Lunch Line Watcher · 15 stories

By the Rice Window

I write about restaurant visits around Sejong. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés

PlaceSejongRestaurants

Sejong pho restaurant date lunch: crab goi cuon & tom yum, Mekong Thai

Mekong Thai Sejong Naseong Branch is a Vietnamese and Thai restaurant on the 2nd floor of NS Building in Naseong-dong, Sejong. On his third visit to Mekong Thai, the writer and his girlfriend had lunch: a large beef pho (₩16,900), a regular tom yum pho (₩14,900) and crab goi cuon (fresh spring rolls, ₩6,900). Thanks to its spacious dining room and clean broth, Mekong Thai Sejong Naseong Branch comes strongly recommended for lunch in Naseong-dong.

Written Jul 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulCafés

Seoulsup dessert café near closing: Signature Noix and ades, Notldun

Notldun is a mousse cake and baked-sweets dessert café on Seoulsup 2-gil in Seongdong, Seoul, said to be run by a chef who appeared on the Korean baking competition show Cheonha Jeppang (천하제빵). The blogger visited Notldun just before closing, when many items were sold out, and tried the Signature Noix (14,000 won) with a Chamomile Ade and an Eternal Summer Ade (8,000 won each); the chocolate mousse, with five flavors and textures in harmony, was the standout. Notldun is a Seoulsup dessert café worth booking if you plan to go late, and a good pick for enjoying dessert itself or choosing a gift.

Written Jul 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Seongsu blind-date shabu-shabu, chuck flap vs rump cap: Shabu in Seoul

Shabu in Seoul Seongsu is a premium shabu-shabu restaurant in Seongdong, Seoul, about 100m from Seongsu Station Exit 3, with five broths that each come with a different finishing meal and private rooms for 8 or 10 people. A couple ordered the clear mushroom broth with the Prime Angus chuck flap and 1++ Hanwoo rump cap shabu sets (₩28,000 each) plus black pork neck (₩21,000), compared the two cuts of beef and finished with egg porridge. Thanks to its calm atmosphere and friendly service, Shabu in Seoul Seongsu is a strong pick for formal occasions such as a blind date or a business meeting.

Written Jul 22, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Sunday dinner booking at a Seongsu gyukatsu restaurant: Gyuen Dang

Gyuen Dang Seongsu Main Branch is a Japanese restaurant specialising in gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet) seared on a tabletop charcoal grill, on the 2nd floor at Yeonmujang 7ga-gil in Seongsu-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul. The writer booked a Sunday dinner through Naver, walked in without waiting, grilled tenderloin gyukatsu (₩24,000) and striploin gyukatsu (₩19,000) for 20 seconds per piece, and switched up the flavour with Isigny butter and grilled wasabi. Gyuen Dang's tenderloin is the cleaner, lighter cut and the striploin the nuttier, richer one, so ordering both to share works well.

Written Jul 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Jongno Korean BBQ with clothes styler, grilled kimchi: Simin Sikdang

Simin Sikdang Main Branch (시민식당 본점) is a pork belly restaurant in an alley in front of Exit 1 of Jongno 3-ga Station in Seoul, open for 14 years. The writer ordered the Simin Samgyeop Half Set (70,000 won) with stone-grilled pork belly, kimchi stew and wagyu gujeolpan cheese fried rice. The writer was delighted by extras like the clothes styler and drinks while waiting, and by the house-made kimchi. With good meat, side dishes and friendly staff, Simin Sikdang Main Branch is a solid pick for a hearty pork belly meal in Jongno 3-ga.

Written Aug 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Tom yum tomato ramen and Asahi beer for two in Seongsu: Menya Pomo

Menya Pomo Seongsu Branch is a tomato ramen restaurant half a floor below street level on Yeonmujang-gil in Seongsu-dong, Seoul. A couple ordered the tom yum goong tomato ramen at 12,500 won and the hanwoo (Korean beef) katsu tomato ramen set at 20,000 won with Asahi bottled beer, then added the free rice to the leftover broth to finish with a tomato risotto. With its fresh tomato broth, noodles and rice in one meal, Menya Pomo Seongsu Branch is a filling ramen spot for two.

Written Aug 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSokcho, GangwonRestaurants

Sokcho skate restaurant with kiosk refills: Sokcho Jungang Sanghoe

Sokcho Jungang Sanghoe is a Korean restaurant specializing in gaori-jjim (spicy steamed skate) on the 1st floor of the Centum Park Building in Sokcho Jungang Market, Sokcho. Arriving right at opening on a weekday, the writer ordered the small Pro Steamed Skate for ₩45,000 with two bowls of rice, added corn noodles for ₩3,000, and refilled side dishes through a kiosk. With spicy sauce, tender skate and 2 hours of underground parking, Sokcho Jungang Sanghoe made a satisfying family meal on a Sokcho trip.

Written Aug 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSejongRestaurants

Date-night kimchi stew at Chung-sil Hoegwan, a Sejong restaurant

Chung-sil Hoegwan is a Korean restaurant across from Hansol-dong Post Office in Sejong, specializing in grilled meat and kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew). A galbi kimchi hot pot for two costs 30,000 won and arrives with a whole block of aged kimchi, short rib meat, sotbap (rice cooked in a pot) included, and free ramen noodles from the self-bar. The broth is deep enough that even a girlfriend who dislikes meat boiled in soup finished hers, so Chung-sil Hoegwan is worth a stop if you want proper kimchi jjigae in Sejong.

Written Aug 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Seongsu army stew for ham-smell skeptics, ₩26,000 for two: Songtan

Songtan Jindaegwang Budae Jjigae Seongsu Branch is a Songtan-style army stew (budae jjigae) restaurant on the second floor of a building right in front of Seongsu Station Exit 1 in Seongdong, Seoul. Even though the ham smell usually keeps the writer away from budae jjigae, the Jindaegwang Budae Jjigae for two (₩26,000) with an extra premium sausage (₩4,500) was finished to the last spoonful, along with Jin Ramen noodles and rice, side dishes and slushies from the self-bar. Songtan Jindaegwang Budae Jjigae Seongsu Branch is worth a meal in Seongsu even for people who don't love army stew.

Written Sep 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSejongRestaurants

Sejong jokbal with cream draft beer at 9pm: Cheongmigwan Naseong-dong

Cheongmigwan Sejong Naseong Main Branch is a jokbal (braised pig trotter) and bossam restaurant in the busy Naseong-dong district of Sejong. Arriving around 9pm with a reservation, the writer ordered the Cheongmi half-and-half jokbal — plain front trotter and spicy grilled trotter with chives — for 53,000 won plus a 600ml Hanmaek Extra Cream draft beer; the spicy half carried real char without burning heat, and the plain trotter was soft with no gamey smell. Even without side dishes, the half-and-half platter was more than enough for two.

Written Aug 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulCafés

Seongsu café bill for two, ₩38,000: fig soufflé and ades at 5to7

5to7 Seongsu Main Branch is a brick-fronted soufflé dessert café near Seoul Forest and Ttukseom Station in Seongdong, Seoul. The order came to ₩38,000 — a seasonal fig soufflé at ₩22,000 plus a passionfruit ade and a hibiscus ade at ₩8,000 each — alongside the lemon water at the first-floor self-serve bar and the wood-toned second-floor seating. Because the soufflé changes with whatever fruit is in season, 5to7 Seongsu Main Branch is a café worth returning to each season.

Written Sep 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSejongRestaurants

Sejong shabu-shabu restaurant: 27,600-won course for two, Italy Shabu

Italy Shabu Kalguksu Sejong Eojin Branch is a Korean beef bone-broth shabu-shabu and kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) restaurant on the 3rd floor of the Taehan Press Center in Eojin-dong, Sejong, right in front of the government complex. The signature Italy 6-Ingredient Shabu Kalguksu for two costs 27,600 won, and adding a plate of beef chuck top for 10,000 won turns the meal into a full course of shabu-shabu, house-made kalguksu noodles and egg-and-vegetable porridge. The broth at Italy Shabu Kalguksu is mild rather than salty and goes well with the fresh-cut kimchi and house soy sauce, making it an easy choice for dates, family meals or work dinners.

Written Sep 20, 2026Sponsored