Small Compact Notes · 7 stories

A Small Compact Through Seoul

Writes about Seoul restaurants, cafes, and beauty spots visited on ordinary weekday routes. · Writes about: Restaurants · Hair & beauty salons · Cafés

PlaceSeongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Seongsu rosé risotto spot with a 4pm weekday wait: Seongsu Darak

Seongsu Darak is a Western restaurant on Ttukseom-ro 9-gil in Seongdong, Seoul, about a 10-minute walk from Seongsu Station. Around 4pm on a weekday, two diners ordered the chop pork shoulder steak, the spicy crab risotto and 2 cans of Pepsi Zero for ₩50,000 in total; the rosé risotto, about as spicy as Yeul Ramyeon (열라면) instant noodles, and the grilled vegetables were the highlights. Seongsu Darak had a full waiting line even before dinner, proof that it is one of Seongsu's hottest spots.

Written Jul 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulCafés

Seocho cake shop, no-queue weekday-opening mango cake: Chef Cho

Chef Cho Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam is a fruit cake shop in Sweet Park on B1 of Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam in Seocho, Seoul. Arriving just before opening on a weekday morning meant no queue, and a Real Mango Rose No. 1 (56,000 won) went home to share with family; peeling off the cake band too early made some of the outer mango fall, but the moist sponge and sweet mango had even the older relatives scraping their plates clean. Packed with fresh fruit, Chef Cho is a cake shop worth recommending for family gatherings or as a gift.

Written Aug 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulCafés

Mangwon café for coffee novices, by Seoul bike: mint lemon ade, PICT

PICT Roastery Mangwon Branch (픽트로스터리 망원점) is a roastery café in Mangwon-dong, Seoul, near Mangwon Market, serving coffee alongside desserts such as pistachio tiramisu. On a hot day, the writer rode a Ttareungyi (Seoul public bike) to PICT Roastery around lunchtime and had a nutty-bean iced Americano (₩4,900), a mint lemon ade (₩7,500) and pistachio tiramisu (₩8,000); the nutty beans went down well even for a self-described coffee novice. Verdict: PICT Roastery Mangwon Branch is a Mangwon café that's not too loud, making it a good spot for conversation or a date.

Written Oct 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hongdae tonkatsu, outdoor seats and yuzu salt fillet: Katsu Monster

Katsu Monster Yeonnam Main Branch is a tonkatsu restaurant in an alley in Yeonnam-dong, Seoul, about a 9-minute walk from Hongik University Station. Two friends split a loin katsu (₩14,000) and a fillet katsu (₩16,000) half and half; the portions were generous, and the juicy fillet dipped in mild yuzu salt stood out. With outdoor tables and solo seats, Katsu Monster Yeonnam Main Branch is a tonkatsu spot worth recommending for a Yeonnam-dong date or a meal alone.

Written Sep 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceEunpyeong, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Eungam hair salon damaged-hair Pink Goat clinic and cut: Hair Geurimi

Hair Geurimi Eungam Main Branch (헤어그리미 응암본점) is a hair salon in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, an 8-minute walk from Eungam Station Exit 4, on the 2nd floor of the building next to E-Mart. Frizzy post-perm hair was cut and treated with the Pink Goat clinic for damaged hair, finishing at a mid-length to long cut. The best part of Hair Geurimi was having one designer handle everything from the consultation to the final blow-dry.

Written Aug 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Gongdeok, Seoul hanwoo course dinner with my sister: Usu Dinner B 90g

Usu is a hanwoo (Korean beef) and hanjeongsik (Korean course-menu) restaurant in Gongdeok, Seoul, a 3-minute walk from Gongdeok Station Exit 2, where every seat is in a private room. On a weekday evening with her sister, the writer ordered the Dinner B course with 90g of beef, which ran from woo-gye jinjuk porridge through three bite-sized dishes, yukhoe gamtae (beef tartare with seaweed), tilefish, tteokgalbi, abalone gardenia noodles, a personal-grill hanwoo set, and a corn dessert. Usu is a Gongdeok restaurant worth booking for in-law meetings, group dinners, and anniversaries.

Written Aug 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Japanese restaurant near Mangwon Market that chills your bread: Padong

Padong is a Japanese restaurant a 4-minute walk from Mangwon Station, in a basement along the alley leading to Mangwon Market in Mapo, Seoul. The staff at Padong kept bread bought on a Mangwon bakery tour in their fridge, and the futomaki (16,000 won) had no fishy taste at all, even for a diner who avoids seafood. With the kimchi cheese nabe and steak rice bowl rounding out the table, Padong is an easy pick for solo diners too.

Written Sep 24, 2026Sponsored
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