Crisp and Soft · 46 stories

Taste and Texture

I write about meals I’ve had at restaurants in Seoul. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés

PlaceSeohae, IncheonRestaurants

Gajeong Station briquette BBQ: 600g pork and doenjang stew, Euljiro

Euljiro Yeontan Gui Luone City Branch is a retro-style Korean BBQ restaurant serving briquette-grilled pork and seafood in Luone City, near Gajeong Station in Seohae, Incheon. After enjoying the Guwol-dong branch, the writer ordered the dwaeji hangeun pork set (600g, 38,000 won) with bibimbap, doenjang stew (soybean paste stew) and naengmyeon (cold noodles), and especially liked the frozen radish salad at the self-serve bar, the galmaegisal (pork skirt meat) and the pork skin dipped in soybean powder. Euljiro Yeontan Gui Luone City Branch offers good value and quality meat, but expect a wait at peak hours.

Written Jul 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNamdong, IncheonRestaurants

Guwol-dong sushi takeout for beer at home: two ₩15,000 sets, Minyeong

Minyeong Hwareo Gongjang Moraenae Market Branch is a sushi and sashimi takeout shop in Moraenae Market, Guwol-dong, Namdong, Incheon. The writer took home the Special Sushi (10 pieces) and the Special Assorted Sushi (10 pieces) at ₩15,000 each and paired them with beer, loving the chewy flatfish, melt-in-the-mouth salmon and fresh raw shrimp. With every sushi set under ₩20,000 and careful packaging, Minyeong Hwareo Gongjang Moraenae Market Branch is a takeout spot you can trust for raw fish even in summer.

Written Jul 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNamdong, IncheonRestaurants

Guwol-dong Western date spot, 41,800-won set, ricotta salad: Withwich

Withwich (위드위치) is a Blue Ribbon Western and brunch restaurant in Guwol-dong, Namdong-gu, Incheon. On a date at Withwich, the writer chose the 41,800-won pasta and wood-fired pizza set for two and tried ricotta salad, wood-fired gorgonzola pizza with honey, perilla shrimp cream pasta and iced tea. With its cozy European-style interior and friendly service, Withwich is a solid pick for a date or family meal in Guwol-dong.

Written Jul 30, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulCafés

Heatwave Gangnam café, indoor seats & egg tart: Something About Coffee

Something About Coffee (썸띵어바웃커피) is a large bakery café on Gangnam-daero 102-gil near Sinnonhyeon Station in Gangnam, Seoul, filling floors 1, 2 and 3 of one building. During a heatwave, the writer chose Something About Coffee's air-conditioned indoor seats over the terrace and ordered an iced americano (₩6,500), a black sesame cream latte (₩7,800), a peach fresh cream cake (₩9,800) and an egg tart (₩5,900), and found both the homemade bakes and the coffee satisfying. Verdict: Something About Coffee is worth a return visit for the mango bingsu (shaved ice).

Written Aug 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBucheon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Sapporo-style lamb BBQ near Bucheon City Hall Station: Ichiryu

Ichiryu Bucheon Hyundai Branch is a Sapporo-style charcoal-grilled lamb restaurant near Bucheon City Hall Station and Bucheon Hyundai Department Store in Gyeonggi. A serving of premium raw lamb ribs costs 34,000 won and a serving of premium French rack costs 37,000 won, and the owner grills each cut tableside at the pace diners eat, with refills of bean sprouts, onion and other vegetables. Between the polished room and the attentive grilling service, Ichiryu Bucheon Hyundai Branch is an easy recommendation for a date or anniversary dinner.

Written Aug 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangseo, SeoulRestaurants

Magok uni and abalone kaisendon with mango yogurt pudding: Ilpum

Ilpum Magok is a kaisendon (seafood rice bowl) and sushi restaurant on Gonghang-daero near Magok Station in Gangseo, Seoul. Seated at the counter, the writer ordered the basic kaisendon at 26,000 won and the premium kaisendon at 37,000 won together, and the meal ran like a course with chawanmushi, miso soup, cold udon with karaage, and mango yogurt pudding. The uni in the premium bowl at Ilpum Magok tasted sweet with no fishy edge, and it was best eaten wrapped in gamtae (dried seaweed).

Written Aug 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Apple mango ade drink swap at a Jamsil sandwich shop: Town Sandwich

Town Sandwich Jamsil Branch is a baguette sandwich shop on Olympic-ro 35ga-gil near Lotte World Mall in Songpa, Seoul. For a solo meal the all-in-one set came as a basil jambon-beurre with extra arugula, the drink swapped to apple mango ade, and pumpkin soup chosen as the side. The baguette was crisp outside and soft inside rather than hard as expected, and it paired well with the pumpkin soup.

Written Sep 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMichuhol, IncheonRestaurants

Incheon bulgogi restaurant with a ₩12,900 lunch special: Dongchuwon

Dongchuwon Bulgogi is a Seoul-style Korean beef bulgogi restaurant in Hagik-dong, Michuhol, Incheon that has been open for 10 years. The two-person bulgogi set is grilled on a brass plate while vegetables and mushrooms cook in the broth channel below, and it comes with a bulgogi burger on morning bread plus dessert naengmyeon (cold noodles), omija tea and ice cream. On weekdays the ₩12,900 lunch bulgogi hot pot is strong value, making Dongchuwon Bulgogi an easy choice for family and friend gatherings.

Written Aug 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangseo, SeoulRestaurants

Magongnaru hot pot restaurant with a DIY peanut sauce bar: J's Pot

J's Pot Magok Branch is a fusion Chinese hot pot restaurant on basement level 2 of COEX Magok, by Magongnaru Station in Gangseo, Seoul. The lunch beef brisket set (17,500 won) and the beef set (22,000 won) were ordered with tomato broth, plus a small vegetable tangsuyuk (sweet and sour vegetables) at 15,000 won, and peanut sauce was mixed at the unlimited sauce bar by following the recipe posted there. The broth was rich and the shabu-shabu ingredients fresh, making J's Pot an easy recommendation when a hot pot craving hits in Magok.

Written Sep 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeonsu, IncheonRestaurants

Songdo sushi restaurant with free corkage and a soy brush: Sushi Doku

Sushi Doku The Songdo is a Japanese sushi restaurant on the 2nd floor of Onesta Mall, right in front of Technopark Station in Songdo, Incheon. Booking ahead meant instant seating, and the Premium Sushi Set (10pc, 25,900 won) came with flounder, salmon, eel and ankimo sushi plus chawanmushi, udon, shrimp tempura and karaage, and salad. With a brush for the soy sauce and plum tea to finish, Sushi Doku The Songdo is a great-value sushi set meal.

Written Aug 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulCafés

Seochon study café near Gyeongbokgung for choco Eifelbaum: The Baum

The Baum Gyeongbokgung Branch is a German-style baumkuchen dessert café on Jahamun-ro in the Seochon and Gyeongbokgung Station area of Jongno, Seoul. The hanok-style first and second floors have plenty of seats, and many guests were quietly working; by the second-floor window came choco Eifelbaum at 7,500 won, brûlée apple custard baum at 7,800 won, cheese baum at 4,000 won and hibiscus blended tea at 6,800 won. All three desserts at The Baum were so different in character that ranking them was impossible.

Written Sep 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hongdae jokbal restaurant with a 49,000-won set for two: Manjok Ohyang

Manjok Ohyang Jokbal Hongdae Station Branch is a jokbal (braised pork trotter) restaurant near Hongik Univ. Station in Mapo, Seoul. The set discount menu of medium jokbal with jjaengban guksu (cold noodles on a platter) costs 49,000 won and fed two people, with odor-free front-leg jokbal and a free dumpling-hotpot-style soup on the side. Listed by the Blue Ribbon Survey for 12 years running and picked as a Michelin Bib Gourmand, Manjok Ohyang shows why it earns those titles.

Written Sep 22, 2026Sponsored