[FOOD COURT] Four tried-and-true foodie recs near SNUE

K-campus

[FOOD COURT] Four tried-and-true foodie recs near SNUE

Published: 23 May. 2023, 18:08

Samsan Hoegwan's kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew) [SAMSAN HOEGWAN]

The streets of Seocho District, southern Seoul, aren’t just filled with high-end shops and tourists but also students attending the nearby Seoul National University of Education.

The university is located next to the Seoul National University of Education Station, amid a busy office district.

With both university students and office workers in the neighborhood, restaurants in the area are guaranteed to have everything you need. Ranging from fast-serving restaurants that allow customers to have a quick meal in between classes and short lunch breaks to ones that offer a fancy eating-out experience, the area has it all.

If you happen to pass by the area and are wondering what restaurants to visit, here are some recommendations by the Korea JoongAng Daily.

Seogwan Myeonok

Seogwan Myeonok's goldong naengmyeon (buckwheat noodles in cold broth), which uses a nutty perilla and sesame seed sauce [LEE TAE-HEE]

Seogwan Myeonok is a restaurant specializing in naengmyeon (buckwheat noodles in cold broth). The noodles are all made from buckwheat flour, which gives them a nice grainy flavor. When first thinking of naengmyeon, many would either think of the classic naengmyeon that comes in a cold beef broth or the bibim naengmyeon, served with a spicy sauce that customers thoroughly mix. But the restaurant offers a unique twist through a dish called the "goldong" naengmyeon.

The dish is essentially similar to bibim naengmyeon, but the sauce has nutty flavors instead of the usual spiciness. The sauce is made of perilla seeds, perilla oil, sesame seed powder and crushed gim, also known as dried seaweed. A sweet soy sauce is drizzled on the noodles to add a bit more flavor. If you are unsure how much sauce should be used, ask the employees to pour the amount most customers choose. They will leave the sauce bottle behind in case you want to add more.

Other classic types of naengmyeon are also offered, with noodles with cold broth made in the traditional Pyongyang style. The dish's broth does taste beefy but is much milder than the Hamheung-style one, which has more acidity and sweetness.

11, Seocho-daero 56-gil, Seocho District, southern Seoul
Business hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
0507-1403-9946

Lee Yeo Gomtang

Gomtang with noodles sold at Lee Yeo Gomtang [LEE TAE-HEE]

A warm bowl of gomtang, or beef bone soup, is a dish guaranteed to warm you up, which is what Lee Yeo Gomtang offers. All gomtang sold at the restaurant uses hanwoo, or Korean beef, but has an affordable price of 9,000 won ($6.8) per bowl for the specialty.

The soup is topped with heaps of green onion and has a rich and savory taste. Those who've eaten gomtang before may notice that the broth's color is rather dark for the dish — almost dark brown — and has a robust and concentrated beef flavor.

Koreans commonly dunk a bowl of rice in the bowl, but customers here can order noodles to go with the dish. The restaurant uses rice noodles, which are very similar to the Vietnamese kind but are thicker and sturdier.

19-15, Seocho-daero 46-gil, Seocho District, southern Seoul
Business hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
02-598-9337

Minami

Soba sold at Minami [MINAMI]

Minami is the place to go for anyone who wants a well-made dish. The restaurant has been popular for its exquisite taste, selected as a Bib Gourmand restaurant, a designation given by the Michelin Guide to restaurants offering excellent food at reasonable prices.

Various types of soba, or Japanese buckwheat noodles, are offered at the restaurant. One of its popular dishes is the anago nanban, which grills salt-water eels and places them on top of a warm bowl of buckwheat noodles. For those who prefer meat to fish, the kamo nanban is a good choice, served with tender duck meat marinated in soy sauce and grilled green onions to add a bit of smoky flavor.

Apart from noodles, customers can also try the soba maki, or a Japanese sushi roll that uses soba noodles instead of rice, along with other ingredients such as tuna and cucumber.

Due to its popularity, walk-in customers will have to wait a long time at Minami. For those who prefer a shorter wait, making a reservation before you go can be a good idea.

31-2, Seocho-daero 58-gil, Seocho District, southern Seoul,
Business hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
0507-1322-0373

Samsan Hoegwan

Kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew) sold at Samsan Hoegwan [SAMSAN HOEGWAN]

Samsan Hoegwan is a restaurant known for kimchi jjigae, or kimchi stew, which is a staple in Korean cuisine. Although a restaurant selling kimchi jjigae might seem less special, the restaurant adds hunks of meat and tofu to serve a very filling meal. There are three types of kimchi jjigae at the restaurant, using either pork, sausage or tuna as its main topping.

Those who like meat can go for the grilled pork and kimchi option, similar to jeyuk bokkeum, or stir-fried pork. The sauce is a bit spicy but has a stronger sweetness that makes it easy for non-spice lovers to eat as well.

The restaurant is built to resemble an indoor pocha, or a Korean tent bar serving food, and can be quite noisy and crowded at busy lunch and dinner times. Summer and fall could be the best times to visit the restaurant, with a terrace space available for customers.

77, Banpo-daero 28-gil, Seocho District, southern Seoul,
Business hours: 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.
02-588-1571

BY LEE TAE-HEE [lee.taehee2@joongang.co.kr]