Old Compact Roamer · 12 stories

Worn Compact, Incheon and Gyeonggi and Seoul Cafes and Beauty

She writes about cafes, restaurants, and beauty spots she visits across Incheon, Gangwon, Gyeonggi, Seoul, and Gwangju-Jeolla. · Writes about: Restaurants · Hair & beauty salons · Cafés

PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Gangnam Station pasta spot, flat carbonara & onion fries: Eulji Darak

Eulji Darak Gangnam Station is an attic-style Western restaurant on the 2nd floor of a building near Gangnam Station in Seoul, entered through a door that looks like an elevator. The writer ordered Darak omurice cut open by staff at the table (16,000 won), wide-noodle flat carbonara (18,000 won) and cream onion fries (10,000 won), and added bread for 2,000 won to dip in the carbonara sauce. Eulji Darak Gangnam Station was a satisfying Gangnam Station date spot for both atmosphere and food.

Written Jun 13, 2026Sponsored

PlaceGwangju, GyeonggiRestaurants

Chowol Korean restaurant: pork duruchigi for 2 & mix coffee, Oneuldo

Oneuldo Utja Chowol (오늘도웃자 초월) is a Korean restaurant near Chowol Station in Chowol-eup, Gwangju, Gyeonggi, specializing in duruchigi (spicy stir-fry) and pot rice. Before visiting Gonjiam Hwadamsup, the writer ordered pork duruchigi for 2 (₩25,000) with Suhyangmi pot rice and a giant egg roll, and found the rice so good it was worth eating on its own. For Korean-food lovers heading to Hwadamsup, Oneuldo Utja Chowol makes an easy, satisfying stop.

Written Oct 19, 2026Sponsored

PlaceYeonsu, IncheonCafés

Songdo salt bread café brunch: one bun each, iced Americano, Cozy Bear

Cafe Cozy Bear Salt Bread Bakery Songdo Hagwonga Branch is a salt bread bakery café in the Songdo academy district of Yeonsu, Incheon, that bakes salt bread twice a day, at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. The writer picked one salt bread bun per person at Cozy Bear and paired it with a 3,800 won iced Americano for a simple brunch. The salty, buttery Cozy Bear salt bread is hard to stop eating, and the writer plans to go back for more.

Written Oct 17, 2026Sponsored

PlaceGyeyang, IncheonRestaurants

Gyesan-dong pasta restaurant scouted for a family meal: Italy Madam

Italy Madam Gyeyang branch is a pasta and pilaf restaurant on the 2nd floor of a building behind Gyeyang-gu Office in Gyesan-dong, Gyeyang, Incheon. While scouting a spot for a family meal, the writer and a friend ordered the Madam couple set (from 27,800 won, with 3,000 won off set menus) with pork neck cream pasta and kimchi beef brisket pilaf, and confirmed 6-person tables, baby chairs and free garlic bread for every diner. Italy Madam is a recommendable Gyesan-dong pick for dates and family gatherings when you want generous Western portions at easygoing prices.

Written Jun 20, 2026Sponsored

PlaceMapo, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Gongdeok lash salon: lift for lashes that droop by lunch, Iyo Shop

Iyo Shop is a lash lift and extension salon on the 2nd floor of the Park Palace 2 building, near Exit 3 of Gongdeok Station in Mapo, Seoul. The writer, whose lifted lashes drooped by lunchtime every summer, asked for a tight upward curl and got the nourishing + black tint lift (₩50,000) in about 45 minutes; her long but thin, limp lashes came out with a firm, defined curl. For a lash lift before or after work near Gongdeok Station, Iyo Shop is worth considering.

Written Jun 26, 2026Sponsored

PlaceBucheon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Bucheon Chinese spot: free rice in seafood jjamppong, Glory Works

Glory Works (글로리웍스) is a Chinese restaurant on Gilju-ro near Sangdong Station in Bucheon, where rice from the self-serve bar is free. Two people drove there, parked at the nearby Savezone and shared Set Menu 3 (garlic tangsuyuk, jjajangmyeon, seafood jjamppong and a drink) for 33,000 won, and the seafood jjamppong loaded with squid and mussels was the standout. With free rice to stir into the jjamppong broth, Glory Works is a satisfying, good-value Chinese restaurant near Sangdong Station.

Written Jul 4, 2026Sponsored

PlaceAnseong, GyeonggiCafés

Bakery café after autumn at Anseong Farmland: fig campagne, Chat Baker

Chat Baker Brunch & Bakery Café is a 500-pyeong (about 1,650 m²) brunch and bakery café in Gongdo-eup, Anseong, spread over the whole first and second floors with sofa, table and floor seating. After an autumn outing to Anseong Farmland, the visit to Chat Baker included a 10,000-layer croissant, fig campagne, jambon truffle cream risotto (17,800 won) and tomato seafood passe pasta (18,800 won), and every dish was satisfying. Chat Baker is a good stop near Anseong Farmland for a meal, bread and coffee all in one place.

Written Oct 12, 2026Sponsored

PlaceSokcho, GangwonRestaurants

Sokcho market mild garlic dakgangjeong & garlic skewers: Seomin Gapbu

Seomin Gapbu Sijang Dakjip (서민갑부 시장닭집) is a dakgangjeong (sweet, crunchy fried chicken) shop deep inside the chicken alley (Dakjeon Golmok) of Sokcho Jungang Market in Sokcho, Gangwon. After dinner, the writer took home Seomin Gapbu Sijang Dakjip's garlic dakgangjeong (24,000 won) as a late-night snack and found it neither spicy nor strongly garlicky, so it was fine to share with a child. For garlic lovers, the garlic dakgangjeong at Seomin Gapbu Sijang Dakjip is a solid pick in Sokcho Jungang Market.

Written Jul 10, 2026Sponsored

PlaceDo, IncheonCafés

Yeongjongdo café for strawberry latte and mocha salt bread: 5PM

5PM sunset hour is a salt bread-focused dessert café on the ground floor of the KCC Swichen shopping block in Yeongjong Haneul City, Incheon. On a Yeongjongdo drive around noon, the writer found the plain salt bread and bagels sold out and instead had a freshly baked mocha salt bread, a strawberry latte packed with strawberry preserve (₩4,900), a macadamia cream cheese financier and an egg tart. With its generously sized salt bread and a solid drink menu, 5PM sunset hour was a thoroughly satisfying Yeongjongdo dessert café.

Written Jul 20, 2026Sponsored

PlaceNamdong, IncheonRestaurants

Incheon Nonhyeon ramen restaurant: ₩34,900 set for two with katsu

Hongdae Gureume Incheon Nonhyeon Branch is a Japanese ramen and tonkatsu restaurant on the 2nd floor of the Iplex Building, right in front of Nonhyeon Station in Namdong, Incheon. The writer and a friend ordered the ₩34,900 set for two, which includes a Gureume ramen set meal, an assorted katsu A set meal and 2 drinks, and shared tonkotsu ramen with loin and shrimp katsu. Hongdae Gureume's set for two suits anyone who wants rich pork-bone broth and crispy katsu in one meal.

Written Aug 1, 2026Sponsored

PlaceSeongdong, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Wangsimni hair salon Ayunchae treatment for tangled curls: Oreudeubi

Oreudeubi Sangwangsimni Station Branch is a hair salon focused on hair consulting, located in the Centras shopping complex on Wangsimni-ro in Seongdong, Seoul. After repeated magic straightening and setting perms left her curly hair frizzy and tangled, the writer had a standalone 3-step Ayunchae clinic treatment at Oreudeubi, which took about 1 hour and cost 150,000 won, with a surcharge for longer hair. A week later her ends were still tangle-free and her hair did not feel heavy, so the Ayunchae clinic at Oreudeubi was a good choice for damaged hair that needs a lighter finish than Milbon or Mucota treatments.

Written Jul 31, 2026Sponsored

PlaceSiheung, GyeonggiRestaurants

Siheung Baegot Korean restaurant with tteokbokki self-bar: Hwadogeuro

Hwadogeuro Gan Godeungeo Siheung Baegot Branch (화덕으로간고등어 시흥배곧점) is a Korean restaurant serving wood-fired grilled fish on the 2nd floor of Center Plaza 2 on Baegot 3-ro in Siheung, Gyeonggi. The wood-fired grilled mackerel sotbap (stone-pot rice) set and the wood-fired spicy pork sotbap set cost 17,000 won each and come with self-bar access to tteokbokki, japchae, zucchini pancakes, coffee, iced tea and green plum tea. For diners who like choosing their own side dishes, Hwadogeuro Gan Godeungeo is a satisfying family restaurant in Baegot.

Written Aug 2, 2026Sponsored

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