Round Stool Guest · 16 stories

Round Stool, Seoul and Gyeonggi

Writes about restaurants, cafes, and small beauty shops she visits around Seoul and Gyeonggi. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Hair & beauty salons

PlaceGwangju, GyeonggiRestaurants

Gwangju galbi lunch set, spicy crab and streamside coffee: Jeongwon

Jeongwon Galbi Gyeonggi Gwangju Branch is a charcoal-grilled pork galbi restaurant on Gyeongancheon-ro in Gwangju, Gyeonggi. The writer had the lunch set, with a galbi, marinated crab and cold noodle combination said to cost around ₩15,000: charcoal-grilled pork galbi, yangnyeom gejang (spicy marinated crab), doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) and Hamheung-style mul naengmyeon (cold noodles in broth), then drank coffee overlooking the Gyeongancheon stream behind the restaurant. With a large parking lot, a spacious dining room, a self-serve bar and a lunch set around ₩15,000, Jeongwon Galbi Gwangju suits anyone looking for a good-value galbi lunch.

Written Jun 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceHanam, GyeonggiRestaurants

Hanam braised pollock and pot rice set, ₩15,000 on weekends: Appa Jjim

Appa Jjim Hanam Main Branch (아빠찜 하남본점) is a braised pollock restaurant at 60 Wolho-ro in Pungsan-dong, Hanam, Gyeonggi. For a weekend family meal, the blogger had siraegi (dried radish greens) braised pollock with the bones picked out by staff, nutty fragrant-rice pot rice, a crispy seafood pancake and a kids' kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) in beef bone broth; the braised pollock and pot rice set costs 15,000 won and can be ordered on weekends too. Appa Jjim Hanam Main Branch suits a family lunch in Misa and Hanam with children who can't eat spicy food.

Written Jun 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceHanam, GyeonggiRestaurants

Japanese restaurant in Hanam: kimchi pancake tempura udon, Roi Sikdang

Roi Sikdang Hanam Misa Main Branch is a Japanese home-style restaurant near Misa Lake Park in Hanam, Gyeonggi. On an early weekday lunch with a reservation, the writer had the onggi yuzu salmon jang set (soy-marinated salmon served in an earthenware bowl) and a tempura udon topped with shrimp tempura, kimchi pancake and gimmari (fried glass-noodle seaweed rolls), and enjoyed the gentle seasoning, thick salmon and springy noodles. Roi Sikdang is always busy, so book ahead and enjoy a quiet Japanese home-style meal.

Written Jun 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Korean restaurant family lunch at Gongdeok Station, Lunch C 80g: Usu

Usu is a Korean beef omakase fine-dining restaurant with only private rooms, on basement level 2 of the Lotte Castle President shopping arcade right by Exit 2 of Gongdeok Station in Mapo, Seoul. Looking for a family gathering spot, the writer had Usu's Lunch C course (80g of Korean beef), which runs from ugyejinjuk porridge and three bite-size dishes through abalone five-color gardenia noodles, 1++ Korean beef grilled at a personal brazier with sea bream pot rice, and a Korean melon sorbet, and was satisfied with the whole course. For a quiet, formal meal in a private room in Gongdeok, such as meeting the in-laws or a parent's birthday, Usu's Lunch C course is worth considering.

Written Jun 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Jamsil Saenae jokbal restaurant with partitioned booths: Manjok Ohyang

Manjok Ohyang Jokbal Jamsil Sincheon Branch (만족오향족발 잠실신천점) is a jokbal (braised pig's trotters) restaurant in Jamsil Saenae, Songpa, Seoul. It is a 5-minute walk from Saenae Station Exit 4 and displays signs naming it one of Seoul's top three jokbal spots and a Michelin Guide Seoul Bib Gourmand pick. On a weekend evening, the writer sat at a partitioned table and ordered the jokbal bossam (medium) with tray noodles, and a complimentary egg-topped rice cake dumpling soup arrived first. With tender jokbal and veggie-packed tray noodles, Manjok Ohyang Jokbal suits both a proper meal and a night of drinks in Jamsil Saenae.

Written Jun 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulCafés

Jamsil Saenae bingsu café: Oreo bingsu for two, Young Coffee

Young Coffee Jamsil Trizium is a newly opened bingsu and bakery café on Baekjegobun-ro 19-gil in Songpa, Seoul, near Samjeon Station and Jamsil Saenae. On a hot weekend evening the writer ordered the Oreo bingsu and a pastry hodu-gwaja (walnut-shaped cake) filled with cream cheese and red bean; the Oreo bingsu was big enough for two and came with plenty of condensed milk on the side. If you want good-value bingsu in Jamsil, the Oreo bingsu at Young Coffee Jamsil Trizium is a good choice.

Written Jul 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulCafés

Kid-friendly manga café in Jamsil: YouTube room, retro games, One Play

One Play Jamsil Branch is a manga café and multi-purpose play space near the Jamsil food alley in Songpa, Seoul, with comics, board games, Nintendo, PlayStation and OTT streaming in one place. After a weekend lunch, the writer and their child used the Snowflake plan's 3-hour + drink package at One Play Jamsil Branch, binge-watched YouTube in an OTT room, played retro games and ordered snacks by NFC tag. One Play Jamsil Branch is a solid indoor option for spending a long hot or rainy day in Jamsil.

Written Jun 30, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangju, GyeonggiRestaurants

Chowol Korean restaurant: ocean-caught squid duruchigi, Oneuldo Utja

Oneuldo Utja Chowol (오늘도웃자 초월점) is a Korean restaurant serving duruchigi (spicy stir-fry) and kimchi jjigae near Chowol Sports Town in Chowol-eup, Gwangju, Gyeonggi, and its main branch is in Hanam. Visiting just after lunchtime, the writer had squid and pork duruchigi, a giant rolled omelette and Suhyangmi pot rice for 2. The standouts were the springy ocean-caught squid (not giant squid) and fresh domestic pork with no gamey smell. The verdict: spicy duruchigi with pot rice and rolled omelette makes a hearty, filling meal.

Written Jul 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangdong, SeoulRestaurants

Godeok Station noodle shop, cold soba and kid's mala pho: Myeon

Myeon Sikdang Godeok Station Branch (면식당 고덕역점) is a newly opened noodle restaurant near Godeok Station in Gangdong, Seoul, serving ramen, soba, rice noodles and udon alongside tonkatsu and croquettes. At Myeon Sikdang, the mom ordered the chogye cold soba (chilled soba in chicken broth) with hire katsu (pork fillet cutlet) set, her mala-loving child chose the mala shabu rice noodles, and they shared 4 potato croquettes; the broth wasn't salty, the katsu was thick and the mala was mild enough for a kid. For a family where everyone wants a different noodle, Myeon Sikdang Godeok Station Branch is a lunch spot worth revisiting.

Written Oct 10, 2026Sponsored
PlaceHanam, GyeonggiRestaurants

Japanese dinner with a kid by Misa Station: tempura udon, Roi Sikdang

Roi Sikdang (로이식당) is a Japanese home-style restaurant near Misa Station in Hanam, Gyeonggi, serving set meals, rice bowls and udon. The writer went to Roi Sikdang for dinner with a child and ordered the usual onggi yuzu salmon jang set (yuzu soy-marinated salmon aged in an earthenware crock) plus the child's pick, tempura udon; served with onion and chili, the salmon jang was not greasy and a bowl of rice disappeared quickly. For a Japanese home-style meal with a child, Roi Sikdang offers plenty of menu choices.

Written Oct 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceHanam, GyeonggiRestaurants

₩10,000 weekday brunch at a Hanam Misa pizza restaurant: The Pizzeria

The Pizzeria Market Hanam Misa is a wood-fired pizza and pasta restaurant behind the Starbucks at Gusan Sangga in Misa, Hanam, Gyeonggi. On a hot summer day with my child, I ordered the house-made olive pesto Italian arugula pizza boat, bisque shrimp pasta, a New York margherita wood-fired pizza and a non-alcoholic Jeju Nouveau. The food at The Pizzeria Market was mild and clean-tasting, which makes it a good brunch spot with kids.

Written Aug 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNowon, SeoulRestaurants

Nowon sushi buffet after Seoul Science Museum: raw salmon, Kuu Kuu

Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch is a sushi and seafood buffet filling an entire floor at 247 Nowon-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul. After a visit to the Seoul Science Museum, the writer came with her child for an early weekday dinner and tried the weekday-dinner and weekend menu of Norwegian raw salmon sashimi plus lamb chops, unlimited Terra and Kelly draft beer, and the indoor kids' playground. With a kids' zone and group rooms, Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch is an easy pick for a family gathering in Nowon.

Written Aug 13, 2026Sponsored