Cup and Plate · 10 stories
Writes about restaurants and cafés visited around Seoul. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Shopping
Core PC Bang (코어PC CAFE) is a 24/7 PC bang (Korean gaming café) at 558 Nowon-ro, between Nowon Station and Madeul Station in Nowon, Seoul. While their 25-month-old was at daycare, the writer played PUBG on full settings without lag and refuelled with a 1-liter coffee and a whole shrimp burger set. Core PC Bang suits Nowon gamers who want high-spec PCs, good food and clean facilities in one place.
Byway Bakers Cheongsa Main Branch is a salt bread bakery on Cheongsa-ro 5beon-gil in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi. The writer tried the Wakppu salt bread with fresh blueberry yogurt, the whole mandarin sticky rice cake and the golden egg tart, and was especially happy with the Wakppu's crack-open chocolate coating and the golden egg tart's crisp shell packed with moist filling. A visit to Byway Bakers for the salt bread ended in falling for the egg tart too, with a clear plan to buy again.
Café Diaz Galleria Gwanggyo is a cream cake café on the basement floor of Galleria Gwanggyo in Suwon, Gyeonggi. The fig slice cake was not in the display case, so the writer waited a short while and received a freshly made slice, served with a Häagen-Dazs ice cream latte and an iced caffè latte. At Café Diaz, the generous fig topping and the rich ice cream latte made the most satisfying pairing.
Junggye Gogi Party Nowon Branch is a Korean BBQ restaurant in Junggye-dong, Nowon-gu, Seoul that serves beef and pork at the same table. Visiting with a 29-month-old and family of three, the writer ordered the premium beef set 500g for 56,000 won, Iberico black pork jowl 180g for 23,000 won and Iberico pork collar 180g for 19,000 won, then used the self-serve bar and the free dessert of sikhye, yogurt, coffee and ppeongtwigi. Little meat smell clings to your clothes and 7 cars can park in front, so Junggye Gogi Party works well for a family meal out with a small child.
Doseogwan Dwitjip is an old-style Chinese restaurant behind Cheongdeok Library in Giheung-gu, Yongin, Gyeonggi. Visiting with a 29-month-old, the writer ordered a spicy jjajang (black bean noodle) and tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork) single set, a fried rice and tangsuyuk single set, and the 4,000-won kids' jjajang, whose portion was generous enough for an early elementary schooler, while the fried rice set also came with noodles. The seasoning at Doseogwan Dwitjip is not overly salty, making it an easy Chinese restaurant for eating out with a child.
Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch is a 300-pyeong sushi and seafood buffet on the 6th floor near Hagye Station in Nowon-gu, Seoul. Visiting with a 29-month-old on a weekend, the writer tried the newly launched Norwegian raw salmon sashimi, lamb chops and smoked duck, then finished with the marble ice cream, now available all day. If you love salmon, this is the richest time to visit, with both raw salmon sushi and sashimi on offer.
Chat Baker is a 500-pyeong (about 1,650㎡) bakery café in Gongdo-eup, Anseong, Gyeonggi. On the way back from Anseong Farm Land, the writer stopped in with a 29-month-old for Gongju chestnut milk bread (공주 밤식빵), snow-flake red bean bingsu (shaved ice) and two iced americanos, and found the second-floor floor seating and the huge parking lot especially easy with a toddler. Chat Baker suits families who want a classic red bean bingsu, though there is no diaper changing table.
Selected Nicks is a five-floor café near Gangnam Station in Seoul, from basement level to a rooftop, and it's known for its tiramisu. The classic tiramisu had a moist sponge and firm, not-too-sweet cream that paired well with a strong, nutty iced americano. With each floor offering a different mood, it works equally well for meetups or getting work done.
Hantiok Lotte Department Store Nowon Branch is a Korean restaurant on the ninth floor of Lotte Department Store in Nowon, Seoul. We shared bossam, hanwoo radish rice, and cold chicken noodles with a 29-month-old. Verdict: order the hanwoo radish rice first when dining with a child.
Jeong Ji-young Coffee Roasters, Lotte Department Store Nowon is a café on B1 of Lotte Department Store in Nowon, Seoul. Its coconut coffee pairs coconut milk with shaken espresso and is less sweet than expected. Verdict: a refreshing alternative to ordinary iced coffee.
