2024-03-18
914 Saejae-ro, Mungyeong-eup, Mungyeong-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do
Located in the parking lot of Mungyeongsaejae Provincial Park, this place serves handmade sweet rice cakes made from red beans and glutinous rice. Horse Warrant Rice Cake, made in a traditional way without using preservatives, is not too sweet and has crispy nuts in it. In the Joseon dynasty, inspectors used horse warrants to commandeer horses for their missions to rural areas. Figures of horses were drawn differently depending on the grade. In particular, these were used to identify secret imperial inspectors who were dispatched to rural areas and secretly carried out inspection duties. You can also taste Secret Royal Inspector Bread made with Omija marmalade from Mungyeong. Word of mouth spreading at Mungyeongsaejae Pass makes it highly recommended to visit early, as it is likely to be sold out early.
2024-03-15
97 Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
This bar is named after the legendary American writer Charles H. Baker. It is inspired by speakeasy bars, which were bars hidden from sight during the Prohibition period, so its door blends into the surrounding walls. So, when one steps into the space, it is like stepping into a secret hangout. A cover charge of 10,000 won gives patrons a welcome drink, finger foods, and snacks. The menu is inspired by cocktails that Charles H. Baker had across the world, such as New York City, Mexico, Shanghai, Cuba, and Tahiti. It won 7th place in Asia’s 50 Best Bars list and 42nd place in the World’s 50 Best Bars list. The ambience is relaxed, and attentive services ensure that you can have a comfortable time here.
2024-03-15
130 Yanghwa-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul
This cocktail bar is located on the 15th floor of RYSE, a hotel near Hongik University. It serves contemporary reinterpretations of classical cocktails and its signature cocktails, including Peanut Butter Delight, Cheese in a Trap, and The Bitter Bliss, which feature interesting ingredients such as homemade peanut bourbon, cream cheese, and preserved omija. Its open rooftop is also very popular. At night, patrons can enjoy their cocktail with the light from old-fashioned light bulbs, the city lights from the Hongdae area, and the view of Seoul beyond.
2024-03-15
32 Tongil-ro 39-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul
This Japanese-style bar and restaurant is run by a chef who studied abroad in Japan and serves delicious snacks that go well with alcoholic drinks. Spicy stir-fried soba, Japanese-style fried noodles with beef loin and vegetables, and grilled chicken, skewered chicken thighs grilled over a charcoal fire, are amazing. Be sure to check out today's menu, which changes every day. Some people try to order ramen because the restaurant was featured as a ramen restaurant in a K-drama, but ramen is not actually available. Besides highballs and sake, diners can also order a sour, which allows you to enjoy the freshness of lemon, citrus, and passion fruit. There is a cozy atmosphere created by unique props like cute dolls and mirror balls, making it a great place for a conversation.
2024-03-15
60 Seogang-ro 9-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul
This Korean bar and restaurant serves Korean dishes with nearly 200 types of traditional Korean liquor on offer, including makgeolli (unrefined rice wine), refined rice wine, and distilled liquor. Its food menu includes bean curd with stir-fried kimchi, ox knee soup (soup made by boiling down calcium-rich ox knee), and cabbage wraps with soy sauce braised pork. The signature menu here, however, is “Bansang,” set menus of the customer's choice ranging from No. 1 to No. 5 served on a round dining table. Each number has a different pricing and composition, but all offer new and unique flavors. The savory and crispy cheese and potato pancake goes perfectly with tangy omija makgeolli.
2024-03-15
7, Jungang 2-gil, Suncheon-si, Jeollanam-do
This southern-style Korean table d’hote restaurant has 30 years of history with a garden that is a century old. It serves a staggering Korean table d’hote with 30 dishes, all made with Suncheon ingredients. Main dishes include the skate, pork, and kimchi combo (a triple dish serving includes the pork, kimchi, and fermented skate), steamed cockles, grilled galbi patties, sliced raw seasonal fish, galbi, half-dried saury (saury dried in the sea breeze in winter, which freezes and thaws the fish repeatedly), beef tartare, and grilled whole octopus (octopus wrapped around skewers, seasoned, then grilled whole). The restaurant showcases the best of the Southern cuisine, one of the most highly regarded regional cuisines in Korea, so it comes highly recommended. Another unique detail about this restaurant is that the menu changes slightly according to the changes in the season. On weekdays, one can also get lunch specials like the Beopseongpo barley-aged dried yellow croaker (a sea fish caught from Beopseongpo Port, dried and stored in barley before being grilled) set menu until 15:00.
2024-03-15
11 Jikji-daero 753beon-gil, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do
BRIE is a cafe with an interior design that emphasizes warmth and sentimentality, featuring a warm wood tone and a green space with air-purifying plants. The cafe is famous for its brunch menu, particularly its Fig Ricotta Sandwich and Brie Cheese Sandwich. Brie Cream Velvet, topped with raspberries, impresses in both taste and visuals, making it a popular feature in social media. The cafe also has large tables perfect for meetings. Small dogs can be brought into the premises.
2024-03-15
19 Baekdam-ro, Buk-myeon, Inje-gun, Gangwon-do
This restaurant is a showcase for Inje’s celebrated culinary offering: Grilled Dried Pollack. The pollack is prepared through a natural drying process in the brisk winter winds, which gives it a salty flavor and a satisfying chewy texture. This makes it a popular choice as both an accompaniment to drinks and as a side dish on Korean dining tables. Here, it is grilled to perfection with a coating of red pepper paste, offering a flavorful experience with a reduced fishy smell and a delightful sweet and tangy taste. Also featured on the menu are the Soft Bean Curd Set Menu and the Wild Vegetable Bibimbap. The soft and warm bean curd, along with bibimbap—a harmonious mix of freshly-grown wild vegetables from Gangwon State topped with spicy red pepper paste—each provide a nutritious wholesome meal.
2024-03-18
175 Seonsa-ro, Jeongok-eup, Yeoncheon-gun, Gyeonggi-do
Hantangang Keunjip, a beloved local restaurant, offers Korean cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Its delectable signature dishes include jangeo gui (grilled eel), minmul maeuntang (spicy freshwater fish stew), and neungi baeksuk (whole chicken soup with shingled hedgehog). For baeksuk (whole chicken soup), there's an option to substitute chicken with duck. In the minmul maeuntang, diners can choose from mandarin fish, Korean bullhead, catfish, and hairy crab. The restaurant prides itself on using fresh vegetables grown in its own nearby fields for the side dishes.
2024-03-15
13, Gwangbok-ro, Jung-gu, Busan
051-245-5359
Busan Jokbal is a famous jokbal (braised pigs' feet) restaurant in the Jokbal Alley near the Gukje Market. Its signature dish is naengchae jokbal (chilled braised pigs' feet salad), chilled braised pigs' feet tossed in sauce, which also serves as one of the defining dishes of Nampo-dong Food Street. The salad is a flavorful combination of braised pigs' feet, fresh cucumbers, jellyfish, and mustard sauce.