Plain Spoon Diner · 12 stories

Plain Spoon, Daejeon and Busan Diners

Writes about small restaurants across Daejeon, Chungcheong, Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Busan/Gyeongnam. · Writes about: Restaurants

PlaceCheonan, ChungnamRestaurants

Cheonan Korean BBQ ranked: jowl, belly, skin-on belly: Cham Dwaejitgan

Cham Dwaejitgan Cheonan Dujeong Branch is a Korean BBQ restaurant in the Dujeong-dong food alley in Cheonan, Chungnam, where pork is grilled over charcoal and rice husks for a smoky aroma. The writer ordered pork belly, black pork skin-on belly (ogyeopsal) and jowl (hangjeongsal) with extra potato slices, ranked them jowl first, pork belly second and skin-on belly third, and especially loved the owner's tip of pairing mushroom wasabi with the thin potato slices. Because staff grill the meat and the dining room is spacious, Cham Dwaejitgan suits get-togethers with friends and company dinners.

Written Oct 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYongin, GyeonggiRestaurants

Giheung Station burger joint for a shared shrimp burger: WeWe Burger

WeWe Burger (위위버거) is a handmade burger restaurant on the ground floor of the Hillstate Giheung shopping arcade near Giheung Station in Yongin, and WeWe Burger bakes its own buns in-house. The writer and her husband ordered a classic burger, a shrimp burger, fries and sweet potato fries to split half and half; the fillings were so thick they spilled out during cutting, and the owner handed over a skewer to hold each burger together. WeWe Burger is a good pick when you want a handmade burger near Giheung Station, especially if you want to try the shrimp burger.

Written Oct 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceAsan, ChungnamRestaurants

Pork BBQ near Baebang Station, Asan: chewy special cuts at Arego Gogi

Arego Gogi Asan Baebang Branch is a charcoal-grilled aged pork restaurant in Gongsu-ri, Baebang-eup, Asan, Chungnam. Alongside pork belly and pork neck, Arego Gogi serves special cuts such as kkodeulsal (crunchy pork cut), jjolgitsal (chewy pork cut) and galmaegisal (pork skirt); the writer ordered a set to try several cuts and was happy with the self-bar, the range of sauces and the kimchi stew served with orders of 3 servings or more. For family or friend gatherings that want to sample several cuts rather than just one, the kkodeulsal and jjolgitsal at Arego Gogi are well worth trying.

Written Oct 10, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYongin, GyeonggiRestaurants

Seongbok-dong noodle restaurant on a chilly day: two sets, bibim mandu

Chilseong Jemyeonso Suji Main Branch (칠성제면소 수지본점) is a noodle restaurant on the 1st floor of Seohui Starhills in Seongbok-dong, Suji-gu, Yongin. On a suddenly chilly day, two of us ordered the beef belly udon set, the fresh noodle set and a side of bibim mandu (dumplings tossed with seasoned vegetables), and the loin pork cutlet that comes with the sets was thicker and crispier than expected. On days when you crave a hot bowl of broth, Chilseong Jemyeonso Suji Main Branch is an easy-parking family spot in Seongbok-dong worth returning to.

Written Oct 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeongdeungpo, SeoulRestaurants

Seoul Korean BBQ date night in Yeouido: rib finger meat at Yuk Lab

Yuk Lab Yeouido is a Korean BBQ restaurant with all-private-room seating on the 2nd floor of Yeouido Jonghap Sangga, right next to Yeouido Station in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul. On a dinner date with her husband, the writer ordered the set for two with lamb ribs, galbisal (rib finger meat) and tosisal (hanger steak); the galbisal was the best, and the lamb ribs paired well with cumin. For trying several cuts at once in Yeouido, the Yuk Lab Yeouido set for two is a safe, solid choice.

Written Aug 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceCheonan, ChungnamRestaurants

Smoky less-spicy jjukkumi octopus set in Cheonan: Bulnaneun Jjukkumi

Bulnaneun Jjukkumi Main Branch is a jjukkumi-bokkeum (spicy stir-fried webfoot octopus) restaurant on Handeul 2-ro in Baekseok-dong, Cheonan. On a first visit while craving something spicy, the writer ordered the less-spicy jjukkumi stir-fry set with pot rice and shrimp tempura. The octopus had a real smoky, wok-fired flavor and was mild enough for someone who can't handle much heat, and side dishes could be refilled freely at the self-serve bar. With a large ground-level parking lot out front, Bulnaneun Jjukkumi Main Branch is an easy choice for a family meal or a group outing.

Written Aug 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceCheonan, ChungnamRestaurants

Oven-grilled fish in Baekseok-dong, Cheonan: pork combo and nurungji

Hwadeuro-ganggodeungeo Cheonan Main Branch is an oven-grilled fish Korean restaurant on Handeul 2-ro in Baekseok-dong, Cheonan. We ordered the spicy pork and fish set (jeyuk + grilled fish) with brown rice, made rounds of a self-bar with japchae, tteokbokki and a bibimbap corner with seasoned namul greens, and finished with nurungji (scorched rice porridge). Alternating mild mackerel with spicy stir-fried pork never got boring, and the wide parking lot makes Hwadeuro-ganggodeungeo an easy family dinner pick.

Written Aug 10, 2026Sponsored
PlaceCheonan, ChungnamRestaurants

Cheonan BBQ with thick-cut raw pork ribs: Motsaenggin Ttungdwaeji

Motsaenggin Ttungdwaeji Cheongdang Branch is a raw pork rib (saeng-galbi) barbecue restaurant in the Cheongdang-dong food alley in Cheonan. The owner grilled two servings of raw pork rib at the table, the cut was remarkably thick, and it went especially well with the chili soy sauce and with the salted pollock roe and egg yolk mix. The meal was good enough to order extra pork jowl, and Motsaenggin Ttungdwaeji is an easy pick for a work dinner or a family night out.

Written Aug 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYongin, GyeonggiRestaurants

Yongin agu-jjim restaurant with torched beef intestine: Nojak Jinseong

Nojak Jinseong Agu-jjim Yongin Suji District Office Branch is an agu-jjim (braised monkfish stew) restaurant a 5-minute walk from Exit 4 of Suji District Office Station in Yongin, Gyeonggi. The couple ordered the daechang agu-jjim, plump monkfish topped with thick beef intestine and finished with a torch for a smoky char, at spice level 1. Grilled flatfish, fried rice and review-event shrimp tempura made it a generous dinner for two.

Written Aug 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuyeong, BusanRestaurants

Gwangalli salmon bar for steamed clams with noodles: Salmon Brothers

Salmon Brothers is a salmon restaurant and bar on the second floor of the Emart24 building on Gwangan-ro in Suyeong-gu, Busan, near Gwangalli Beach. A couple traveling to Busan over a long holiday ordered the raw salmon sushi, cut about twice as thick as ordinary salmon sushi, and clams steamed in wine broth with noodles added, which came packed with more clams than they could shell. Salmon Brothers has no parking of its own, so a nearby public lot is needed, but it is a Gwangalli spot the couple highly recommends to anyone who loves salmon.

Written Aug 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceHaeundae, BusanRestaurants

Haeundae restaurant for pulpo-style octopus steak: Smith's Farm

Smith's Farm is a stone octopus steak restaurant in Udong, Haeundae-gu, Busan, within walking distance of Dongbaek Station. Missing the pulpo eaten in Spain, the writer booked through Naver and arrived on a Sunday at 11:30am for the Sea! Stone Octopus Steak, grilled romaine, Margherita pizza and orange juice. There was no wait even though Smith's Farm was nearly full, the parking lot was already packed so the car went on the street, and the writer would return 100%.

Written Aug 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceCheonan, ChungnamRestaurants

Sushi set and eel bowl for a couple in Cheonan Buldang-dong: Ganghan

Ganghan Sushi Cheonan Buldang Branch is a Japanese restaurant on the first floor of Sinbuldang First Plaza in Buldang-dong, Cheonan. The couple ordered one Ganghan Sushi set, which starts with soup, udon and a croquette salad, and one whole freshwater eel rice bowl that had no fishy smell. It is an easy choice for two people when one wants sushi and the other wants a rice bowl.

Written Aug 15, 2026Sponsored
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