Cozy Drawer · 14 stories

Restaurant Warmth

I write about meals and impressions from restaurant visits in Gyeonggi. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Stays · Things to do · Hair & beauty salons

PlaceNamyangju, GyeonggiRestaurants

Bukhangang eel BBQ with deodeok in Namyangju: Hangangeuro Onjangeo

Hangangeuro Onjangeo is an eel BBQ restaurant right in front of the Bukhangang River on Gosan-ro in Namyangju, Gyeonggi. At Hangangeuro Onjangeo, you check eel weights at the first-floor tank and choose your own, and staff pre-grill the eel and bring it to a second-floor river-view table; the writer had it with 15,000-won grilled deodeok (bellflower root) and a rich eel soup. Hangangeuro Onjangeo is a good Namyangju eel restaurant for a family meal, such as on Parents' Day, followed by a walk along the Bukhangang.

Written Apr 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceUijeongbu, GyeonggiRestaurants

Uijeongbu burger lunch to go, baby in carrier: Mom's Touch Haengbok-ro

Mom's Touch Uijeongbu Haengbok-ro branch is a burger, chicken and pizza restaurant on the 2nd floor in front of Uijeongbu Rodeo Street, entered right next to Olive Young. With the baby in a carrier, the writer picked up a Hudeokjuk Kung Pao Cy Burger, a White Garlic Burger, a Bul Cy Burger and a Hudeokjuk Kung Pao set for lunch, and the Kung Pao Cy Burger, with its fried vegetable patty of cashews, chili, green onion and mushroom, beat expectations. Thick patties and generous sauce make Mom's Touch Uijeongbu Haengbok-ro the couple's favorite burger spot.

Written Nov 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGimpo, GyeonggiCafés

Quiet no-kids Gimpo café with sausage potato salt bread: The Nillai

The Nillai is a large brunch and bakery café on Yangchonyeok-gil in Yangchon, Gimpo. On the way back from Ganghwa Island, the writer sat in The Nillai's no-kids seats and had a sausage and potato salad salt bread, a truffle quattro mushroom pizza and a brownie with a decaf Americano and a strawberry latte. The writer came to The Nillai expecting only coffee and bread and was surprised by how good the wood-fired pizza was.

Written Jun 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYangju, GyeonggiRestaurants

Couple's Sunday tonkatsu in Yangju Okjeong: Assorted B at Himawari

Himawari Yangju Okjeong Main Branch is a Japanese tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet) restaurant in the Okjeong central shopping district of Yangju, Gyeonggi. On a Sunday evening, after waiting about 15 minutes, a couple ordered the limited-quantity sweet potato cheese katsu set and Himawari Assorted B (cheese katsu, crab croquette and loin katsu) for 15,000 won each, and the non-greasy frying and pink pork loin had the husband calling Himawari a true local gem. Himawari is a tonkatsu spot worth returning to, recommended for both family meals and date nights.

Written Jun 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJeju, JejuRestaurants

Jocheon, Jeju pork noodle restaurant with huge portions: Myeonjumak

Myeonjumak Jeju Main Branch (면주막 제주본점) is a restaurant specializing in gogi-guksu (pork noodle soup) and dombe-gogi (sliced boiled pork) on Beonyeong-ro in Jocheon-eup, Jeju, near Eco Land. For the first meal of their Jeju trip, the writer and her husband ordered pork noodles (10,000 won), pork bibim noodles (10,000 won) and a half plate of black pork dombe-gogi (18,000 won), and the portions were so large that they left some of the pork bibim noodles. The milky broth, the dombe-gogi with no gamey smell, and the tasty kimchi and radish tea made Myeonjumak a hearty, satisfying first meal in Jeju.

Written Jun 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJeju, JejuRestaurants

East Jeju one-chef restaurant for a babymoon or date: Pyeongdae Alhi

Pyeongdae Alhi Gujwa Pyeongdae-ri is a one-chef Western restaurant on Bijarim-ro in Gujwa-eup, East Jeju. After booking ahead, the writer had the sous-vide set for two (59,000 won): sous-vide black pork tenderloin steak, Hallasan pasta, Alhi salad and 2 drinks, in a quiet room that seats only reserved guests. Pyeongdae Alhi is a good stop for a babymoon or a couple's date in East Jeju.

Written Jul 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeogwipo, JejuRestaurants

Seogwipo Korean restaurant: rainy-day cutlassfish set, Tamra Hansang

Tamra Hansang (탐라한상) is a Korean restaurant near Seogwipo Olle Market in Jeju that serves grilled and braised cutlassfish set meals as a course. On a rainy day the writer ordered the grilled cutlassfish set for two (₩85,000), which came with mackerel sashimi taken straight from the tank, boneless cutlassfish sashimi, boneless fried cutlassfish and potato pot rice, served one after another. Tamra Hansang is a good choice for a filling cutlassfish course with sashimi included, from morning through dinner.

Written Jul 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Gangnam eel rice bowl lunch after our maternity shoot: Unagiwa

Unagiwa is an eel rice bowl restaurant on the 2nd floor of 71 Bongeunsa-ro 30-gil, near Yeoksam Station in Gangnam, Seoul. On a weekday lunch in pouring rain, after a self-shot maternity photoshoot, the writer and her husband ordered two Hitsumabushi Sang sets (38,000 won each) and ate them four different ways; the warm steamed egg and the ochazuke (rice in tea broth) were the highlights. Unagiwa is a hearty, restorative lunch spot where even diners worried that eel will be too rich finish a satisfying meal.

Written Jul 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangjin, SeoulThings to do

Gwangjin self-photo studio cool-tone wildflower maternity shoot: U&E

U&E Studio Seongsu is a by-the-hour self-photo studio on the 3rd floor of a building on Gwangnaru-ro, near Children's Grand Park Station in Gwangjin, Seoul. A couple booked the 4M cyclorama premium studio and took their own maternity photos with a wildflower centerpiece and stools, fixing rain-frizzed hair with the flat iron in the U&E Studio Seongsu fitting room. Even the unedited originals had the cool tones and framing they wanted, making U&E Studio Seongsu a good fit for a maternity shoot without the pressure of a staffed studio.

Written Jul 19, 2026Sponsored
PlacePocheon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Pocheon pasta restaurant: weekday lunch date, first gnocchi, Eoneu Dal

Eoneu Dal (어느달) is a pasta and risotto restaurant on Jeongmundong-gil in Pocheon, Gyeonggi, and an easy stop on a Pocheon Art Valley drive. After putting it off for years, the writer and her husband went on a weekday lunch date and ordered garlic shrimp pasta (19,000 won), white ragu gnocchi (20,000 won) and crab risotto (22,000 won). All three were well seasoned, but the portions were so generous that the couple still left food. Eoneu Dal is a Pocheon date restaurant whose big pasta portions are best shared among several people.

Written Jul 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNowon, SeoulRestaurants

Ramen shop in Gongneung, Seoul, for Fukuoka-style tsukemen: Torikokoro

Torikokoro Gongneung Direct Store (토리코코로 공릉직영점) is a ramen shop in a basement off a side street in Gongneung, Nowon, Seoul, that makes its own broth and noodles. Missing the tsukemen she had eaten in Fukuoka, the writer visited with her husband and ordered a tsukemen L (12,500 won) and a mazesoba (10,500 won), adding chicken thigh chashu and ajitama (seasoned soft-boiled egg) for 1,000 won each. Tsukemen is Torikokoro's signature dish, but the writer rated the mazesoba as even tastier.

Written Jul 30, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNowon, SeoulRestaurants

Nowon sushi buffet, weekend dinner as a couple: gelato waffle, Kuu Kuu

Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch is an all-you-can-eat sushi buffet on the 6th floor of 247 Nowon-ro in Nowon, Seoul, near Hagye Station. A couple who come about once every two months visited for a weekend dinner and enjoyed whelk sushi, pork ribs from the BBQ zone, sweet potato pizza, mala shrimp and a waffle topped with gelato. With plenty of cooked dishes and desserts for people who don't love sushi, Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch is a reliable choice for family gatherings.

Written Jul 29, 2026Sponsored