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Cafés, restaurants and places in Gyeonggi, written by bloggers who went there.
Sisup is a large garden café in Sinwang-ri, Hyeondeok-myeon, Pyeongtaek, close to Pyeongtaek Lake. On the Sisup terrace looking out over mountains and rice paddies, acacia flower tea and young persimmon leaf tea cost 6,500 won each, and the Marlenka cinnamon cake and lemon cake are 7,200 won each. The rare flower and leaf teas plus roomy indoor seating make Sisup an easy stop on a drive through Pyeongtaek.
Deodeo Ganjanggejang Muhalliripil is an all-you-can-eat soy crab restaurant in Wondang-dong, Deogyang-gu, Goyang, Gyeonggi. Visiting in peak blue crab season, the writer waited an hour, got a full spread of soy crab, spicy marinated crab and crab stew, then used the table bell to ask for refills by the number of crabs wanted. The marinated crab ran a little spicier than Shin Ramyun for anyone spice-shy, but the meat yield and price of the soy crab made the wait worth it.
Yubok Kalguksu Yongin Korean Folk Village Branch is a Korean restaurant in Bora-dong, Giheung-gu, Yongin, Gyeonggi, serving pufferfish-and-seafood kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) set menus. At lunch the writer ordered the kalguksu and jjukkumi (baby octopus) set for two at 15,000 won per person, added king meat mandu (dumplings), and worked through the seafood kalguksu, a tasting portion of flame-grilled jjukkumi and barley rice before picking up rice puffs and an iced americano on the way out. With a dedicated car park right in front and the Korean Folk Village close by, Yubok Kalguksu is an easy choice for a family meal.
Jeongipum Jjukkumi Gwangmyeong 1st Branch (정이품쭈꾸미 광명1호점) is a hotplate jjukkumi (spicy stir-fried baby octopus) and pork belly restaurant near Gwangmyeong Station, AK Plaza and IKEA Gwangmyeong. Ordered at the basic spice level, the minari-piled hotplate jjukkumi and black pork belly barely tasted spicy at all, which left the spicier option worth trying next time, and the closing cheese fried rice still got finished even on a full stomach. For a spicy Korean meal with easy parking by Gwangmyeong Station, Jeongipum Jjukkumi is an easy recommendation.
Jeongssi Hambak Baegot Branch is a Western-style hambak (Korean hamburg steak) restaurant on the second floor of the Orange-dong building in Baegot, Siheung, Gyeonggi. Arriving at 11:30 a.m. on a weekday, two of us were seated with no wait and shared the large hambak at 15,500 won with mozzarella cheese added plus a pork loin cutlet at 11,500 won. The moist hambak, mild sauce, crisp cutlet and the school-lunch-style tteokbokki served before the meal made Jeongssi Hambak a Baegot lunch spot worth returning to.
Nillai is a garden café in Wolgot-myeon, Gimpo, Gyeonggi, with a wide lawn and views over the surrounding rice fields. Visiting with a 25-month-old toddler, the writer bought a ₩2,000 bubble toy for running around the garden, then had dessert indoors with a Nillai latte (₩7,000) and a croffle (₩11,900). Nillai keeps kids' snacks and toys on hand, so families can arrive empty-handed.
Seoul Myeonok is a naengmyeon (cold noodle) restaurant next to the police substation by Exit 1 of Pyeongtaek Station, run by the same family for three generations since 1973. On this visit the order was bibim naengmyeon (spicy mixed cold noodles), served with its cold broth on the side to pour in, nokdu bindaetteok (mung bean pancake) and galbitang (beef short rib soup), with the child mixing rice into the galbitang twice. Because Seoul Myeonok puts cold noodles and a warm soup on the same table, it is an easy choice for a family meal with children.
Mat Chandeul Wang Sogeum Gui Moran Branch is an aged-pork Korean BBQ restaurant on the food street by Moran Station in Seongnam, Gyeonggi. On a weekday visit at 6:30 pm booked through Naver Reservations, the order was one serving each of pork belly and pork jowl, then an extra serving of pork belly plus a Korean beef doenjang stew, with staff checking the grill temperature and cooking every piece. Side dishes at Mat Chandeul run generous, from mukbap (chilled acorn jelly soup) to pickles and baek-kimchi, and the room is filled with groups of 6 to 8 on company dinners.
Eochongye 1beonji is a sashimi and seafood restaurant on Bandal Island in Danwon-gu, Ansan. On a visit with her mom, who had come over for the first time in a while, the writer ordered live octopus (sannakji) and a medium seasonal mixed sashimi platter, alternating between the chewy wriggling octopus and several kinds of sashimi including conger eel. Even her picky-eating mom was happy with it, making this a combination worth ordering again at Eochongye 1beonji whenever a sashimi craving hits.
Dongbaek Hanokjip Charcoal Grill Butcher Restaurant is a pick-your-own-meat charcoal BBQ house on Eondong-ro in Giheung-gu, Yongin, Gyeonggi. A couple came for lunch and ordered LA kkotgalbisal (flap-cut short rib meat) for 60,880 won, hanok doenjang stew (soybean paste stew) for 7,000 won and a self-serve beer for 4,000 won, with all the ssam vegetables they wanted from the self-serve corner. The kkotgalbisal was good, but the real star of the meal at Dongbaek Hanokjip was the 7,000-won doenjang stew.
Ari Chuksan is a butcher shop on Gangbyeon-ro in Cheongpyeong, Gapyeong, where barbecue meat, wrap vegetables and sauces for a pension stay can all be bought in one stop. On this Gapyeong trip we parked at Ari Chuksan and picked Korean beef skirt (chimasal), pork neck (mokssal) and yukhoe (raw beef tartare), then grabbed drinks and snacks at the Hanaro Mart right next door. For anyone driving through, Ari Chuksan finishes the whole barbecue grocery run in a single stop.
Jeju Eunhui-ne Haejangguk Goyang Samsong Branch is a haejangguk (hangover soup) and tripe soup restaurant a 5-minute walk from Samsong Station Exit 3, near Starfield Goyang. On a Friday around noon after a work dinner the night before, the visit covered haejangguk at 12,000 won, naejangtang (tripe soup) at 13,000 won and the half-and-half set of dombe pork and yangmuchim (seasoned tripe salad) at 20,000 won, plus a staff tip to stir minced garlic into the broth. The dadegi chili paste makes the soup slightly hot for anyone sensitive to spice, so ask for it on the side, and rice is free with one dish per person.
