Compact Mirror Brunch Goer · 19 stories

Powder Room Brunch, Seoul and Gyeonggi

Writes about restaurants, cafes, bars and beauty spots visited around Seoul and Gyeonggi. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Bars · Hair & beauty salons

PlaceYongsan, SeoulBars

Ghibli-style izakaya in Yongridan-gil: gyoza for three at Go Samgakji

Go Samgakji is a Japanese izakaya in Yongridan-gil, Yongsan, Seoul, near Exit 3 of Samgakji Station. Three friends shared a 5-skewer set, a half order of yaki gyoza (pan-fried Japanese dumplings), mentaiko potato cheese (potatoes with spicy pollock roe and cheese), Asahi draft beer and highballs, grazing on everything like an appetizer buffet, and loved both the Tokyo-alley exterior with a No-Face figure seated outside and the warmly lit interior. Go Samgakji is one of the cool bars in Seoul for a small group or a date when you want both atmosphere and quality bar food in Yongridan-gil.

Written Jun 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Yeoksam Chinese: Hell Level 2 jjamppong-bap + jjajang, Jjamppong Jijon

Jjamppong Jijon Yeoksam Branch is a Chinese restaurant on the 2nd floor of Semyeong Plaza Building B, about 400m from Exit 3 of Yeoksam Station in Gangnam, Seoul. Eating solo, the writer ordered jjamppong-bap (spicy seafood soup with rice) at Hell Level 2 spiciness with extra soft tofu, added jjajang (black bean) sauce for 1,000 won, and shared a small yuringi (fried chicken in tangy soy sauce). The jjamppong-bap came loaded with seafood and glass noodles, the yuringi stayed crisp under its sauce, and with no break time Jjamppong Jijon Yeoksam Branch suits a solo meal at an awkward hour between lunch and dinner.

Written Jun 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYongsan, SeoulBars

Sookmyung Station wine bar for three: Garnacha Blanc bottle at B421

B421 (비421) is a dimly lit wine bar and dining pub in an alley near Exit 6 of Sookmyung Women's University Station in Yongsan, Seoul. Three coworkers stopped by B421 after work for a second round and shared a bottle of La Maldita Rioja Garnacha Blanc (45,000 won) with a cheese plate and fruit cream cheese dried persimmon. B421 is a quiet second-round spot near Sookmyung Station for finishing a bottle of wine over easy conversation.

Written Jun 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Korean date restaurant in Seochon with Inwangsan views: De Mitt

De Mitt (드밑) is a hanok-style fusion Korean restaurant in a Seochon alley near Gyeongbokgung Station in Seoul. On a reserved late-autumn lunch visit, the writer looked around the terrace facing Inwangsan Mountain and tried, without alcohol, the snail doenjang risotto (25,000 won), grilled chicken neck with bok choy (18,000 won) and a seasonal namul salad (18,000 won). With well-judged seasoning and familiar ingredients reworked in new ways, De Mitt suits a quiet Seochon date.

Written Oct 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Pufferfish soup restaurant near COEX after Inventario: Bokdeurim

Bokdeurim Bokguk (복드림 복국 콩나물국) is a pufferfish soup and Korean restaurant on Samseong-ro 100-gil in Gangnam, Seoul, between Samseongjungang Station and COEX. After visiting COEX Inventario, the writer had a weekday lunch at Bokdeurim Bokguk of milbok pufferfish soup in an earthenware pot (₩11,000), soft tofu stew (₩9,000) and a half plate of fried pufferfish (₩8,000); the food came out fast, and the portions and flavor beat the price. In pricey Samseong, Bokdeurim Bokguk is a good choice for affordable pufferfish dishes and a filling bowl of soup with rice.

Written Jun 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGoyang, GyeonggiRestaurants

Pungsan Station seaweed soup restaurant, beef vs scallop sets: Haenon

Haenon Miyeok Ilsan Direct Branch is a Korean restaurant serving miyeokguk (seaweed soup) set meals in the Aenigol food street near Pungsan Station in Goyang. A family shared and compared the beef seaweed soup set (20,000 won) and the scallop seaweed soup set (19,000 won), and also used the unlimited self-serve banchan (side dish) bar and the 1,000 won takeout containers. The broth tastes much the same either way, so even meat lovers should order at least one scallop seaweed soup set at Haenon Miyeok.

Written Oct 17, 2026Sponsored
PlacePaju, GyeonggiCafés

Munsan, Paju café with a fall-foliage terrace, Einspänner: On the Rail

On the Rail is a bakery café beside the railway tracks on Imjingak-ro in Munsan, Paju, near Imjingang Station. On a cool autumn day, the 2nd-floor terrace at On the Rail offered autumn foliage and train-track views over an Americano, a sweet potato latte, an Einspänner (coffee topped with cream), a chocolate big financier and an Alligator pastry. On the Rail is a good pick for autumn leaves and outdoor terrace seating without traveling far from Paju.

Written Oct 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Weekend Korean BBQ for two at City Hall Station: 700g+, Geumseong

Geumseong Hoegwan Seoul City Hall Direct Branch is a charcoal Korean BBQ restaurant on Namdaemun-ro 1-gil, near City Hall Station Exit 7 in Jung-gu, Seoul. At a weekend lunch, two people ordered hwangje galbi (signature rib) 150g, 1% pork neck 180g and galbi bonsamgyeop (rib-on pork belly) 200g, then added a review-event pork galbi for more than 700g in total. With a hearty free kimchi stew, generous side dishes and staff who grill the meat, Geumseong Hoegwan is a solid pick for team dinners and group meals.

Written Jun 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulBars

Euljiro rooftop bar under a cooled tent on rainy days: Another Level

Another Level is an indoor lounge and rooftop bar on the 4th and 5th floors of a building in the Hipjiro alleys of Euljiro 3-ga, Seoul, near Euljiro 3-ga Station Exit 10. On a rainy weekend, the writer came with a friend for a second round and had grilled brie (19,000 won) with Golden Blue and Ballantine's highballs on the tented, air-conditioned rooftop. Another Level is a Euljiro bar where you can enjoy open-air drinking in comfort, even in a heatwave or the monsoon season.

Written Jun 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Ttukseom Chinese restaurant: value set for two & kkanpunggi, Hwapoem

Hwapoem is a Chinese restaurant specializing in fried eggplant, about 300 m from Exit 8 of Ttukseom Station in Seongdong, Seoul. For a late lunch, two people shared the Hwapoem Value Set (34,000 won: fire-grilled beef jjamppong, fire-grilled beef jjajang and mini fried eggplant in yuringi sauce) plus a mini kkanpunggi (15,000 won) and nearly finished everything, satisfied with both portions and flavor. Hwapoem is a good pick if you want chewy, crispy fried eggplant at a good price.

Written Jul 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulCafés

Seoulsup cake café summer takeout: melted Pistachio Festival, Notldun

Notldun is a two-story brick dessert café in an alley between Seoulsup Station and Ttukseom Station in Seongdong, Seoul. On a hot summer day, the writer went alone and took out the Pistachio Festival (13,000 won) and the Vanilla Caramel Mille-feuille (13,000 won) with free cooler packing. The Pistachio Festival melted and toppled on the way home, while the mille-feuille stayed crisp. Even out of shape, Notldun's Pistachio Festival made up for it in flavor and was the writer's top pick.

Written Jul 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Sangam pot rice restaurant: ₩9,900 cheese cutlet lunch at Solsot

Solsot Sangam Branch is a Korean restaurant specializing in pot rice (sotbap), on basement level 1 of the DDMC building near Digital Media City Station in Mapo, Seoul. After booking an early weekday lunch on Naver, the writer shared a sea bream and scallop pot rice set (₩20,900 with fried shrimp and a Coke Zero), yurinchi (crispy chicken in sweet-and-sour soy sauce, ₩8,500) and a cheese pork cutlet (₩9,900); the generous cheese cutlet for under ₩10,000 stood out most. Solsot Sangam Branch is a great office-worker lunch spot for pot rice with fried sides.

Written Jul 6, 2026Sponsored