Vanity Meal Trail · 8 stories
Writes about restaurants, cafes, and small beauty shops she visits around Busan-Gyeongnam and Seoul. · Writes about: Restaurants · Hair & beauty salons · Cafés
Yeonhui Oven (연희동오븐) is a financier and madeleine dessert shop in a basement on a side street in Yeonhui-dong, Seodaemun, Seoul. The writer walked to Yeonhui Oven from Sinchon, chose 7 financiers and madeleines, carried them home to Masan to share with family, and ranked the classic financier first and the wine fig financier second. Yeonhui Oven was so satisfying that the writer wants to buy 10 classic financiers next time.
Mandong Jegwa Yeonnam Branch (만동제과 연남점) is a bakery at 32 Yeonhui-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, and a branch of the original Mandong Jegwa in Gangneung. On a second visit timed for the 11am opening, the writer tasted the bread samples staff kept handing out, then chose basil tomato, bacon ciabatta, soboro and more to carry home to Masan. Family and in-laws all loved the bread, making Mandong Jegwa a bakery to restock at on every Seoul trip.
Bas Burger Yonsei Cancer Hospital Branch is a handmade burger shop that opened when the B1 floor of Sinchon Severance Hospital in Seodaemun, Seoul, was renovated. While waiting for a younger sibling, the writer ordered a basic Bas Burger and a The Bas Burger set (with an extra patty), but the sibling ran late, so the writer packed the burgers and Mozza Chicken Bites to take home to a husband outside Seoul. Chips are free when eating in, and even as takeaway, Bas Burger earned the verdict 'a taste of Seoul.'
Pip Espresso Bar is a Blue Ribbon espresso bar at the start of an alley on Seongmisan-ro 29-gil in Yeonnam-dong, Mapo, Seoul. On a solo autumn weekday afternoon visit, the signature B.I.C (strawberry milk, espresso and cream) was enjoyed in the quiet back room. Stirred after drinking about half, the B.I.C tasted familiar yet new, like the strawberry and coffee flavors of a Rolling Bar ice pop. With stylish lighting and a relaxed outdoor area, Pip Espresso Bar lets you enjoy Yeonnam-dong's atmosphere even on your own.
Jongno Donburi Yeonnam is a Japanese rice bowl (donburi) restaurant in a basement off an alley in Yeonnam-dong, Mapo, Seoul. On a day out in Seoul, the writer stopped at Jongno Donburi Yeonnam alone for lunch, sat at a sunlit window seat and ate a tendon (tempura rice bowl) piled with kabocha squash, shrimp and enoki mushroom tempura, and was pleased with the clean dining room and crispy tempura. Jongno Donburi Yeonnam is worth recommending for a solo meal, and also as a Yeonnam-dong date spot over a beer.
Mandong Jegwa Yeonnam Branch (만동제과) is a Yeonnam-dong bakery on Yeonhui-ro in Seodaemun, Seoul, known as a Hongdae favorite for its large loaves and generous free samples. On an autumn day the writer walked from Sinchon, filled two bags with rump bun (eongdeongi-ppang), injeolmi bread, sweet potato bread, basil tomato bread, chestnut loaf and fig campagne, and took them home by train to share with family. Mandong Jegwa is a bakery all ages will love, and one to buy even more from on every trip to Seoul.
Yuok (유옥) is a Japanese restaurant on Songjeonggangbyeon-ro in Haeundae, Busan, best known for its unaju (grilled eel rice bowl). On a dinner visit with children, the family ordered a jumbo unaju set, a saba ochazuke (mackerel over rice in tea broth) set and tempura udon; the kids explored the Ghibli-style garden with its crucian carp tank and asked for more of the non-fishy mackerel ochazuke. Yuok is a Songjeong Japanese restaurant where families with kids get both atmosphere and flavor.
Vivienne Hair Changwon Sangnam is a hair salon on the 2nd floor of the Moise Building in Sangnam-dong, Changwon. Before going back to work, a blogger with thick, curly, dense hair stuck at an awkward grow-out length chose an iron and magic straightening perm with a slight curl instead of a regular perm, which took about 3 hours. The soft line beside the fringe and the natural curl at the back made it a satisfying escape from the awkward stage for thick, curly hair.
