Even though they don't have colorful signs, “restaurants without a signboard†are attracting attention. Seeing so many people bustling in a remote building with no signboards makes me wonder. While there are places that promote their own stores by putting up colorful signs, there are restaurants that people can't stop visiting just because they say they are delicious without putting up a sign. You can even feel proud of the taste when they don't hang a sign with confidence. From a champagne bar where you can enjoy fresh oysters as a snack, to gnocchi sprinkled with fragrant truffles, curry made with a combination of spices and different ingredients, kimchi stew made with plenty of raw meat, and a rib soup boasting a rich flavor of meat! Only taste competes! Here are 5 of the best cheap restaurants without a signboard.
1. “Geumshappa†in Euljiro, the flavor of the sea that permeates your mouth
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Image source: min_ddo_meok's Instagram
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If you walk into an old building with a 'Korea Print Center' sign, you'll find the champagne bar 'Geumshappa'. It was opened by the owner of “Gyuzakaya Motto,†an izakaya specializing in beef in Yeonnam-dong, and “Chunghwa Branch,†a Chinese restaurant in Sinchon. When you enter the store, you can enjoy champagne and snacks on a long 'c' shaped bar table. The signature menu “Goheungsan Pearl Shell Oyster†uses oysters from the oyster bar “Pearl Shell†in Cheongdam-dong. It is served 1 kg of large 5-meter Goheungsan oysters sprinkled with plenty of salt, pepper, and olive oil. Fragrant olive oil is added to fresh oysters, and you can enjoy the flavor of the sea that fills your mouth. The refreshingly chilled champagne enhances the rich flavor of pearl shell oysters. Please note that you have to pay 10,000 won for a seat when entering, and the usage time is limited to 2 hours 45 minutes.
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: 19-1 Cho-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul
▲Business hours: Weekdays Part 1 16:00 — 18:45; Part 2 19:00 — 22:00; Weekends 13:00 — 14:45
â–²Price: Goheungsan Pearl Shell Oyster (1 pc) 6,000 won, 100% beef minced meat cutlet 9,000 won
â–²Testimonial (Kim Ha-soo, the god of food): It was a place I had a really hard time making a reservation. All of them are bar tables, so it feels even more atmospheric! House champagne is 30,000 won and the price is reasonable, so I think it's a great place to enjoy casually. It consists of champagne and simple snacks that go well with it, so if you want to fill your stomach, I also recommend buying food from outside to eat.
2. Gnocchi with the scent of truffles, Yeoksam “Altacucina by Targetâ€
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Image source: ohs_eat's Instagram
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“Alta cucina (alta cucina)†means “high level kitchen†in Italian and has the meaning of presenting dishes that add a modern touch to traditional Italian cuisine. The signature menu is “truffle gnocchi,†made by putting gnocchi and butterbur in a parmigiano reggiano cheese sauce and then sprinkled with sliced fresh truffles. The chewy gnocchi combines creamy cheese sauce with the aroma of truffles, and you can enjoy a richer flavor. The bittersweet flavor of the gnocchi is balanced and adds a crunchy texture to the gnocchi. If you pair truffle gnocchi with spicy red wine, you can enjoy a richer flavor.
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: 25 Teheran-ro 21-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
â–²Business hours: 11:30 to 22:00 on weekdays, 12:00 to 21:00 on Saturdays, 14:00 to 18:00 B/T (weekdays), closed on Sundays
â–²Price: Truffle gnocchi 28,000 won, grilled octopus 18,000 won
â–²Testimonial (Happy Food Yume): I thought it was a regular restaurant, but it was a natural wine bar concept. Therefore, there were plenty of wine lists that could be paired with various foods. I ate wine and truffle gnocchi because it was a gnocchi restaurant. As soon as the menu came out, the aroma of truffles spread. There were many gnocchi that spread from the mouth, but I really liked the combination of the moderate chewiness and cheese sauce here. It's the best gnocchi I've ever eaten!
3. 'Curry' in Seongbuk-dong, a curry presented with a combination of different ingredients
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“Curry†is a fun place where you can enjoy a variety of curries, as the seasonal menu changes regularly. We offer curries made by combining the types and proportions of natural spices with different ingredients such as mango coconut shrimp, butter chicken, salmon cream, and cashew nut keema. This season's signature menu, “Fish Curry,†is a curry stewed with 14 kinds of natural spices, herbs, and coconuts, and is mainly white fish steak. As a garnish, I finished it with sweet pumpkin, lime, herbs, and coriander. If you sprinkle lime evenly on the curry before eating, the flavor will be fresh and refreshing. The curry with the sweet flavor of coconut blends harmoniously while gently enveloping the light white fish steak. Note that fish curry will only be sold until the end of September.
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: 62 Seongbuk-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul
▲Opening hours: Tuesday — Friday 12:00 — 15:00, Saturday 12:00 — closed on Sundays and Mondays when supplies run out
â–²Price: Fish curry 13,000 won, spinach curry 9,000 won
â–²Testimonial (Shikigin Toronto's New House): It's a small curry shop, but it's always full of waits. I checked the menu on the official Instagram and visited. I ate this season's fish curry. Fish and curry? It was an unfamiliar combination, but the visuals were delicious, and it was so delicious! The grilled fish was savory and light without any fishy flavor, so it went well with curry.
4. Bukgajwa's “Kimchi Jjigae without a Sign†with a simple yet rich arrangement
Image source: Andienously's Instagram
Image source: Andienously's Instagram
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: 31-10, Jung-ro 32an-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul
▲Business hours: 11:30 — 15:00 on weekdays, closed on weekends
â–²Price: Kimchi stew plus air rice 5,000 won, fried egg 1,000 won
â–²Testimonial (praise from Chine Shikigami): I thought there was a restaurant in a place like this, but I was surprised that there were more people inside than I thought. It's full of nostalgic feeling like visiting a real country house! Kimchi stew is so full of meat that it keeps getting soaked every time you unpack the ladle. I really think it's one of the best value restaurants in Seoul!
5. A bowl of rib soup filled with a warm heart, a “rib soup restaurant†in Majang-dong
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Image source: changho5606's Instagram
Image source: Bling_ock's Instagram
A “rib soup restaurant†that a grandmother over the age of 80 has been making for decades. When you open the colorful iron door with the name of the menu written on it, you'll be greeted by a nostalgic interior that looks like you've come to an old country house. The signature menu, “rib soup,†is served in a large stainless steel bowl filled with plenty of ribs and hot broth and topped with plenty of sun-dried green onions. The soup, which has a light flavor without being greasy, is subtly soaked in the aroma of green onions and has an even deeper flavor. The meat that uses LA ribs instead of whole ribs is so tender that the bones and lean meat are easily separated. It's fun to roll rice in soup and eat a combination of side dishes to suit your taste, such as kakuteki, Chinese cabbage kimchi, and pickled green pepper.
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: 10-7 Cheonggyecheon-ro 10ga-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul
▲Opening hours: 09:00 — 15:00 every day, closed on Sundays, early closing when supplies run out
â–²Price: Rib soup 7,000 won
â–²Review (Shikigami Noosek Namneubli): I went there as soon as it opened, and it was even more delicious because I was able to eat it with freshly cooked rice! The boss said that the pickled red pepper that comes as a cold dish is delicious even if you mix it with rice, but it's a real delicacy! They kept bringing me more soup and rice, and I really felt like I came to Grandma's house. Even after I finished eating, my mouth wasn't stuffy and I felt refreshed. My husband ate it in a special size, but the meat was so huge that his stomach burst.
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