Warm Rice Diarist · 31 stories

Warm Rice Journal

I write about restaurants and meals I encounter around Seoul. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Bars · Shopping · Things to do

PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiCafés

Late-night Haenggung-dong café in Suwon, London Fog: Jeong Ji-young

Jeong Ji-young Coffee Roasters Jangan-mun branch (정지영커피로스터즈 장안문점) is a three-floor café in Haenggung-dong (Haengnidan-gil), Suwon, open until 10 p.m. On a weeknight after dinner, the writer ordered a hot London Fog milk tea, an iced americano and Sangha Farm ice cream, then looked around the 2nd-floor seating, the 3rd-floor rooftop and the year-end Christmas tree decorations. Jeong Ji-young Coffee Roasters Jangan-mun branch is a good, calm spot for a coffee or milk tea after an evening date in Haenggung-dong.

Written Nov 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiCafés

Wild West-style Mangpo Station café for a rainy-day croffle: Hongrad

Hongrad Mangpo Station Branch is a large, newly opened dessert café on the 4th floor of a building near Mangpo Station in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon. On a rainy day, the blogger sat by the window with a cinnamon croffle, a coconut coffee and an iced Americano, and was especially pleased with the freshly baked croffle, crisp outside and moist inside, and the rich coconut coffee. For a spacious café with good desserts near Mangpo Station, Hongrad Mangpo Station Branch makes a great date spot.

Written May 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Suwon fish restaurant revisit with a big grilled hairtail: Godeungeo

Godeungeo Myeongpumi Doeda (고등어명품이되다) Suwon Branch is a Korean restaurant for grilled and braised fish on Seobu-ro in Gwonseon-gu, Suwon. After loving the braised hairtail and grilled mackerel on a first visit, the writer returned and swapped to a mildly spicy braised mackerel made with aged, mukeunji-style kimchi and a large, moist grilled hairtail. With a large parking lot and a waiting room with free drinks, Godeungeo Myeongpumi Doeda Suwon Branch is a Suwon grilled fish spot well suited to a meal with your parents.

Written Oct 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiCafés

Dessert café with parking at Suwon Station: fudgy Valrhona cake, Tteum

Tteum Café by Oneplay Suwon Station (띰 카페 바이 원플레이 수원역점) is a specialty coffee and dessert café near Suwon Station in Suwon, Gyeonggi. On a day off, the writer and a companion ordered the Valrhona chocolate cake (in the 9,000 won range), the signature peach iced tea and an iced Americano, and were impressed by a fudgy cake far bigger than it looked in the showcase and by the tea's fruity aroma. For a great cake and a café with parking near Suwon Station, Tteum Café is a solid choice.

Written Jun 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiShopping

Gwanggyo side dish shop for living alone: shishito peppers, Gukaechan

Gukaechan Banchan Gwanggyo Main Store (국애찬 광교본점) is a homemade banchan (side dish) shop in the Iflex complex in Gwanggyo, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, where a dietitian son and his mother reportedly make the dishes as a family. Dalnim, who lives alone and has lost count of return visits to Gukaechan, went on a weekday around 3 p.m. and bought mostly namul (seasoned vegetables), including steamed shishito peppers, plus beef jangjorim (soy-braised beef), then ate them with kimchi stew and galbi like a home-cooked meal. With mild seasoning, generous portions and good value, Gukaechan is a Gwanggyo side dish shop worth recommending to anyone living alone.

Written Jun 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Sangsu Station braised rib restaurant for a late dinner: Bongmaruji

Bongmaruji Hapjeong (봉마루집 합정점) is a galbi-jjim (braised short rib) restaurant on Yanghwa-ro 6-gil in Mapo, Seoul, between Sangsu Station and Hapjeong Station. Around 9 pm on a weekday, the writer and a friend shared aged kimchi galbi-jjim for 2 at spice level 2. The meat was tender enough to fall apart in the mouth, and the aged kimchi and sweet-spicy sauce went well with rice. For soft braised ribs with adjustable spice, Bongmaruji Hapjeong is a good choice.

Written Jun 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiCafés

Low-acid Suwon Station café with creamy Basque cheesecake: Hongrad

Hongrad Suwon Station Branch is a dessert café on the second floor of a building at the far end of Rodeo Street near Suwon Station in Suwon, Gyeonggi. The writer ordered a hot milk tea, an iced Americano and a Basque cheesecake: the cheesecake was creamy and melted in the mouth with almost no tang, and the Americano was nutty with little acidity. Hongrad Suwon Station Branch is an atmospheric Suwon Station dessert café where even people who dislike acidic coffee can relax.

Written Oct 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Suwon Station Korean BBQ, free draft beer per person: Taejang Sikdang

Taejang Sikdang Suwon Station Branch is a naengsam (frozen pork belly) restaurant on the 2nd floor, tucked inside Rodeo Street near Suwon Station in Suwon. On a fourth visit to Taejang Sikdang, a couple ordered naengsam, cold noodles, doenjang stew (soybean paste stew) and rice. They were happy with the wide range of side dishes and sauces, the friendly staff who grilled the first batch, and the review-event draft beer given per person rather than per table. Verdict: for frozen pork belly near Suwon Station, Taejang Sikdang Suwon Station Branch is a place worth settling on.

Written Oct 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYongin, GyeonggiRestaurants

Bojeong-dong pork BBQ: free fish cake soup & cheese, Gangnam Naengyeop

Gangnam Naengyeop Yongin Bojeong Branch (강남랭겹 용인보정점) is a Korean BBQ restaurant specializing in naengsam (frozen pork belly) on the main street of Bojeong Café Street in Yongin, Gyeonggi. On a fourth visit, the writer grilled naengsam on a pig-face grill and paired it with the free fish cake soup, several kinds of kimchi, spring onion salad, and grill-it-yourself cheese and sausage. Verdict: Gangnam Naengyeop serves the best naengsam the writer has had, with generous free sides, and a return visit is certain.

Written Jun 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYongin, GyeonggiRestaurants

Bojeong-dong squid sashimi restaurant: reserved window date, Mr. Squid

Mr. Squid Yongin Bojeong Branch is a squid sashimi restaurant on the main street of Bojeong Cafe Street in Bojeong-dong, Yongin, Gyeonggi. On a third visit with a squid-loving partner, Dalnim, the writer sat at a reserved floor-to-ceiling window seat. They had squid sashimi, which comes with fried squid, plus steamed egg and seaweed soup as side dishes. Thanks to fresh, generous squid sashimi and friendly service, Mr. Squid Yongin Bojeong Branch is a Bojeong-dong sashimi restaurant strongly recommended for both dates and group dinners.

Written Jul 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Suwon Station hotpot restaurant for a weekday solo lunch: Horangigul

Horangigul Timevillas Suwon (호랑이굴) is a daechang (beef large intestine) hotpot restaurant on the 3rd-floor food court line of Timevillas Suwon at Suwon Station. On a third or fourth visit, at an early weekday lunch, the writer ordered a one-serving daechang hotpot and the weekday-lunch-only jumbo butadon (pork rice bowl) set, then turned the leftover broth into cheese risotto. If you order the daechang hotpot at Horangigul, leaving some broth for the cheese risotto finish is strongly recommended.

Written Jul 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuyeong, BusanRestaurants

Gwangalli brunch spot: Cheongyang truffle oil pasta for two at Marento

Marento is a restaurant near Gwangalli Beach in Suyeong, Busan, that serves brunch alongside Western dishes such as pasta and gnocchi. On a Busan trip, two diners ordered the pistachio cream gnocchi, the Cheongyang truffle oil pasta and the Mare Brunch; all three were delicious, and the writer called the Cheongyang truffle oil pasta the best truffle pasta of their life. Verdict: Marento is a relaxed, wood-toned Gwangalli brunch restaurant that also offers parking support at the public lot.

Written Jul 14, 2026Sponsored