Paper Bag Counter · 15 stories

Paper Bag Tally, Gyeonggi/Seoul/Daegu-Gyeongbuk/Incheon Restaurants, Cafes and Shops

Writes about restaurants, cafes, and shopping stops across Gyeonggi, Seoul, Daegu/Gyeongbuk, and Incheon. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Shopping

PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Beef pot rice restaurant in Gongdeok: yakiniku vs nikumabushi, Gyudo

Premium Gyukatsu Gyudo Mapo Gongdeok Main Branch is a premium gyukatsu and beef pot rice (sotbap) restaurant in the basement of Hanwha Obelisk near Gongdeok Station in Mapo, Seoul. On a weekday evening, the writer ordered the smoked yakiniku set and the nikumabushi beef rice bowl, both as pot rice, to compare the grilled plate with the rice bowl, then finished with nurungji (scorched rice) in a choice of Solomon's seal tea or bonito broth. Verdict: thanks to tender beef with no gamey smell and the fun of picking a broth, Gyudo Mapo Gongdeok is a good spot near Gongdeok Station for a casual dinner with coworkers.

Written Oct 23, 2026Sponsored
PlacePaju, GyeonggiShopping

Unjeong Station optician: Nikon lenses for your old frame, Eugmm Plus

Eugmm Plus Glasses Paju Unjeong Station Branch is an Eugmm Plus chain optician on the 2nd floor of a building near Unjeong Station in Paju, Gyeonggi. The blogger brought in glasses with scratched lenses, kept the old frame, and after an eye exam had new Nikon lenses, listed at about ₩100,000, fitted at 50% off. For Unjeong residents who only want new lenses without changing frames, Eugmm Plus Glasses delivered on both price and friendly advice.

Written Jun 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulCafés

Date-night food trucks, not chicken and beer, at Jamsil: Bingdongdaeng

Bingdongdaeng is a bingsu (shaved ice) and tteokbokki (spicy rice cake) food truck in front of Outfield Ticket Booth 1 at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Songpa, Seoul. On a weekday evening baseball date, the writer had Bingdongdaeng's chocolate Oreo bingsu and tteokbokki, chili cheese and bomb cheese hot dogs from the neighboring Ippeun Yeou Hot Dog (이쁜여우핫도그) truck, and chili shrimp from Station, and finishing the tteokbokki with the chocolate Oreo bingsu was the highlight. For anyone tired of the usual chicken and beer, this hot dog, tteokbokki and bingsu route through the Jamsil Baseball Stadium outfield food trucks is well worth trying.

Written Jun 10, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeongdeungpo, SeoulRestaurants

Yeouido Finance Tower gyukatsu restaurant, no gamey smell: Hurato

Hurato Sikdang Yeouido is a gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet) specialist on the 3rd floor of Yeouido Finance Tower in Yeouido, Seoul. At dinner, the writer ordered a gyukatsu set and a steki (Japanese-style steak) set and cooked the meat through on a personal brazier, and both were tender with no gamey smell. Hurato Sikdang Yeouido is a Japanese restaurant near Yeouido Station worth revisiting for solo meals, office lunches or an after-work beer.

Written Oct 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGoyang, GyeonggiRestaurants

Siksa-dong dumpling spot: kimchi hot pot after pork belly, Arirang

Arirang Gaeseong Son Mandu Siksa Branch is a handmade dumpling hot pot restaurant in Siksa-dong, Ilsan (Goyang), and a branch of the Janghang-dong original. After trying fresh pork belly at the Janghang-dong main branch, the writer ordered kimchi mandu (dumpling) hot pot for 2 at the Siksa Branch for ₩12,000 per person and enjoyed a meal that ran from a steamed mandu starter through a refreshing broth to kalguksu noodles at the end. Verdict: Arirang Gaeseong Son Mandu Siksa Branch is a Siksa-dong lunch worth recommending to dumpling lovers who care most about the handmade mandu themselves.

Written Oct 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulCafés

Takeaway roastery café by Mangwon Market: coffee in the park, PICT

PICT Roastery Mangwon Branch is a roastery café in a half-basement right by Mangwon Market in Mapo, Seoul, and its main branch is in Magok. An iced Americano made with acidic beans, an iced latte made with nutty beans and a Kyoto matcha Basque cheesecake went to a nearby park as takeaway, and the friend along for the visit called it the best coffee they'd had recently. For anyone who puts coffee taste first, PICT Roastery Mangwon Branch is a 100% would-revisit café.

Written Oct 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeodaemun, SeoulCafés

After-work Yeonnam-dong bakery: sell-outs & garlic baguette, Mandong

Mandong Jegwa Yeonnam Branch is a bakery on Yeonhui-ro in Yeonnam-dong, Seodaemun, Seoul, known for its garlic baguette. The writer visited Mandong Jegwa in the evening after work, when most of the popular breads were sold out, but still got a garlic baguette, whose garlic flavor paired well with the bread (100% would buy again), and an ang cream bun (cream cheese and red bean paste), which was reliably tasty. Mandong Jegwa's garlic baguette lived up to expectations, but go earlier for a wider choice of breads.

Written Oct 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGoyang, GyeonggiRestaurants

Late-night Ilsan Korean BBQ: pork belly & grilled kimchi at Auseong

Auseong Gaeseong Sonmandu (아우성 개성손만두) is a 24-hour Korean restaurant in Janghang-dong, Ilsan (Goyang) that specializes in handmade dumplings. A longtime dumpling regular ordered 2 servings of fresh pork belly this time and grilled the sour kimchi that comes with it, finding the pork belly homey, like grilling at home, rather than like an aged-meat specialist. Auseong Gaeseong Sonmandu is a dumpling favorite that is also worth a stop in Ilsan when you crave pork belly late at night.

Written Oct 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGoyang, GyeonggiRestaurants

Siksa-dong Korean restaurant in Ilsan: mackerel set, banchan refills

Hwadegeuro Gan Godeungeo Siksa Branch is a Korean restaurant in Siksa-dong (Wi City), Ilsandong-gu, Goyang, specializing in grilled mackerel and pot rice (sotbap) sets. The writer went for mackerel, which smells too strong to grill at home, and ordered the 17,000 won per person mackerel set: tender grilled mackerel, pot rice eaten down to the nurungji (scorched rice), and refillable banchan (side dishes) such as kimchi, lotus root and seasoned bellflower root. Verdict: Hwadegeuro Gan Godeungeo Siksa Branch is worth a return visit for a family meal with parents or a healthy Korean meal.

Written Oct 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGoyang, GyeonggiRestaurants

Samsong hangover soup and takeout cutlassfish stew: Jeju Eunhui-ne

Jeju Eunhui-ne Haejangguk Goyang Samsong Branch (제주은희네해장국 고양삼송점) is a haejangguk (hangover soup) restaurant in the E-Pyeonhan Sesang City Samsong shopping arcade in Samsong, Deogyang-gu, Goyang, Gyeonggi. The haejangguk and dombe pork (sliced boiled pork) set and the Jeju silver cutlassfish stew all beat expectations, with a refreshing, clean broth, tender pork and fully deboned fish that is easy to eat. Expecting standard franchise food, the hidden star at Jeju Eunhui-ne Haejangguk Goyang Samsong Branch turned out to be the cutlassfish stew, which many customers order for takeout.

Written Oct 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGoyang, GyeonggiRestaurants

Aged pork BBQ for two in Samsong, Goyang with spicy ramen: Neopttakjip

Neopttakjip Samsong Branch (넙딱집 삼송점) is an aged pork BBQ restaurant in Samsong-dong, Deogyang-gu, Goyang, Gyeonggi. Two people ordered the 600g mixed grill with grilled vegetables (57,000 won) and added spicy ramen as a side. They enjoyed the tender aged pork belly, moksim (pork neck), kkodeulsal and hayansal, the clean self-serve side-dish bar and the private rooms for group dinners. Verdict: Neopttakjip Samsong Branch is a Samsong pork belly spot worth revisiting for the kkodeulsal alone.

Written Oct 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGimpo, GyeonggiRestaurants

Pork belly BBQ in Janggi, Gimpo with unlimited doenjang stew: Hanmaeum

Hanmaeum Butcher Restaurant Gimpo Janggi branch is a butcher-style Korean BBQ restaurant near Janggi Station in Gimpo, Gyeonggi. On a weekend evening, two people shared a half pig of pork belly, pork neck and pork jowl. The moist pork belly with no gamey smell and the savory, unlimited doenjang stew (soybean paste stew) were the highlights. For good-value pork BBQ in Janggi, Hanmaeum Butcher Restaurant is worth a return visit.

Written Jul 4, 2026Sponsored