Note: No Side has closed

Quick Bites and Drinks: Hongdae
No Side: Hiroshima Okonomiyaki
Chefs should be serious and when they get angry when you are taking pictures of their food, then you know there must be a special reason. The chef trained in Hiroshima to learn his craft and he brought what he has learned to Hongdae. This popular place has shrimp, samgyeopsal, squid, and cheese for toppings. The secret is the use of Japanese style ramen noodles. www.noside.co.kr 02-3143-5963. CLOSED

Penang
It’s a Chinese Restaurant in Hongdae that’s all right. The interior is classy and it’s a good place for a date or for a business luncheon. I had the duck dish and it is like a moo shoo pork but with Vietnamese rice paper rolls. The Chinese food is not the typical style you’d find in Korea. I don’t recall seeing Jja jja myeong on the menu. 02-325-3114.

BaB
Excellent Korean restaurant that is right next to the main park in Hongdae. The side dishes are so good that the restaurant won’t give you utensils to eat them until the main course comes out. Their bulgogi, sundubu, and nokdu jeon are excellent. 02-334-1866.

Coffee Prince
Named after the very popular MBC drama, you can see the place that started the whole barista craze in Korea. It’s hidden behind Ho Bar and you have to make a left at a large picture of a cat. Inside you’ll find a beautiful 2 story café that is beautifully decorated. The coffee is top notch and you can have your Coffee Prince or Princess serve you. www.coffeeprincekorea.com 02-786-4018.

Club Evans
This is the best Jazz club in Hongdae. The venue has amazing energy and vibe. The patrons have very high expectations and the musicians all seem to thrive off it. On Friday and Saturday nights, there is not a seat left in the house. This is a place that will definitely impress any guest you may have. So go here early, get a martini and get ready to listen to some jazz. There is a cover charge. www.clubevans.com 02-337-8361.

Samgori Poja
The red tent where Jangdari-gil and Wausan-gil meet has been a mainstay in Hongdae. It has standard tent food fare. You can get great Egg Omelets (Gaeran Roll) or Kimchi with Tofu. Get your soju and maekju on here.

Club Palm
When Club Evans is totally packed, a good second option is Club Palm. It’s a smaller bar, but they also have excellent jazz acts. It’s right across from the park. Be sure to call and make a reservation. www.clubpalm.co.kr 02-336-9016.

Studio 80’s
Sometimes the millennium is just too much to handle so you wanna cocoon back to the 80’s. A great place to do this is at Studio 80’s. The place is loaded with vinyl LPs and the dance floor starts to fill up once the Karma Chameleon gets a rocking. It’s down from Sangsu Station exit 1. Make a left right before the 7-11. 02-332-7335.