Lunch Chime Listener · 9 stories

Bowls Before One O'Clock, Seoul

Writes about restaurant meals eaten around Seoul, one visit at a time. · Writes about: Cafés · Restaurants

Yeonnam-dong café, 3 butter sand flavors ranked: Butter & Shelter

Butter & Shelter Yeonnam (버터앤쉘터 연남점) is a butter sand dessert café in a converted house on Seongmisan-ro in Yeonnam-dong, Mapo, Seoul. Alongside a 4,500 won Americano, the writer compared the plain butter sand (3,200 won) with the raspberry and choco butter sands (3,500 won each) and ranked them plain first, raspberry second and choco third. For a first visit to Butter & Shelter, start with the plain butter sand, filled with handmade butter and handmade caramel.

Written Nov 11, 2026Sponsored

PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hongdae brunch spot packed at opening: duck omurice and katsu, Omil

Omil Hongdae is an omurice, katsu and pasta restaurant on the 2nd floor near Exit 4 of Hongik Univ. Station in Mapo, Seoul. Even right at opening time Omil Hongdae was almost full, and the table shared a Rubber Duck Omurice (16,900 won), a sizzling iron-plate cheese katsu (19,900 won) and buckwheat soba maki (12,900 won); the cheese katsu stood out for its balance of cheese and meat, and the Rubber Duck Omurice for its cute details. Omil Hongdae is a good Hongdae date spot for sharing all three dishes.

Written Nov 11, 2026Sponsored

PlaceMapo, SeoulCafés

Hongdae hand drip café: La Bethania Geisha vs Haro Wachu, Central Site

Central Site Yeonnam is a specialty coffee roastery café on Yeonhui-ro near Hongik Univ. Station in Mapo, Seoul. At Central Site Yeonnam, the writer drank a Colombia La Bethania Geisha washed (₩10,000) and an Ethiopia Guji Haro Wachu washed G1 (₩9,000) side by side as hand drip with a classic tiramisu (₩8,500), and the bean info cards and smelling the beans at the bar made the differences in aroma and acidity clear. Central Site Yeonnam is a calm Yeonnam-dong hand drip café for anyone who wants to compare coffee beans at an unhurried pace.

Written Nov 10, 2026Sponsored

PlaceYongsan, SeoulRestaurants

Ramen shop in Yongsan I'Park Mall: solo set plus extra karaage, Menya

Menya Seoul Yongsan I'Park Mall Branch is a ramen shop in the 7th-floor food court of Yongsan I'Park Mall in Yongsan, Seoul. The writer ordered the 17,900-won spicy dongpo chashu ramen set with gyoza and cola as the set choices, then added a small crispy karaage (Japanese fried chicken) for 5,900 won. The dongpo pork came apart with a press of the chopsticks, and the gyoza were seasoned enough to eat without soy sauce. Verdict: a Menya Seoul set plus karaage is a generous meal for one and a filling combo for a hungry day.

Written Nov 6, 2026Sponsored

PlaceGuro, SeoulRestaurants

Guro tofu restaurant: mild sundubu, squid pajeon to go, Maetdolloroman

Maetdolloroman Guro Branch (맷돌로만 구로점) is a Korean tofu restaurant using domestic soybeans, on the first floor of E&C Venture Dream Tower 3 in Guro Digital Complex, Seoul. At Maetdolloroman Guro Branch, the writer had the mild regular soft tofu stew (sundubu-jjigae, 10,000 won) and a squid seafood pajeon (scallion pancake, 18,000 won) for lunch, used the unlimited soft tofu self-bar, took free biji (soybean pulp) on the way out and packed the leftover pajeon to go. Verdict: Maetdolloroman Guro Branch is a good fit for a Guro Digital Complex lunch when you want a non-spicy soft tofu stew with a side dish to share.

Written Nov 4, 2026Sponsored

PlaceGangnam, SeoulCafés

Gangnam Station dessert café, dolce latte & financier: Selected Nicks

Selected Nicks is a large tiramisu café on Teheran-ro 4-gil near Exit 3 of Gangnam Station in Seoul. The writer had a dolce latte (₩7,500) with tiramisu and a classic financier (₩4,500), rested in the spacious seating, then looked around the in-café pop-up and photo exhibition and the rooftop overlooking Gangnam's office towers. Selected Nicks suits a day when you want dessert, some laptop work and a bit of browsing in one Gangnam Station café.

Written Oct 30, 2026Sponsored

PlaceSeocho, SeoulCafés

Seocho roastery café: ₩10,000 cold brew to dilute at home, Coffee829

Coffee829 Gyodae is a takeaway-only roastery café near Exit 14 of Gyodae Station in Seocho, Seoul. On this visit the writer took home 500ml of Blue Moon blend cold brew concentrate for 10,000 won; it had a clean aftertaste, and you set the strength by how much water you add, which makes it handy at home or in the office. Coffee829 Gyodae is a good Gyodae Station café for picking up house-roasted coffee at an easy price.

Written Oct 28, 2026Sponsored

PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hongdae halal takeout for one: chicken platter two ways, Halal Steaks

Halal Steaks is a halal platter and sandwich shop on the 2nd floor of a building near Exit 9 of Hongik Univ. Station in Mapo, Seoul, reportedly the former Hongdae Halal Guys under a new name. The writer took out a Small Chicken Platter and Secret Fries from Halal Steaks for 22,900 won in total, eating the platter plain and lightly seasoned first, then with hot sauce for a second, spicier flavor. The Halal Steaks Small Chicken Platter with Secret Fries is a generous combo for days you want rice, vegetables and meat in one meal, plus a hearty side.

Written Oct 28, 2026Sponsored

PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hongdae Japanese restaurant: eel ochazuke with rice refills, Ochaya

Ochaya Yeonnam (오차야 연남점) is a Japanese restaurant in Yeonnam-dong, Mapo, Seoul, near Hongik Univ. Station Exit 3, serving ochazuke topped with eel, salmon or seafood. An unagi chazuke (₩16,000) and a shiitake and seafood fry mix (₩5,000) came to ₩21,000; the eel bowl was eaten once without broth and once with broth, and the multigrain rice, seaweed and side-dish refills were put to good use. Ochaya Yeonnam's tender eel and crispy shiitake fry make for a filling Yeonnam-dong lunch.

Written Oct 27, 2026Sponsored

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