Seconds Taker · 20 stories
I write about meals and restaurant visits in Gyeonggi. · Writes about: Restaurants · Hair & beauty salons · Cafés
Mugyo-dong Yeongmi Nakji Anyang Main Branch is a Korean octopus restaurant at Hogye intersection in Anyang, near Geumjeong Station. At lunch the writer ordered the value set for two, mixing mild nakji bokkeum (stir-fried octopus) into turmeric rice and adding seafood pancake and littleneck clam soup. Mugyo-dong Yeongmi Nakji Anyang Main Branch is a good-value octopus lunch spot in Hogye-dong for how much comes to the table.
Pho Witch is a Vietnamese pho restaurant in the food alley of the Pyeongchon academy district in Anyang, Gyeonggi. On a date, the writer ordered the Hanoi king beef rib pho (18,000 won, with yangji brisket) and the Yeoljeong Siblings smoky pad thai (12,000 won), and enjoyed the clean-tasting ribs that slid off the bone and the generous pad thai portion. With parking in front of the shop, a rare find in the Pyeongchon academy district, and a spacious dining room, Pho Witch is an easy pick for both dates and group meals.
Gorae Bapsang Pyeongchon Hagwon-ga is a Korean buffet on basement level 1 of a building on the main street of the Pyeongchon academy district in Anyang, Gyeonggi, where adults pay ₩9,000 for daily-changing chicken, tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), side dishes and unlimited ramen. A group of three tried the garlic butter chicken, butter curry chicken, spicy soupy tteokbokki and bean sprout soup, and found the chicken as good as a dedicated chicken restaurant's. For a generous, tasty and affordable Korean buffet in Pyeongchon, Gorae Bapsang Pyeongchon Hagwon-ga is a strong pick.
Sushi House is a conveyor belt sushi restaurant near Beomgye Station Exit 3 in Anyang, Gyeonggi, where every plate costs 2,000 won. The writer went for dinner as a party of two, sat at the bar counter and ate live flatfish and salmon sushi, garlic eel sushi, aged kimchi (mukeunji) sushi and yukhoe (Korean beef tartare) sushi, and found the belt still full late in the evening. The verdict: Sushi House is the place to go for good-value conveyor sushi in Beomgye.
Jeongipum Jjukkumi Gwangmyeong 1st Branch (정이품쭈꾸미 광명1호점) is a griddle baby octopus (jjukkumi) restaurant in the main plaza of Gwangmyeong AK Plaza, near Gwangmyeong Station. The writer drove there, parked in the large shared car park, booked ahead and ordered the mild griddle baby octopus with extra toppings and black pork belly for 2; the conch-trap baby octopus was springy without being chewy. On busy weekends, Jeongipum Jjukkumi at Gwangmyeong Station is an easy, no-wait meal if you reserve and come by car.
Juno Hair Gwacheonchungsa Station is a hair salon on the 2nd floor of the Starbucks building right outside Exit 11 of Gwacheon Station in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi. After a scalp diagnosis showed a dry, red scalp, the writer had the Signature Head Spa (198,000 won) and a women's cut (40,000 won) styled as a face-shaping layered cut. Juno Hair Gwacheonchungsa Station delivered about an hour of scalp care, a tailored cut and self blow-dry tips in one visit.
Hwaddeugeuro Gan Godeungeo Bisan Branch (화덕으로간고등어 비산점) is an oven-grilled fish Korean restaurant on the 1st floor of Kidsmom Center Building B, near Anyang Stadium in Anyang, Gyeonggi. The writer ordered the oven-grilled Yeonggwang gulbi (dried yellow croaker) set for ₩21,000 and the oven-grilled mackerel set for ₩16,000, eaten with old-school tteokbokki, bibimbap fixings and lettuce wraps from the self-serve bar. The mackerel was moist with no fishy taste and the gulbi set came with 3 pleasantly salty fish. With 2 hours 15 minutes of free parking and separated seating areas, Hwaddeugeuro Gan Godeungeo Bisan Branch is worth recommending for group and family meals.
Diaz Cake Boutique (디아즈케이크부띠끄) is a cake and tea café at the start of Nahyeseok Street (나혜석거리) in Ingye-dong, Suwon, near exit 9 of Suwon City Hall Station. On an October night, the writer sat on the 2nd floor of Diaz Cake Boutique with the terrace door open, watched a street fire show, and had an iced americano, a light café latte and a fresh blueberry cake slice. With cream that isn't heavy and firm, sweet fresh blueberries, Diaz Cake Boutique lives up to its name as one of Suwon's go-to cake cafés.
Eolkeunhan Ppyeo Haejangguk Suwon Ingye Branch is a pork bone hangover soup restaurant near Suwon City Hall in Ingye-dong, Suwon, opened by a well-known local favorite from Cheonan. One regular and one mild ugeoji haejangguk (bone soup with dried napa cabbage leaves) each came in a big earthenware pot with 4 meaty bones and plenty of Korean-grown ugeoji, so even the regular size felt like a special-size portion, and every diner can grab a free ice cream after the meal. Eolkeunhan Ppyeo Haejangguk Suwon Ingye Branch suits solo diners, and its private rooms make it a good pick for company dinners and family gatherings.
Sipnyeon Hanwoo Silbijip Indeogwon Dongpyeon-maeul branch is a charcoal-grill hanwoo (Korean beef) restaurant on the first floor of Park Avenue B Tower in Dongpyeon-maeul, Anyang. The writer grilled 500g of Sipnyeon Hanwoo (49,500 won, cuts chosen at random from that day's butchering) to medium over charcoal and added doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) with rice for 5,000 won, made with broth simmered in-house every day; the marbling, juiciness and smoky charcoal flavor were all satisfying. With 2 hours of free parking and an October unlimited soju refill event, Sipnyeon Hanwoo Silbijip is a solid pick for group dinners.
Geobugi Dongne Gunpo Sanbon Branch is a large aged pork belly Korean BBQ restaurant that takes up the entire second floor of a building on Sanbon Rodeo Street, near Exit 3 of Sanbon Station in Gunpo, Gyeonggi. The group ordered the shabu-shabu & pork belly set (300g pork belly plus 200g thinly sliced hanwoo beef); one person grilled the pork belly while another cooked the hanwoo as shabu-shabu in clear broth, and then they added 200g more pork belly. With potatoes and rice cakes from the self-bar to grill alongside, Geobugi Dongne Gunpo Sanbon Branch is a solid pick for group dinners and family meals in Sanbon.
Taegine Jogae Jeongol, Anyang Art Park Branch is a clam hot pot (jogae jeongol) chain restaurant right next to the Anyang Resort valley in Anyang, Gyeonggi. After swimming in the valley, the 2-person clam hot pot arrived in its steamer and was opened after 15 minutes, generously filled with hard clams, whelk, abalone, shrimp and squid, plus cheese fondue. With a spacious interior for group gatherings and fixed chain prices instead of valley tourist markups, Taegine Jogae Jeongol is an easy, relaxed choice after a day at the water.
