Monghyang

<Yeowugol>, on the first floor of the building housing Monghyang Live Hall in Sinchon. Much better than expected. Aside from the rice being too wet, it is rare to find sushi this good in the ₩10,000 range. I can confidently name it among the restaurants worth visiting near Monghyang. Recommended.

The most famous restaurant near Monghyang: <Jungyukmyeonche>. It is known for tantanmen. The wait was around ten to fifteen minutes, and the signature tantanmen was straightforwardly good. The true finishing move is the yuringi. Waiting in line and entering without ordering it is almost the same as never having come. Recommended.

Sinchon <Hyang Mimi>, Branch 2. Hunan-style jeyuk-bokkeum and fried noodles. Excellent pork: not sweet, briskly spicy, with the flavors of garlic scapes and chilies preserved well. A measured amount of huajiao suits the pork. The noodles are hotter but still tasty, and the onions are fried exceptionally well. Perfect before or after visiting Geek or Monghyang.

Sinchon <Yongyong Seonsaeng>. This is... good? Every dish is properly seasoned and well cooked without excess. A little burdensome for the first round of drinks, but a very good choice from the second onward. I was already moved by the complimentary fried dumplings.

Sinchon <Yakitori Yeon>. Looking for dinner, my restaurant instinct activated and I chose this carefully; it was startlingly delicious. Everything was so good that naming the best item is difficult. Order the recommended ten or six skewers, then add more. I had received an extremely high-quality assignment and wanted tonight's dinner to be at a truly good restaurant. Success.

Sinchon <Sinchon Burger>. Shockingly delicious. I prefer it to Sneakers Burger. The flavor layers are simple, but one can only surrender before the forceful punch of juicy patty, cheese, and caramelized onions. It is halal and often full of families with no Korean customers in sight. I recommend replacing the fries with chicken tenders.

Sinchon <Song Junok>. Gukbap with clear stock. The rice arrives already in the soup, and the seasoning is so precisely set that there is no saeujeot or salt on the table for adjustment. I like places that block variables and push through the kitchen's intent. The sous-vide pork neck was thin and tender. Probably the best gukbap-style meal in Sinchon.

Sinchon <Trickle Coffee>. Signature latte. I ordered it assuming coffee at places like this was all much the same, then my eyes opened wide after one sip. Both flavor and aroma are rich and concentrated, with an excellent finish that continues circling the mouth long after swallowing. Every single table truly has an outlet, making it an excellent work cafe too.

Sinchon <Cheonghwawon>. Focused on Taiwanese beef noodles, with generous portions and excellent overall balance. I had fried noodles and became curious about the standard beef noodle soup. The yuringi is good too. It is surprisingly hard to find a reliable dinner in Sinchon; now there is one more safe choice.

Sinchon <Cochon Donkatsu>. The basic set is KRW 3,000, double KRW 5,000, triple KRW 7,000. Extremely cheap. The coarse breadcrumbs feel Japanese, but the cooking is closer to Korean Western-style pork cutlet. Even an adult man with a strong appetite will struggle to finish the triple alone. Recommended when you want to eat meat until bursting. Quite good for the price.