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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Sura Lotte Shopping Avenue Jakarta

Sura is a Korean BBQ bar that’s specialized in Korean-style Hamburg Steak—or Hambak Steak as the Koreans pronounce it—and the first one of its kind in Jakarta. They opened their first outlet in July 2024 at Lippo Mall Puri and expanded into the second one a month later at Lotte Shopping Avenue.

Korean-style Hamburg Steak itself is nothing new. The dish has been served at multiple different restaurants in Korea for years now. Having said that, I did notice that it was making a comeback last year when I started to see a bunch of new Korean-style Hamburg Steak restaurants opened up around Seoul. Most of them adopted similar concept where they have a restaurant with nice modern interior, bar style seating, open kitchen and offers limited menu focusing on the Hamburg Steak. I’ve been meaning to try one of those restaurants but unfortunately haven’t got a chance to until now. But since Sura basically has the same concept as those restaurants, might as well go see what the Hamburg Steak hype is all about since the brand is brought from Korea to Jakarta. 

I visited the Lotte Shopping Avenue location with a friend for a late lunch. The interior is pretty nice and interesting with plenty of seatings available around the room from the bar seating that’s perfect for solo or duo patrons to the cubicle seatings for bigger parties. We opted for the bar seatings since we also wanted to see how the Hamburg Steak is cooked. 

Currently, they have 2 options for the meat: the Wagyu Hambak Steak that’s made with 100% wagyu beef and the Spicy Chicken Hambak. Every Hambak is slow-cooked to order and is grilled and torched for about 15 to 20 minutes to get that smoky juicy meat. And since they have an open kitchen, you can see all the action from your seat while waiting for your order to be done.

The basic set consist of two patties and are served with free-flow white rice, soup, and omega-3 egg. There are also pickles and five different kind of dippings (Korean Suje Ssamjang, Chinese Secret Spicy Powder Ganfen, Yuzu Mayo Sauce, Himalayan Pink Salt & Garlic Flakes, and Sambal Bawang) provided for your steak. 

Double Wagyu Hambak Steak (148k) | 9/10

I ordered the double Wagyu Hambak Steak and not gonna lie, I was pretty impressed with how juicy and flavorful the steak is without dipping it into anything. The smokiness from the all the grilling and the torching definitely added a new layer of complexity to the flavor of the meat. When I dipped the meat into the egg yolk, the overall flavor definitely tasted creamier. With or without the egg yolk, the meat tasted good. 

Another thing that deserves a special shoutout is their Korean Beef and Daikon Radish Soup. I’m a sucker for a good soup and theirs was so goooood. It’s nicely seasoned and the flavor profile is pretty much the same as the ones I’ve had in Korea. Super comforting, especially if you eat if with the rice (their rice is also really good). My friend and I were saying that we can honestly just eat the soup with the rice because it was that comforting.

For the dipping options, I liked the Himalayan Pink Salt & Garlic Flakes and Chinese Secret Spicy Powder Ganfen the best. The Korean Suje Ssamjang and Yuzu Mayo Sauce were alright. The Sambal Bawang was probably my least favorite because it’s spicy and the flavor profile doesn’t really pair well with the Hambak Steak in my opinion. But I do understand why they have that option since we’re in Indonesia after all. Their pickles were also really good and have that authentic Korean flavors in them.

I also tried the Spicy Chicken Hambak that my friend ordered. It also tasted good and the meat was juicy, but it is on the spicier side for me who can’t really eat spicy food. The flavor profile tasted like Sate Lilit Bali if you ever had one of those.

At the end of our meal, the server asked us if we wanted to try their Sundubu Jjigae, a soup option that’s apparently only available on Sundays. We said yes and we each were served with a bowl of pipping hot red soup. Turned out, it was pretty good as well. Super flavorful with generous toppings inside. But since the flavor of the Sundubu Jjigae is stronger than the Korean Beef and Daikon Radish Soup, I feel like if you eat this with the steak, the soup might overpower the taste of the meat. So my recommendation is if after your meal you’re still hungry, ask for the Sundubu Jjigae (and maybe put an egg in) and just eat it with rice. I think it’s going to be better that way. 

Service was really good during our visit. The server explained the menu clearly and checked in with us periodically to see if we need a refill or anything else. She also gave my pregnant friend a boiled egg since she can’t eat the raw egg so that’s something you can probably ask the staff if your don’t eat raw egg. All and all, it was a really good meal and would definitely come back again to this place.

 

Sura Lotte Shopping Avenue Jakarta (4F)

Address: Kuningan, Jl. Prof. DR. Satrio Kav. 3-5, South Jakarta 12940, Indonesia
Hours: Everyday 10:00 am - 10:00 pm

Instagram: @surafromkorea

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Donut Of Curiosity

Donut Of Curiosity is the newest donut shop in Jakarta that just opened last Sunday (Sep 8) at Ashta District 8 and will surely be the talk of the town (at least for the next few weeks) because of their unique store concept. Adopting a more simplistic approach, the store is decorated with just one artistic artwork inspired by the shape of donut dough being mixed. The enormous floor-to-ceiling knot-like concrete pillar structure that stood tall in the space is surrounded by concrete walls, soft pink carpeting and it also serves as a display for their donuts that are exhibited like artworks in a museum. The whole store screams modern and artistic and definitely invites curious gazes from the passerby. Although this kind of donut store might be the first of its kind in Jakarta, I have to say it also reminds me (in a good way) of Gentle Monster stores and Nudake cafes which adopted similar design concept and vibes.

Other interesting fact that I found out was Donut Of Curiosity is created by the same team behind the famous Scarlett’s brand. It’s said that it took the chef 1.5 years to research and develop their current dough recipe, which apparently uses 3 different kinds of flour for the mix resulting in their soft and chewy donut texture.

Currently, they are offering 10 different flavors—2 savory and 8 sweet options—for their donuts:
• Maple & Beef (32k)
• Truffle & Garlic Butter (32k)
• Valrhona (32k)
• Earl Grey & Milk Choco (30k)
• Brûlée & Yoghurt (28k)
• Lemon (25k)
• Pistachio (30k)
• Matcha Strawberry (28k)
• Smoked Vanilla (28k)
• Salted Honey & Kinako (25k)

(11 Sep) An update from one of the owners regarding the current ordering system:
Ordering system is split into 3 batches per day.
Batch 1 — 11:00 am
Batch 2 — 2:30 pm
Batch 3 — 6:00 pm

For those who lined up before the opening time, you can purchase donuts right away from Batch 1 until it’s sold out.
For Batch 2 and Batch 3, you can line up to place your order and payment anytime and then come back to pick up your order at 2:30 pm and 6:00 pm respectively.

If you don’t want to go back and forth, you can try to come near the time when the donuts are being restocked but availability of flavors is not guaranteed (while if you place an order prior to Batch 2 and Batch 3 time slot, then your order is guaranteed. At least this is how I interpreted the message that’s posted on the owner’s IG story. I’d suggest you to double check with the staff during your visit to make sure that the rules still apply just in case they make any changes to their ordering system).

Maple & Beef (32k) | 8.5/10

I tried one of the savory options—the Maple & Beef—which is also their recommended menu. The donut is soft and chewy. The sweetness from the maple glaze and the savoriness from the beef bacon were very balanced. And the arugula and mayo were nice additions to the overall flavors. A solid 8.5/10 from me. Also, would definitely recommend to consume these donuts right away.

The store has no seating so you can only do take-out for the donuts. There are round height tables available in front of the store where you can eat your donuts standing if you choose to. 

Also, special thanks to @munchandsnap.jkt for taking me to the pre-opening and getting me an early access to these donuts.

 

Donut Of Curiosity

Address: Ashta District 8 (UG Floor Unit 07), Jl. Senopati No.83, Jakarta Selatan, DKI Jakarta 12190, Indonesia
Hours: 11a.m-Finish

Instagram: @donutofcuriosity

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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.