Cozy Bookshelf Roamer · 22 stories

Warm Shelf, Daejeon-Chungcheong/Seoul and Gyeonggi/Gangwon Beauty, Bars, Cafes and Restaurants

Writes about cafes, bars, beauty spots and restaurants across Daejeon-Chungcheong, Seoul, Gyeonggi and Gangwon. · Writes about: Restaurants · Bars · Cafés · Things to do · Hair & beauty salons

PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hapjeong Thai weekend lunch for curry skeptics: Saeng Augustine

Saeng Augustine Hapjeong Branch is a Thai-focused Asian restaurant on the B1 level of Mecenatpolis near Hapjeong Station in Mapo, Seoul. The writer booked a weekend lunch on Naver and ordered the A Set for 59,000 won: tod man goong (Thai shrimp cakes, 2 pieces), phad phong curry (stir-fried crab curry), rice and king prawn pad thai. The writer, who doesn't usually enjoy curry, found the phad phong curry genuinely delicious. With mild spices adapted to Korean tastes, Saeng Augustine Hapjeong Branch is a crowd-pleasing lunch pick around Hapjeong and Hongdae.

Written Jul 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulThings to do

Hongdae board game café on a weeknight: Base on Board baseball, Hero

Hero Board Game Cafe Hongdae Branch 1 is a board game café on the 2nd floor of a commercial building near Hongik Univ. Station in Mapo, Seoul, with retro arcade machines, PlayStation and a pool table alongside the board games. The writer came late on a weekday evening after dinner and spent 2–3 hours at Hero Board Game Cafe playing the baseball board game Base on Board, Coffee Rush and Halli Galli. Hero Board Game Cafe is a good indoor option for groups looking for things to do in Hongdae after dinner.

Written Jul 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSokcho, GangwonRestaurants

Sokcho seafood shabu restaurant: weekday family lunch, flower platter

Sokcho Haemul Kkot Jangkalguksu (속초해물꽃장칼국수) is a seafood shabu and jangkalguksu (spicy knife-cut noodle soup) restaurant on Joyang-ro in Sokcho, Gangwon. A seafood-loving family booked the day before for a weekday lunch and shared the Special Seafood Flower Platter Shabu Jangkalguksu for 3 at ₩25,000 per person, followed by house-made knife-cut noodles and fried porridge with seaweed flakes. Thanks to the fresh seafood and spicy broth, the family finished the whole meal for 3 down to the last bite, making Sokcho Haemul Kkot Jangkalguksu a satisfying Sokcho trip lunch.

Written Jul 30, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangneung, GangwonCafés

Gangneung family café: canvas painting with Mom at Dokkaebi Gelato

Dokkaebi Gelato (도깨비젤라또) Main Branch is a gelato café right in front of the sea on Haean-ro in Jumunjin, Gangneung, also known as a filming location of the K-drama "Goblin." A family of three booked the Dokkaebi B Set (Dokkaebi Gelaple, coffee and 2 mini canvases, ₩27,900) on Naver ahead of time, added an iced Americano, tasted the Chodang corn gelato and finished a mini canvas painting together with Mom. Dokkaebi Gelato is a Gangneung family café where ocean views, dessert and painting come in one visit.

Written Jul 31, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangneung, GangwonRestaurants

Gangneung cockle bibimbap, leftovers in a cooler bag: Yeonhwa Maeul

Yeonhwa Maeul Kkomak Bibimbap is a Korean restaurant on Pungho-gil in Gangdong-myeon, Gangneung, specializing in cockle bibimbap and mulhoe (cold raw fish soup). A family of three came for dinner and ordered the 3-person set (large cockle bibimbap plus mixed mulhoe for one, 65,000 won); the portion was so big they took the leftover cockle bibimbap home, and when the owner heard they had come from far away, she added a cooler bag. With generous portions and warm hospitality, Yeonhwa Maeul Kkomak Bibimbap is a place worth returning to for a family-trip dinner in Gangneung.

Written Aug 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSokcho, GangwonCafés

Sokcho bakery: potato bread & chilled makgeolli bread, Sokcho Sulppang

Sokcho Sulppang (속초술빵) is a makgeolli bread (steamed rice-wine bread) and potato bread shop inside Sokcho Jungang Market in Sokcho, Gangwon. On a summer-holiday trip to Sokcho, the writer took away three bean-topped makgeolli breads at ₩5,000 each and a buttery ₩3,000 potato bread, eating them fresh and then cold from the fridge the next day. Sokcho Sulppang's makgeolli bread is a market snack that tastes good both hot and chilled.

Written Jul 31, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulThings to do

Total beginner escape room in Hongdae: failed Pyramid at Cube Escape

Cube Escape Hongdae Branch is an escape room café on the 4th floor of Mugwang Building in Mapo, Seoul, near Exit 9 of Hongik Univ. Station. A total escape room beginner tried Pyramid, the easiest theme at Cube Escape Hongdae Branch, after a weekday meal and failed to escape, then rounded up how to book, prices by group size (from 45,000 won for 2 people), discounts and theme picks by difficulty. Even without escaping, Cube Escape Hongdae Branch was a lot of fun and is worth recommending for anyone looking for indoor things to do in Hongdae.

Written Jul 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDangjin, ChungnamCafés

Dangjin café for three: krungji and tofu ice cream, MIMI Coffee Mill

MIMI Coffee Mill (미미커피방앗간) is a cozy café on Nambu-ro in Sunseong-myeon, Dangjin, Chungnam, with a large parking lot and a spacious interior. Three people visited MIMI Coffee Mill on a weekend afternoon and ordered a MIMI cream latte, 3 Americanos, a Dangjin bean soft tofu ice cream and a krungji for 29,500 won; the soft cream on the black sesame cream latte and the crisp, icy texture of the tofu ice cream stood out. MIMI Coffee Mill is a relaxed neighborhood café worth recommending for its cream latte.

Written Jul 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, DaejeonRestaurants

Daejeon pork bone grill with Mom: small size, leftovers to go, Yeonam

Yeonam Charcoal-Grilled Pork Backbone & Gamjatang is a Korean restaurant serving grilled pork bones and gamjatang (pork bone stew) in Daeheung-dong, Jung-gu, Daejeon, about a 5-minute walk from Jungangno Station Exit 3. After eating bread at Sungsimdang, the writer and her mom came around 5 p.m. on a weekday. They ordered a small stone-grilled pork bone platter with steamed egg and rice, and took the leftover pork bones home because the portion was so big. Yeonam's small stone-grilled pork bone platter is generous even for two, and its sauce isn't salty, making it a good savory dinner after a Sungsimdang bread run.

Written Aug 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYongin, GyeonggiRestaurants

Jukjeon BBQ restaurant weekend lunch: Pesce pasta B Set at Rustic

Rustic Smokehouse Yongin Bojeong Branch is a Texas BBQ family restaurant on Jukjeon-ro 43beon-gil, near Bojeong-dong Café Street in Yongin, Gyeonggi. For a weekend lunch booked the day before, the B Set cost 45,000 won and included pulled pork, brisket, Pesce (a brothy seafood pasta) and a Pepsi Zero; it is labeled for three people but filled two comfortably. The best bite at Rustic Smokehouse was BBQ and coleslaw tucked into the dinner rolls.

Written Aug 5, 2026Sponsored
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