Half Plate Pilgrim · 4 stories

Half a Plate, Suwon

Writes about restaurants and cafes scattered around Gyeonggi's small towns. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés

Gangnam Station café, low-acid Americano & fig cake: Upper and Under

Upper and Under is a three-floor red-brick café in an alley between Gangnam Station and Sinnonhyeon Station in Gangnam, Seoul. On a day with errands in Gangnam, the writer had an Einspänner, an Americano and fig cake (₩8,500) at Upper and Under; the Americano was nutty with little acidity, and the fresh cream on the fig cake was especially good. For coffee and dessert together near Sinnonhyeon Station, Upper and Under is an easy recommendation.

Written Oct 14, 2026Sponsored

PlaceHwaseong, GyeonggiRestaurants

Dongtan jjamppong spot: sauce-on tangsuyuk, chili soy dip at Bultina

Bultina Kkomak Jjamppong Dongtan Namgwangjang Branch is a Chinese restaurant specializing in cockle jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup) at Namgwangjang in Dongtan, Hwaseong. A spice-shy couple ordered level 1 cockle jjamppong for 11,000 won and a small tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork) for 17,000 won. The cockles came already shelled, and the tangsuyuk arrived with its sauce poured over and plenty of onions; the couple ate it with soy sauce mixed with chili flakes. Even level 1 had a pleasant kick, so diners who can't handle heat can comfortably finish a bowl at Bultina Kkomak Jjamppong.

Written Aug 5, 2026Sponsored

PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiCafés

Mangpo Station café with public parking and warm omija tea: Hongrad

Hongrad Mangpo Station Branch is a large café that takes up the entire 4th floor of a building near Mangpo Station in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon. Hongrad has no parking lot of its own, so the blogger parked at the Yeongtong Post Office public street parking for about 3,000 won an hour. She then had a decaf americano, a warm omija tea (five-flavor berry tea) for her husband, who was coming down with a cold, and the Hongrad brownie. Open until 11pm and with a sign welcoming laptop users, Hongrad Mangpo Station Branch is a good café for settling in to work for hours.

Written Aug 9, 2026Sponsored

PlaceHwaseong, GyeonggiRestaurants

600g garlic BBQ platter for 47,000 won in Dongtan: Grill the Terrace

Grill the Terrace Dongtan Main Branch is a Uiseong garlic charcoal BBQ restaurant on the first floor of the Megabox building at Dongtan North Plaza in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi. The 600g mixed platter costs 47,000 won and brings pork belly and beef short ribs in one order, served here with steamed egg and dessert cold noodles. The crisp seasoned bean sprouts on the side table turned out to be the best match for the garlic-marinated meat.

Written Aug 20, 2026Sponsored

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