Rice Pot Neighbor · 54 stories

Beside the Rice Pot

I write about restaurants and everyday meals I visit around Seoul. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Bars · Hair & beauty salons · Things to do · Shopping

PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hongik Univ. Station donburi: salmon sashimi + ₩2,000 belly, Jongno

Jongno Donburi Yeonnam (종로돈부리 연남) is a Japanese rice bowl restaurant in a basement on Donggyo-ro 46-gil, between Hongik Univ. Station and Yeonnam-dong in Mapo, Seoul. At Jongno Donburi Yeonnam, the writer ordered the flame-seared aburi sake-don (salmon rice bowl) and salmon sashimi, where ₩2,000 extra adds a few pieces of salmon belly, and was pleased with the thick, fresh salmon, the soup and the side dishes. Jongno Donburi Yeonnam is the place that comes to mind when you're worn out and want salmon to recharge.

Written Nov 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulCafés

Post-meal Yeonnam-dong café: peanut cream Nuvola, banana tiramisu, Pip

Pip Espresso Bar (피프에스프레소바) is a wood-toned espresso bar café on Seongmisan-ro 29-gil in Yeonnam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul. After a solo meal in Yeonnam-dong, the writer ordered the Nuvola cream coffee and a banana crumble tiramisu, sipping the Nuvola as is at first and then stirring it halfway through, as the staff recommended. Pip Espresso Bar is a good Yeonnam-dong café to drop by when you want a cream coffee as an after-meal dessert.

Written Nov 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeodaemun, SeoulCafés

Yeonnam-dong bakery lunch samples: new chestnut mugwort bread, Mandong

Mandong Jegwa Yeonnam Branch (만동제과) is a bakery in Yeonnam-dong, Seoul, on the road from Hongdae toward Yeonhui-dong at 32 Yeonhui-ro, Seodaemun-gu. On a lunchtime visit the shelves at Mandong Jegwa were packed, and trying staff samples led to the new chestnut, red bean and mugwort bread (bampatssuk), ang cream bread, injeolmi bread and fig campagne. Mandong Jegwa makes discovering new breads fun through its samples, and the breads are so hefty that just 2–3 make a filling meal.

Written Nov 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangseo, SeoulRestaurants

Sashimi spot near Seoul Botanic Park: salmon & flounder, Singsing Hoe

Singsing Hoe Susan Sijang Magongnaru Station Direct Branch is a spacious, tidy sashimi restaurant on Magokjungang-ro in Gangseo, Seoul. On a day out in Magok with her husband, the writer ordered the Singsing Signature Mixed Sashimi with sides, which brought salmon, flounder and halibut sashimi plus 9 side dishes, including white kimchi, fish-roe rice and steamed egg. Singsing Hoe is a good Magongnaru stop for a generous sashimi meal after Seoul Botanic Park or shopping.

Written May 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYongsan, SeoulRestaurants

Itaewon Korean restaurant for gatherings: black sesame starter, Modam

Modam Itaewon is a Korean set-meal (hanjeongsik) restaurant on the ground floor of the Mondrian hotel in Itaewon, Yongsan, Seoul. In the softly lit main hall, the writer ordered the deodeok (grilled bellflower root) and handmade tteokgalbi (grilled short rib patty) set for 2 and tasted everything from the first course, including a black sesame–dressed starter, to seaweed soup, burdock-plum potatoes and a perilla leaf sorbet for dessert. With atmosphere, service and food all satisfying, Modam Itaewon is a place worth returning to for gatherings or dates in Itaewon.

Written Oct 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBucheon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Group-meal tuna restaurant in Bucheon: bigeye belly at Nagoya Tuna

Nagoya Tuna is a tuna restaurant in Sinjungdong, Bucheon, with both hall seating and private rooms. The writer reserved a room ahead of time and ordered the Royal Course for 2 (80% bluefin, 20% bigeye). The meal ran from pumpkin porridge and pufferfish skin salad through akami, navel cut, otoro and cheek meat, then a refill, monkfish stew, monkfish clear soup and fish roe rice. Verdict: Nagoya Tuna is a comfortable private-room spot for tuna group meals in Sinjungdong, and the writer plans to return.

Written Oct 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulCafés

City Hall café: caffeine-free rooibos vanilla milk tea, Lemangdoré

Lemangdoré Gwanghwamun is a bakery café on Mugyo-ro near City Hall and Gwanghwamun in Seoul, known for baked sweets like financiers and madeleines as well as bread. On a weekday afternoon when the pumpkin cream cheese country bread was sold out, the writer ordered a rooibos vanilla milk tea, a red berry madeleine and a pain au chocolat, and sat on the 3rd-floor sofas for the first time. A caffeine-free drink, a crisp pain au chocolat and a showroom-like 3rd floor make Lemangdoré Gwanghwamun a satisfying City Hall bakery café.

Written Oct 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hongik Univ. Station burger takeout, warm and smell-free: Deombeogeo

Deombeogeo Bonjeom (덤버거 본점) is a handmade burger shop with a yellow interior on the 2nd floor of a building on Donggyo-ro in Yeonnam-dong, near Hongik Univ. Station in Mapo, Seoul. The writer ordered the signature Deom Burger, DUMB coleslaw and sweet corn salad for takeout; nothing smelled on the way home, and the paper-foil wrapping kept the food warm until it was eaten at home. Deombeogeo Bonjeom's soft bun and coleslaw were the standouts, making it a handmade burger spot worth recommending for takeout.

Written Oct 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulCafés

Hongdae café: decaf salt cream coffee, strawberry soufflé, Think Fruit

Think Fruit is a fruit soufflé café and dessert shop near Hongik Univ. Station in Mapo, Seoul. The writer ordered a strawberry soufflé, which arrived about 20 minutes later topped with Häagen-Dazs strawberry ice cream and strawberry crumble, and a salt cream coffee switched to decaf for ₩1,000 extra. Think Fruit is a true cream specialist with rich, heavy cream, and being able to choose decaf for just ₩1,000 more is a real highlight.

Written Oct 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeodaemun, SeoulRestaurants

Sinchon Indian restaurant: chicken tikka & prawn chilli, Meno Kamena

Meno Kamena Sinchon Branch is an Indian restaurant on the 2nd floor of a building near Hyundai Department Store U-Plex by Sinchon Station in Seodaemun, Seoul. Worn out from dieting, the writer stopped by alone after work on a Friday and ordered chicken tikka (boneless tandoori chicken), spicy prawn chilli and dahi plain yogurt. Because Meno Kamena's chicken tikka needs no knife work, it made an easy, unfussy meal for one.

Written Oct 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulShopping

Euljiro wine shop for after-work pickup of photo-label wine: Gaja Wine

Gaja Wine Euljiro is a liquor shop in the Euljiro Starmall underground arcade, between Euljiro 1-ga Station and Euljiro 3-ga Station in Jung-gu, Seoul, that offers a free service adding your photo and message to a wine label. The writer sent a photo and message through Gaja Wine's KakaoTalk channel, approved the label draft, and picked up a Chilean Costa Extrema Reserva Privada Pinot Noir on the commute as a wedding anniversary surprise. Because Gaja Wine Euljiro takes bookings in advance and sits inside the subway station, it is an easy place to prepare a custom anniversary wine gift.

Written Oct 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulCafés

Gangnam Station Greek yogurt café: tangy plain scoop to go—Lazy Yogurt

Lazy Yogurt Gangnam is a Greek yogurt dessert café on Yeoksam-ro near Gangnam Station in Seoul, and any of its yogurt can be swapped for soy Greek yogurt. At lunchtime the writer took away one scoop of plain Greek yogurt and a large bag of granola, tasting the yogurt on its own at home before topping it with the granola, and loved the tangy yogurt and the nutty, crunchy granola. Verdict: Lazy Yogurt Gangnam makes a snack that passes the test even when you're watching what you eat.

Written Oct 18, 2026Sponsored