Small Tray Circuit · 16 stories

Compact Tray, Seoul-Chungcheong Rounds

Writes about bars, restaurants, beauty spots, and cafes across Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Daejeon-Chungcheong. · Writes about: Bars · Restaurants · Cafés · Hair & beauty salons

PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Jongno 5-ga Jeolla restaurant, steamed sole omakase lunch: Gu Table

Gu Table Korean Restaurant (구테이블 한정식) is a Jeolla-style Korean restaurant in Jongno 5-ga, Seoul, with set lunches from ₩12,000 to ₩40,000. The writer came for barley gulbi (dried, salted yellow corvina) at lunch, but Gu Table had no gulbi that day, so the meal became a steamed fish omakase at the same price: bulgogi, whole stuffed squid, pork back rib kimchi stew, yukhoe (Korean beef tartare), tteokgalbi (grilled short rib patties) and steamed sole, a bigger spread than the gulbi set. Verdict: a homey Jongno 5-ga spot for when you miss home cooking, and the Jeolla-born writer rates Gu Table's tteokgalbi above a famous Jeonju restaurant's.

Written Jul 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Samseong-dong Korean restaurant: crab-broth pollack stew, Yangeunine

Yangeunine Samseong Station Branch is a Korean restaurant on Teheran-ro 83-gil in Samseong-dong, Gangnam, Seoul, serving spicy pollack stew (dongtae-tang) and squid bossam (boiled pork with spicy squid). The chain started at its Sindorim main branch and was praised by Lee Young-ja and Pak Se-ri on the TV show Namgyeoseo Mwohage (남겨서 뭐하게). On a weekend lunch, the writer and a friend shared the 48,000-won Yangeunine set: pollack stew in a crab-based broth, bossam kimchi with carrot and sweet potato, and naengmyeon (cold noodles) in a bowl the size of a washbasin, which kept them full until the next day. Verdict: Yangeunine Samseong Station Branch is a low-priced, generously portioned bossam and pollack stew spot in Samseong-dong worth returning to.

Written Jul 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulBars

Apgujeong izakaya: truffle Hanwoo jjapaghetti & futomaki, Gatpo Karin

Gatpo Karin is a Japanese izakaya on the 4th floor of a building on Seolleung-ro 155-gil, near Apgujeongnodeo Station in Gangnam, Seoul. On a weekday evening the writer had beer with Gatpo Karin's truffle Hanwoo striploin jjapaghetti (black bean noodles, 38,000 won) and a full tray of Karin futomaki (thick sushi rolls, 37,000 won), was very happy with both, and found every private room booked even on a weekday. If you can't decide what to order at Gatpo Karin, these two dishes are a safe bet.

Written Jul 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Bangi-dong gopchang restaurant, a Sindang regular compares: Jinseong

Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang Bangi Direct Branch is a Korean beef gopchang (grilled small intestine) restaurant on Ollimpik-ro 32-gil in Bangi-dong, Songpa, Seoul. A regular at the Sindang branch of Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang visited on a weekday evening with a friend. The two shared 3 portions of hanwoo gopchang (220g for 19,000 won) and kkakdugi yangbap (radish kimchi and tripe fried rice). The pickled minari and garlic sauce, three house-made kimchi and soft steamed egg were all satisfying. Low-odour hanwoo gopchang for under 20,000 won a portion makes Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang Bangi a definite place to return to.

Written Jul 31, 2026Sponsored
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