Booth Seat Regular · 61 stories
Short notes on restaurant meals around Gyeonggi. · Writes about: Restaurants · Bars · Shopping · Hair & beauty salons · Cafés · Things to do
Neoul Magok (너울 마곡본점) is an aged sashimi seafood pub with outdoor seating on the Balsan Station pub street in Gangseo, Seoul. The writer and her mom ordered the small aged sashimi set (53,000 won) and a cabbage pancake (10,000 won), and six kinds of aged sashimi plus clam soup, rice and side dishes left two people comfortably full. Neoul Magok usually has a wait, so book through Naver or arrive early.
Seochon Due Trattoria is an Italian restaurant in Seochon, Jongno, Seoul, about a 5-minute walk from Gyeongbokgung Station Exit 2. The writer and a friend ordered seafood oil linguine (₩27,000), boneless grilled chicken thigh (₩27,000) and wine by the glass, and enjoyed the light, clean-tasting pasta and the tender chicken. With good atmosphere, good food and friendly service, Seochon Due Trattoria is worth recommending for a Seochon date or a get-together.
Goshine Donghae Makguksu Jongno branch (고씨네동해막국수 종로직영점) is a Gangwon-style buckwheat restaurant in a hanok (traditional Korean house) in an alley beside Ssamzigil in Insa-dong, Jongno, Seoul, opened by Gangneung's Goshine Donghae Makguksu. At lunch the writer had the ₩41,000 set for two (suyuk boiled pork, mul makguksu cold buckwheat noodles and bibim makguksu with myeongtae sikhae fermented pollock), a ₩9,000 spicy pork buckwheat gimbap and a half doe of corn dongdongju (₩5,000), and found the buckwheat easy to digest and every dish good. With widely spaced tables in a hanok interior, Goshine Donghae Makguksu is an Insa-dong Korean restaurant well suited to foreign guests or parents.
Paldal Neoguri Haejang Euljiro 3-ga Station branch is a Korean restaurant serving gukbap (rice soup) and suyuk (boiled sliced meat), right in front of Exit 8 of Euljiro 3-ga Station in Jung-gu, Seoul. At lunch the blogger ordered the Naengkeum Arong Set (17,000 won), a spicy Neoguri Udon Gukbap (11,000 won) and Suntory draft beer, tasting clear-broth boneless gukbap, chilled beef shank suyuk with ponzu sauce and the spicy udon gukbap together. With one-person set menus, Paldal Neoguri Haejang is a good pick for eating or drinking alone, or for a hangover lunch.
Cafe Sinabro, Euljiro Twin Tower Branch is a café and dessert shop on the B1 floor of Euljiro Twin Tower in Jung-gu, Seoul, connected to Euljiro 4-ga Station Exit 10. After lunch, the writer and a younger sibling took out a craft chocolate latte (₩4,500) and other drinks, a chocolate scone and egg tarts (₩3,800). The writer shared a Cafe Sinabro egg tart with their mother, and the sibling put a candle in one instead of a birthday cake, and everyone loved them. Verdict: for dessert in Euljiro 4-ga, the Cafe Sinabro egg tart is worth taking home.
Fluffy Bake Shop is a madeleine and financier bakery café near Exit 2 of Gongdeok Station in Mapo, Seoul. The writer bought six financiers and a Nutella madeleine (₩3,200 to ₩3,600 each) to share with Mom, but tasted only the chocolate financier before Mom finished the rest. Fluffy Bake Shop is a good pick for a light dessert gift for parents or elders on Parents' Day or Teachers' Day.
The Sweetree is a waffle and butter rice cake dessert café next to Songhwa Market, near Ujangsan Station and Balsan Station in Gangseo, Seoul. A banana choco cream waffle, a Shinobe brown cheese waffle and The Sweetree's Le Gall butter rice cakes (3 for ₩6,900) were taken home, and a mom who usually doesn't care for butter rice cake ate two of the three. With delivery until late at night, The Sweetree is a great pick for a late-night dessert order in Gangseo.
Cheonghwa Uyuk Dosakmyeon (청화 우육도삭면) is a beef noodle and Chinese restaurant on the ground floor of Le Meilleur Jongno Town, between Gwanghwamun Station and Jonggak Station in Seoul. The morning after a night of drinking, the writer went to Cheonghwa Uyuk Dosakmyeon to cure a hangover with knife-cut beef noodles (11,000 won), fried eggplant (15,000 won) and a bottle of beer. The rich broth and chewy knife-cut noodles worked well as a hangover cure, and the fried eggplant, crisp outside and soft inside, was perfect with beer. Verdict: Cheonghwa Uyuk Dosakmyeon is a beef noodle spot near Gwanghwamun Station that won't let you down for lunch, dinner, a solo meal or a group outing.
Ari Gyegok Jonggak (아리계곡 종각점) is a traditional-style Korean pub near Exit 4 of Jonggak Station in Jongno, Seoul. The writer left work early to beat the wait and revisited Ari Gyegok Jonggak with a younger sibling, ordering Red Monkey makgeolli (18,000 won) and the 41,800-won duck set for two with mud duck jeonbyeong (thin crepe wraps) and spicy hangover chicken hot pot. Ari Gyegok Jonggak is an atmospheric Jonggak Station pub where the duck dishes are especially worth ordering.
99Jangeo88 Suwon Homaesil Branch (99장어88 수원호매실본점) is an eel rice bowl restaurant in Homaesil, Gwonseon-gu, Suwon, said to have passed down its eel-only recipe through two generations over 23 years. The writer and a friend had the Sakuraya eel rice bowl (regular, 200g, ₩29,000) as a set with mushroom-scented chawanmushi (Japanese steamed egg custard) and cool janchi guksu (thin noodles in a light broth). Light rather than greasy, the 99Jangeo88 eel rice bowl alone is reason enough to come back.
Haenggung Daol (행궁다올) is a traditional Korean dessert café specialising in jeonggwa (candied fruit, nuts and roots) gift sets, on the first floor of the Forena Gwanggyo shopping arcade in Gwanggyo, Suwon. The writer picked up a Daol No. 3 (A) jeonggwa set for a former teacher, and Haenggung Daol recommended a blue silk bojagi (wrapping cloth) as suited to a male recipient. The next day the teacher sent thanks, saying the sweets were not too sweet and the ingredients tasted fresh. For a thoughtful thank-you gift or a Family Month present, Haenggung Daol is a good choice.
Jeongjik Farm Flower (정직팜플라워) is a 24-hour florist near Byeongjeom Station in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi. The writer reserved a bouquet for a pregnant friend and asked for pollen-free flowers, and the Jeongjik Farm Flower owner arranged it with double tulips, carnations and lisianthus. Verdict: Jeongjik Farm Flower is a Byeongjeom florist you can trust with bouquets that come with special requirements, such as a gift for a mom-to-be.
