Ido Gomtang • 이도곰탕 계동 직영점

Ido Gomtang (이도곰탕 계동 직영점) is a Korean restaurant that specializes in Korean beef soup (한우곰탕). If you’re not familiar with this particular Korean dish, gomtang (곰탕)—or beef bone soup—is a Korean hearty soup made by slowly simmering various beef parts on a low flame. The result is clear beef broth with a rich and hearty taste and served with thinly sliced beef and rice. Gomtang is commonly eaten with kimchi and kkakdugi (깍두기 or cubed radish kimchi).

The secret recipe that Ido Gomtang uses is supposedly made by a Doctor of Oriental Medicine who was the 18th grandchild of King Sejong and has been passed on through three generations (at least that’s what’s written on the ‘About Page’ of the restaurant on Naver). As a result, the soup of their signature Hanwoo Gomtang (한우 곰탕) is a clean and rich broth with deep flavors.

Located 175 meters away from the famous Cafe Onion Anguk, Ido Gomtang’s entrance is quite hidden from the main Gye-dong street. But after you turn left on the alleyway where it’s located, you’ll immediately see the entrance to the restaurant in front of you (see the last photo of this post).

The interior of the restaurant is pretty simple and modern. The kind of place that office workers frequent for a quick, no frills, healthy lunch where they can just come, get their food quickly and go back to their busy day. And I’ve actually encountered many people from this certain group during the multiple times I was there. 

Their menu is pretty straight forward too. There are only 3 items on the board:

1. Gomtang (곰탕) :  Thinly sliced beef served in clear beef broth with chopped onions.
   Regular Gomtang with Rice (곰탕) ₩13,000
   Large Gomtang with Rice (특곰탕) ₩16,000
   Regular Gomtang with Rice Noodles (쌀면곰탕) ₩13,000
   Large Gomtang with Rice Noodles (특쌀면곰탕) ₩16,000
   

2. Beef Suyuk (수육) ₩49,000 — Thin boiled beef slices served with mushrooms, chives, and Napa cabbage in a pot of broth. Served with a side of the Spicy Raw Pollack Salad (명태회무침).

3. Spicy Raw Pollack Salad (명태회무침) ₩9,000

*There has been a ₩1,000 increase in price for each menu since I took the photo below.

Gomtang (곰탕) ₩13,000 | 9/10

The menu that I always order is the regular gomtang. The regular portion is pretty generous and enough to fill my stomach for one meal. The broth of the gomtang is light yet savory with that deep beef flavor you get from boiling beef for a long period of time. It’s very comforting with subtle hints of the chopped onions mixed in the soup. 

Unlike seolleongtang (설렁탕 Korean Ox Bone Soup) which you have to seasoned the soup yourself before eating it, gomtang’s soup is already seasoned when served. It’s more like galbitang (갈비탕 Beef Short Ribs Soup) but without the hassle of taking the meat off of the bones. And Ido Gomtang’s soup is always nicely seasoned and served pipping hot with soft and tender sliced meat and well-cooked rice. They also provide you with dipping sauce and wasabi on the side for you to dip your meat into (and yes, you should dip it if you want to add another layer of flavor into the dish).

Also, a little bit of disclaimer, if you came from Southeast Asian countries, the flavor of gomtang might not be as strong or bold as soups in your country since Southeast Asian food tend to have bolder seasoning and flavor profile in my opinion.

Their kimchi and kkakdugi are also really good. They are on the spicier side for my personal taste, but the flavors are wonderful and they give a nice acidity to the bite when eaten with the gomtang.

Ido Gomtang Gyedong is probably one of the restaurant I visit quite often every time I’m in Seoul. Due to its location, I usually ended up frequenting this place when I have to meet up with family or friends who are visiting Seoul for the first time since it’s close to Anguk Station (안국역) and Bukchon Hanok Village (북촌한옥마을, a popular tourist spot for first-time visitors in Seoul). This restaurant has also become one of my go to place every time anybody ask me for a restaurant recommendation around Bukchon Hanok Village. And pretty much everybody—both adults and kids—who I’ve taken or recommended this place to said they like the gomtang. If you go with a big group, I would also recommend the suyuk since it’s also delicious.

If you’re looking for a simple, hearty and comforting meal around Anguk Station, Cafe Onion Anguk or Bukchon Hanok Village, I would definitely recommend you to check this place out. 

 

Ido Gomtang (이도곰탕 계동 직영점)

Address: 서울 종로구 계동길 33-8
Telephone: 02-762-0524
Hours: Mon-Fri 10:00-22:00 | Sat & Sun 10:00-21:00

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Tam Tam • 북촌 탐탐

Tam Tam (탐탐) is small dessert shop near Bukchon Hanok Village (북촌한옥마을) neighborhood that specializes in handmade Korean desserts that are made daily using fresh ingredients. Their menu ranges from their best-selling rice cake, ice cream, cream pancake and lattes with traditional Korean flavors.

I visited this cafe during my last Seoul trip in May, four months after its opening. I was browsing for new places to try around Bukchon Hanok Village area and stumbled across this cafe’s listing and their interesting menu. If you don’t know already, I am a big fan of all things black sesame. And so when I saw that they have Black Sesame Rice Cake Ball Latte on the menu, that became the sole reason for me to go visit this cafe.

Other than two other patrons in the cafe occupying one of the table on the first floor, me and my friend were the only ones there when we visited the place around 5:30 pm on a Monday. The weather was nice that day and they had the glass windows opened. So we opted to seat at one of the table on the first floor that’s perfect for people watching (or for people watching us too I guess since we’re right by the side of the street). 

Despite occupying a two-story building, the cafe is actually pretty small. There are three tables on the first floor and four tables on the second floor that accommodate seven people and twelve people respectively. The space is definitely pretty tight in-between tables, but I guess on the upside, if you come here during colder days, it’ll be warm and cozy.

Black Sesame Rice Cake Ball Latte (흑임자 경단 라떼) ₩6,000 | 9/10

Black sesame latte served with rice cake ball with red bean paste filling.

Of course the first thing I ordered was the one thing I wanted to try since I first saw their menu online, the Black Sesame Rice Cake Ball Latte. This drink was really good. The ground black sesame flavor was light and not too overwhelming, making the drink a little bit on the milkier side. On top of the black sesame latte was sweet and salty cream which paired really well with the latte. 

The rice cake balls on the skewers were soft and chewy. They were covered in ground black sesame seed and there’s actually red bean paste filling inside the rice cake balls. The filling wasn’t too sweet either and the amount was just right to compliment the rice cake. Overall, I really enjoyed both the latte and the rice cake balls. 

We also ordered the top three best sellers of their rice cake ball to try—the Black Sesame, Yakwa, and Dried Persimmon. Overall their rice cake balls were really good. The texture was nice and chewy (also, a little bit of a disclaimer if you never had rice cake before, the texture is not as soft as and different from mochi’s texture). It’s not too soft, but not too tough either. They had just the right amount of chewiness making eating these enjoyable. And everything we had was not too sweet with a hint of saltiness to the flavors.

Black Sesame Rice Cake Ball (흑임자) ₩3,500 | 9/10

Black Sesame Mousse & Fried Sesame Seeds
흑임자무스, 볶은통깨

The black sesame rice cake ball has black sesame filling and it had a nice earthy, nutty flavors. Since I’m a sucker for black sesame, I enjoyed this one the most.

Yakwa Rice Cake Ball (약과) ₩3,500 | 8/10

Sweet Rice Honey Yakgwa & Ricotta
찹쌀꿀약과, 리코타

The yakwa (a traditional Korean sweet pastry that is made with ginger and honey) was pretty good as well. The filling kind of reminded me of sweet potato for some reason. 

Dried Persimmon Rice Cake Ball (곶감) ₩3,500 | 5/10

Dried Persimmon, Mascarpone, Natural Honey
곶, 마스카포네, 천연꿀

This one was just okay for me. The rice cake ball was good but I didn’t really enjoy the filling (might also be because I’m just not too into dried persimmon in general). But it was definitely interesting and reminded me of Korean flavors.  

Other than the ones that we ordered, they also have other interesting menus such as Truffle Rice Cake Ball, Basil Rice Cake Ball, Citron Red Bean Paste Rice Cake Ball, Mugwort Rice Cake Ball Latte (쑥 경단라떼), Sikhye Bingsu (식혜빙수), and Egg Cream Espresso (에그 크림프레소). If you’re visiting or exploring Bukchon Hanok Village and want to have some great Korean traditional rice cakes (or Black Sesame Latte) instead of regular bread and pastries, would definitely recommend this place to try. 

 

Tam Tam (카페 탐탐)

Address: 서울 종로구 계동길 82 흰색건물
Telephone: 0507-1304-9165
Hours: Mon-Fri 11:00-20:00 | Sat & Sun 11:00-21:30

Instagram: @tamtam_seoul

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798 Hwa Ro Grill Hongdae • 798화로 홍대본점

Located less than 200m away from Hongdae Station Exit 7 is 798 Hwa Ro Grill Hongdae (798화로 홍대본점), a small restaurant that specialized in grilled meat. The restaurant has 24 seats available, mostly table of fours except 2 tables that sits only 2 person. Each table has its own smoke exhaust pipe which help get rid of that smoky smell that you usually find inside a meat grilling restaurant. 

I found this place when I was browsing Naver looking for a meat restaurant around Hongdae just because I was craving meat. Didn’t have anybody to go with that day so I tried searching for a more low-key place that’s not too crowded or loud. After looking at the pictures previous patrons of this place have uploaded online, the vibe of this restaurant seemed pretty chill so I decided to go and give the place a try. 

Their main menu consists of different cuts of Hanwoo (Korean Beef) with set menus available if you want to try a couple of different cuts. They also have a pretty solid of side menu that you can order to pair with your meat selections. 

Set C C세트 (400g) ₩59,000

Wet Aged Hanwoo Sirloin, Short Ribs, Chuck Flap Tail, Top Blade
한우숙성등심, 꽃갈비살, 살치살, 부채살

I ended up ordering Set C which consisted of 4 different cuts of meat: Wet Aged Hanwoo Sirloin, Ribs, Chuck Flap Tail, and Top Blade which were served from left to right in that order. If you were to order this set, I would suggest to eat the meat from right to left because that way, you’ll start with the more leaner cuts to the juicier ones. But if you like leaner cuts more, then you should start from left to right.

Wet Aged Hanwoo Sirloin 한우숙성등심 | 8.5/10

I personally prefer juicier meat so my most favorite cut out of the four was the Wet Aged Hanwoo Sirloin (한우숙성등심), which is the very left one on the plate. The meat was the most tender and juiciest out of all the cuts and I really enjoyed this one. 

Short Ribs 꽃갈비살 | 8/10

My second favorite was the Short Ribs (꽃갈비살). This was also tender and juicy, but not as juicy as the Wet Aged Hanwoo Sirloin. But it still tasted good though. 

The Chuck Flap Tail (살치살) was on the leaner side so it was just okay for me. The Top Blade (부채살) in particular, the texture was a little bit tough for my personal preference so I didn’t finished all of it. This cut was the one I enjoyed the least. 

Spicy Beef Ramyeon 소고기얼큰라면 ₩6,000 | 9/10

I also ordered the Spicy Beef Ramyeon because I was craving ramyeon that day and this ramyeon was actually better than what I expected. The broth was really flavorful with deep flavors and smokiness from the beef. And the toppings and portion were pretty generous. I did request a less spicy version (which just meant less red pepper powder) since I can’t really eat very spicy dish and the chef accommodated my request which I really appreciate. Definitely recommend this Beef Ramyeon if you ever come to this restaurant.

The place wasn’t too busy when I was there on a Wednesday night. There were maybe 3 or 4 other tables that were occupied other than mine so it wasn’t noisy inside the restaurant. There are photos of celebrities visiting the restaurant stuck up on the wall which led me to think that this place might be busier on the weekends. During my visit, there was only 1 staff working who assumed the server and chef role at the same time. But still, the service was pretty quick so it’s pretty impressive for a one man show. And oh, you have to grill the meat yourself at this restaurant. But all and all, for a random find, the food at this place was pretty good. 

 

798 Hwa Ro Grill Hongdae • 798화로 홍대본점

Address: 서울 마포구 와우산로29마길 6 반지층 b01호
Telephone: 0507-1362-0798
Hours: Everyday 17:00-23:00 (Last Order 22:30)

Instagram: @798grill_official

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Wui Tea House & Restaurant • 웨이 티하우스 앤 레스토랑

Wui Tea House & Restaurant (웨이 티하우스 앤 레스토랑) is a Chinese restaurant that serves Hong Kong cuisines that is located in Yongsan (용산) neighborhood. Stepping into Wui feels like being transported to one of the Chinese restaurants in Hong Kong. The dimly lit space is filled booth seatings for two and four, providing an intimate atmosphere and privacy for patrons. It feels like a place where a spy protagonist of a movie might be having a secret meeting to devise a grand plan for something greater. 

Staying true to the restaurant’s concept, the interior is decorated with green neon hanja sign, mahjong tiles, Chinese books and liquor bottles, and a projector that’s playing scenes from old Hong Kong movies on the wall. All these things will certainly remind you of Hong Kong and a nice touch to the overall dining experience.

First time I visited Wui was when I was craving for some Chinese food near the end of my two months trip in Seoul. Missing a little taste of home, I searched for a Chinese restaurant when I was exploring Yongsan neighborhood and found Wui Tea House & Restaurant on one of the search results. The menu looked interesting and has some things that I wanted to eat so I ended up giving the place a try.

I arrived at around 8 pm and the place was pretty busy. It wasn’t a full house but the majority of the tables were occupied with patrons that were sharing meals with their dinner companions over animated conversations and soft jazz music that can be heard around the room. I was immediately seated at one of the booth for two in the middle aisle of the restaurant and given the menu to look over. Their menu is designed looking like a newspaper and I have to say it’s pretty well-designed. I really like the overall layout and typography and it feels very on brand with the aesthetic of the restaurant.

Their menu is pretty extensive and even though there were so many interesting things I wanted to try, I ended up deciding on three menus to order.

Cold Chicken with Chili Sauce 구수제 (닭고기:국내산) ₩25,000 | 9.5/10

Sichuan-style cold chicken breast in spicy chili sauce and cucumber salad.
닭 가슴살에 매콤한 소스를 곁들인 사천식 냉채 요리

The chicken was tender and juicy and the chili oil was super delicious. It was spicy and salty and the dish was nicely seasoned. It was a bit on the spicy side for my personal preference (since I can’t really eat spicy food in general), but the spice level was still manageable for me since I ate it with rice. This was the first dish that came out and honestly I was really impressed.

Typhoon Shelter Style Shrimp 비풍당 ₩35,000 | 9.5/10

Cantonese style fried shrimps topped with fried garlic chips, dried chilis, and scallions.
튀긴 새우에 마늘칩을 얹은 광동식 해산물 요리

The shrimps were fresh and the size was pretty big. It was nicely fried with golden crispy batter on the outside and the texture of the meat was still chewy on the inside. The crispy fried garlic chips, dried chilis, and scallions were also really good. It’s savory and the seasoning was just right. Ate them with steamed rice and it was a really satisfying bite for me. Definitely another impressive dish that I really enjoyed. 

Hangzhou Style Braised Pork Belly 동파육 ₩19,000 | 9.5/10

Pork belly that is slow cooked in Chinese cooking wine and Korean yeast.
소흥주와 누룩을 넣어 오랜시간 조린 항주식 돼지고기 요리

The pork belly was the dish that surprised me the most. I’ve had this kind of dish before in the past so flavor wise, it was familiar flavors that reminded me of my grandma’s cooking during Chinese New Year. The brown sauce was sweet and savory and absolutely rich in flavors. Very nice and balanced sauce.

Now let’s talk about the pork belly. The dish was served with a side of scissors next to it so I was assuming that the meat might be a little tough. So I took the scissors and stuck it into the meat, expecting that it would require a little of an effort from my part to cut this thick piece of meat. But the second the metal blades disappeared into the brown sauce, I realized how wrong I was because. Oh. My. Gosh. The meat was very, super, extremely tender! They really did slow cooked this meat until it was buttery soft. Honestly, no scissors were needed for this dish because you can easily cut the meat with your spoon (although cutting it with the scissors did make the slices of meat more even and prettier I admit). The meat even fell apart when I picked it up with my chopsticks. The pork belly was definitely amazing and this was a really delicious and nicely executed dish.

Service at this place was also really great. I was served by (I think) the manager of the restaurant and he asked me where I’m from. He thought I was a Hongkonger and it led to more small talks after. During and after the meal, he ended up giving me a couple of drinks to try as well as desserts on the house. I really appreciate the hospitality and the kind gesture which made my whole dining experience even more enjoyable than it already was.

Zhuge Liang Baijiu 제갈량 백주 38%vol 빠이지오우 (諸葛亮 白酒)

I don’t know a lot about Baijiu (Chinese liquor) but this one was pretty smooth but strong for my personal preference.

Hong Kong Milk Tea 홍콩 밀크티 | 8/10

Fragrant milk tea and not too sweet. I liked it. Although I did taste a little bit of coffee when I had it so there’s a possibility that it was Yuenyeung (Hong Kong-style milk tea and coffee) instead of Hong Kong Milk Tea. Honestly, I’m not too sure. But nevertheless, it was good.

Almond Pudding 아몬드 푸딩 | 8/10

The almond pudding was silky smooth and overall it wasn’t too sweet. 

Flower Candy | 8/10

The candy was also not too sweet and has subtle flavors of flowers. Pretty interesting dessert and a good option if you prefer something light and sweet to end your meal.

The ambience of this place was pretty nice and relaxing, although it could get pretty loud during lunch/dinner rush. They also have different menus for lunch and dinner. During lunch they serve lighter dishes that are usually served at cha chaan teng (Hong Kong’s casual cafes/diners) and during dinner they serve heavier traditional Chinese dishes that can be paired with baijiu (clear Chinese liquor) if you choose to. 

If you ever want to try a great Chinese restaurant or delicious Hong Kong cuisines in Seoul, I would definitely recommend paying Wui Tea House & Restaurant a visit. Their food is one of the best food I’ve had in Seoul and I would definitely go back again next time I’m craving some delicious Chinese food when I’m in Seoul.

 

Wui Tea House & Restaurant • 웨이 티하우스 앤 레스토랑

Address: 서울 용산구 한강대로21길 25 한국여성단체협의회 1층, WUI
Telephone: 02-795-2125
Hours:
• Monday-Wednesday & Friday 11:30-22:00
(15:00-18:00 Break Time, 21:00 Last Order)
• Thursday 11:30-23:00
(15:00-18:00 Break Time, 22:00 Last Order)
• Closed on Sundays

Instagram: @wui.yongsan

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KT Pre-Paid Sim & Wifi Rental at Incheon Airport T2

There are a couple of places that sell pre-paid SIM card and Wifi rental at Seoul Incheon International Airport. All of them offers similar products and packages but I’ve been using KT since the time I was living in Korea, never had a problem with it and works well every time so it just stuck with me until now. 

There are three locations at Incheon International Airport, 2 locations at Terminal 1 arrival hall and 1 location at Terminal 2 arrival hall. (See map below for the exact locations and operational hours) 

Source: KT Website

Most of my flights usually arrived at Terminal 2 so the following pictures are from the KT counter at Incheon Airport Terminal 2 arrival hall (1F), between exit 4 and 5. 

First thing you want to do is get a waiting ticket from the machine. Select the red ‘SIM • WIFI’ button on top and the machine will print out a ticket with your queue number on it. If there’s no line, usually the staff will call you right away. But if there’s a line, you can track the queue number on the screen behind the counter. Sometimes the staff call out the numbers in Korean which can be confusing if you don’t speak Korean, so the screen does help with that too. The staff do speak English so communication shouldn’t be an issue. Things that they’ll need from you for making a purchase are your passport and your credit card/cash for payment. 

For the Data Packages, there are 8 options available to choose from, depending on the validity of the Sim Card. 

For the Wifi Router rental, there are only 2 options available at the counter (although there are 4 options available via online reservation). Wifi Router rental might be a better option if you are traveling in a group and the group for sure will stay together all the time. But if you’re not going to stay together all the time, then the sim card option might be a better option for flexibility, just in case people in your group need to split to go to different places. Plus with Sim Card, you can top up the call/text plan which comes pretty handy for ordering Kakao Taxi through the app or for restaurant/cafe reservations (most places in Seoul now have the queue machine where you can put your phone number and it’ll give you a text notification when your table is ready so you don’t have to wait around at the restaurant). 

I usually just buy the sim card because it’s more convenient, I don’t have to bring around yet another extra gadget in my bag and I don’t have to return it before I fly out. Since I usually stay for a month during my trip, I usually get the 30 Days Data Plan (₩71,500) with the additional ₩5,500 Call/SMS top up (see the pink boxes on the picture below). If you ran out of balance and want to top up or extend your plan, you can conveniently do it online on their website, sparing you the hassle to have to come back to the airport.

If you want to save some money, there’s a 10% discount if you reserve your Sim Card (and Wifi Router) online. They have more options for the packages too that’s not available at the counter as well as eSim option if you choose to get one.

After you make your purchase, they’ll give you the Sim Card in a small plastic pouch with a Sim eject tool included. You just have to switch the sim card with the one that you have on your phone, restart your phone and everything should works (but just in case it doesn’t, I would recommend you to test the sim card before you leave the airport just to be safe). And with that you’re set to go.