baegot: unlimited cheese

Unlimited Refill Grilled Shellfish Siheung Baegot Branch is an all-you-can-eat shellfish and meat grill restaurant on the 2nd floor of Avenue France Central Purple, Building A, in Baegot, Siheung. At the end of a Sunday sea drive, the writer picked and grilled their own king scallops, scallops, surf clams and horn conch, with unlimited thin-sliced beef brisket and mozzarella cheese, plus a large slushie won in a Naver review draw; adults pay 35,900 won. Big shellfish with no fishy smell and friendly staff left the writer already planning a return visit.

Written Jun 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Chungmuro ramen shop lunch: abura soba, thigh karaage, Mentsuru

Mentsuru Euljiro Branch (멘츠루 을지로점) is a Japanese ramen shop near Exit 9 of Euljiro 3-ga Station in Jung-gu, Seoul. Two of us came for lunch and ordered abura soba, motsu ramen and handmade karaage. The abura soba noodles soaked up the sauce well and came with free rice, and the chicken thigh karaage was crisp outside and full of juice. Mentsuru Euljiro Branch is a reliable lunch pick, and the karaage is worth adding to your order.

Written Jun 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hongdae Indian lunch for a wedding invite meetup: tikka set, Mandala

Mandala Indian Lounge is an Indian restaurant on the 3rd floor of a building on Dongmak-ro 3-gil in Mapo, Seoul, a 5-minute walk from Hapjeong Station Exit 6. On a sweltering day, the writer ordered the ₩12,000 lunch set (curry, naan and rice) with the best-selling chicken tikka. The writer also added a ₩16,000 chicken tikka side and topped both with cilantro at the owner's suggestion. With a stylish, naturally lit room and shareable set menus, Mandala Indian Lounge is a solid pick for a wedding invitation meetup or a date.

Written Jun 17, 2026Sponsored