Cooling Cup · 35 stories

Until the Coffee Cools

I write about visits to cafes in Incheon. · Writes about: Cafés · Restaurants · Hair & beauty salons

PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

First-date conveyor-belt sushi in Yeongtong, Suwon: Teukbyeolhan

Teukbyeolhan Chobap (특별한초밥) is a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant on the 2nd floor of a building near Yeongtong Station in Suwon, where every plate costs a flat 1,890 won. On a first date there, at an acquaintance's recommendation, the writer ate salmon onion, salmon, seasoned shrimp, flounder, freshwater eel steak and aged kimchi flounder sushi plus karaage (Japanese fried chicken) until stuffed, and the freshwater eel steak sushi was the best of all. Teukbyeolhan Chobap is a good Yeongtong pick when you want plenty of thick, fresh fish without straining your budget.

Written Oct 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiHair & beauty salons

Suwon hair salon: layered perm for long, limp hair at Kamiya Hair

Kamiya Hair Yeongtong is a hair salon on the 3rd floor of Yejoo Plaza on Deokyeong-daero in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon. The writer, whose long hair hung limp past the shoulders, had a consultation and cut, then an Amber clinic, a layered perm and a Tsuru Tsuru clinic, in that order, at Kamiya Hair Yeongtong. The verdict: the length stayed, while face-framing layers and natural curls turned it into an easy everyday fall style.

Written Oct 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Date-night oak-fired chicken in Haenggung-dong, Suwon: Jangjak Tongdak

Haenggung Jangjak Hanbang Tongdak is an oak-fired whole chicken restaurant on Haenggung-ro in Haenggung-dong, Suwon. On a date walk through Haenggung-dong, the writer spotted the firewood stacked outside, went in for the first time, and ordered the corn cheese gratin seasoned oak-fired chicken with fries. The tender leg meat and the pairing of woodfire aroma with corn cheese made it the best chicken the writer has had lately, and the top tip is to pull off the breast meat and eat it with the rice stuffed inside the chicken.

Written Sep 30, 2026Sponsored
PlaceIcheon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Icheon day-trip beef BBQ: Signature Platter with uidae galbi, Jowatso

Jowatso (조왔소) is a Korean beef BBQ restaurant in Janghowon-eup, Icheon, Gyeonggi, whose Signature Platter brings uidae galbi (bone-in beef short rib), bon-kkotsal, buchaesal (flat iron), galbisal (boneless rib meat) and rapeseed-honey marinated beef. Grilled over charcoal on an Icheon day trip, the beef at Jowatso was juicy with no gamey smell, and the free beef haejangguk (hangover soup) and mulnaengmyeon (cold noodles) were just as satisfying. Jowatso is a good-value beef restaurant worth a 100% return visit.

Written Aug 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceAnsan, GyeonggiRestaurants

Ansan City Hall eel buffet with a perilla-ginger combo: Songnim Bok

Songnim Bok Jangeo Freshwater Eel All-You-Can-Eat Ansan City Hall Direct Store is an all-you-can-eat freshwater eel restaurant in Gojan-dong, Danwon-gu, Ansan, near Lotte Department Store. On a weekday visit after the lunch rush, the all-you-can-eat deal at Songnim Bok Jangeo cost 29,900 won per adult and included eel, pork belly and duck neck meat grilled over charcoal, plus one free bottle of bokbunja (Korean black raspberry wine) per table. Even as a refill buffet, the eel at Songnim Bok Jangeo had no muddy or fishy smell, so the verdict is a 100% chance of returning.

Written Aug 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceAnsan, GyeonggiRestaurants

Seolleongtang and hamburg steak lunch in Sangnok-gu, Ansan: Morakmorak

Morakmorak Seolleongtang Ansan Seongpo Main Branch is a seolleongtang (ox bone soup) restaurant on basement level 1 of Star Plaza in Sangnok-gu, Ansan. A lunch of seolleongtang and hamburg steak brought an earthenware bowl packed with somyeon (thin wheat noodles), tender beef for dipping in sauce, and side dishes of fresh kimchi, cubed radish kimchi and seasoned fernbrake. With a large building lot and free parking, Morakmorak Seolleongtang is an easy lunch stop by car.

Written Aug 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Ingye-dong hangover soup with regulars' garlic tips: Jeju Eunhuine

Jeju Eunhuine Haejangguk Suwon Ingye Branch is a Jeju-style haejangguk (hangover soup) and tripe soup restaurant near Suwon City Hall Station in Ingye-dong, Suwon. A couple who are regulars ordered haejangguk for two and a small dombe pork (Jeju-style boiled pork). They shared tips such as adding extra minced garlic and dadegi (spicy chili paste) from the self-serve bar, eating the glass noodles first and dipping the seonji (blood curd) in mustard sauce. For a filling meal in Ingye-dong, Jeju Eunhuine Haejangguk Suwon Ingye Branch is a safe pick, with hearty, generously filled soup and dombe pork that has no gamy smell.

Written Sep 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulRestaurants

Cheese dakgalbi in perilla potato pancake wraps, Gangnam: Dakgalbijeon

Dakgalbijeon Gangnam Branch is a dakgalbi (spicy stir-fried chicken) and jeon (Korean pancake) restaurant on the 2nd floor of Gangnam Diobill, 54 Seochodae-ro 73-gil, in Seocho, Seoul. At Dakgalbijeon, the writer ordered cheese dakgalbi with a perilla leaf potato pancake, wrapped the chicken and melted cheese in the pancake, and added a sweet potato topping, which came with a free rice cake topping, before finishing with fried rice. Dakgalbijeon Gangnam Branch is a solid choice for a get-together near Gangnam or Sinnonhyeon Station.

Written Sep 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiCafés

Suwon café for Basque cheesecake and iced americano: Café Meomureum

Café Meomureum is a bakery café on the 2nd floor of Dongsin Jonghap Sangga in Jeongja-dong, Jangan-gu, Suwon. Visiting right after lunch, the writer ordered an iced americano, salt bread baked every morning and Basque cheesecake, and looked around the spacious café with its plants, paintings and study space. Café Meomureum's iced americano was the best americano the writer had had recently, and its Basque cheesecake melted softly in the mouth.

Written Sep 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulCafés

Salt choco financier, Sinnonhyeon dessert café: Something About Coffee

Something About Coffee Sinnonhyeon is a three-floor dessert café on Gangnam-daero 102-gil near Sinnonhyeon Station in Gangnam, Seoul. After a meal, the writer ordered a decaf iced americano, a black sesame latte, a salt choco financier and a mont blanc cheesecake, then looked around the vintage interior and the terrace. With plenty of baked goods and cake slices to choose from, Something About Coffee is a good second stop for dessert near Sinnonhyeon Station.

Written Sep 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Suwon self-serve bar buffet with gochu japchae: Pyeonbaek Hoegwan

Pyeonbaek Hoegwan Cheoncheon Branch is an all-you-can-eat shabu-shabu and cypress-steamed meat restaurant on the 8th floor of Daeil Plaza in Cheoncheon-dong, Jangan-gu, Suwon. Diners pick between a clean broth and a spicy broth and help themselves to vegetables and meat, while the self-serve bar adds gochu japchae (stir-fried peppers and pork), steamed flower buns, tteokbokki, fried snacks and buckwheat noodles, with juk (rice porridge) cooked in the broth at the end. The dining room at Pyeonbaek Hoegwan is large, so it works well for family dinners and bigger group meals.

Written Aug 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceHwaseong, GyeonggiRestaurants

Hwaseong meat restaurant: hanwoo bone broth ramen corner, Morakmorak

Morakmorak Jeongyuk Sikdang Namyang Hwaseong City Hall Main Branch is a butcher-style Korean BBQ restaurant on Yeokgol-jungang-ro in Namyang-eup, near Hwaseong City Hall, where you pick meat labelled with its weight and price from the display case, pay, and the owner pre-grills it for you. This visit's picks were marbled pork neck and fresh pork belly, wrapped with the self-bar's wild garlic leaves and turned into mini tacos with guacamole and tortillas, while a separate corner lets you cook a pack of hanwoo (Korean beef) bone broth 1:1 with one ramen packet, the broth boiled for three days and chill-aged for two. Morakmorak Jeongyuk Sikdang is an easy, good-value choice for a family meal or a group get-together.

Written Aug 17, 2026Sponsored