Hanseong Kalguksu (Apgujeong, Seoul) has been on my must-try list for quite some time, and I finally had the chance to visit!

Located in the bustling Apgujeong food alley, this restaurant has a lot to offer. One thing that stood out was that I could bring my own wine to enjoy with my meal. The corkage fee is just 10,000 won, and they even provide wine glasses and a corkscrew.

Hanseong Kalguksu is on the second floor of the building. Despite it being a weekday evening, the restaurant was packed with customers. Luckily, we only had to wait behind three other groups.

The large space and number of diners made for a lively atmosphere. If you're planning to visit, I’d recommend making a reservation, especially if you'd like a private room.

Menu

For the area, the prices were quite reasonable. This restaurant is a great choice for dinner, and the menu pairs well with alcohol, which is why it attracts so many visitors.

We ordered Kalguksu (noodles) and a small portion of Suyuk (boiled beef). 

Banchan (Side dishes)

For side dishes, we had seasoned chives, kimchi, and mul-kimchi. The side dishes were lightly seasoned, making them perfect accompaniments to the Kalguksu. While the kimchi didn’t stand out much, the chives and mul-kimchi were particularly excellent.

When you order Suyuk, you also get lettuce, garlic, soy sauce, and ssamjang to wrap the beef.

Suyuk (small)  30,000 won

The Suyuk was incredibly tender. It was delicious on its own or wrapped in lettuce with a little soy sauce. In hindsight, we probably should’ve ordered the larger portion, as the extra 10,000 won would have been well worth it.

Kalguksu  11,000 won

The Kalguksu was served with a clean beef broth that wasn’t bland at all. Topped with green onions and seasoned zucchini, the flavor was subtle but satisfying. The noodles were cooked to perfection, and the broth was delicious.

What impressed me about Hanseong Kalguksu is that it blends flavors from Hwanghae province (North Korea) and Seoul, offering a unique fusion of tastes.

We finished the Kalguksu and decided to order more food, including Nakji-bokkeum (stir-fried octopus) and Jeobsi-mandu (dumplings).

Nakji-bokkeum  38,000 won

Normally, noodles are added to Nakji-bokkeum, but we opted not to. This turned out to be a good decision. The dish came with large chunks of octopus and onion, all seasoned with red pepper powder and red pepper paste for a spicy kick.

The octopus was cooked perfectly, so it wasn’t rubbery at all. The texture was just the right amount of chewiness, making it very tasty.

Jeobsi-mandu  10,000 won

The Jeobsi-mandu came on a plate, while the Anju-mandu was served in soup. Since the soup in the Anju-mandu seemed to be similar to the Kalguksu broth, we skipped that. The Jeobsi-mandu had chives inside, which added a fresh flavor, and the dumplings themselves were very soft. As a fan of dumplings, I can confidently say these were excellent.

We had a fantastic dinner for 89,000 won. While the final amount wasn’t cheap, given the location, it was still a great deal considering the quality of the food. Everything we tried was delicious, but my personal favorites were the Suyuk and Jeobsi-mandu. The Nakji-bokkeum and Kalguksu were also great choices, making for a truly enjoyable meal.

Address : 14, Eonju-ro 148-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul OPEN GOOGLE MAP

Phone : +82-2-544-0540

Operation Hours : Sunday-Friday : 11:30 - 21:50 (break time 15:00 - 17:00, Saturday closed)

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Source : https://blog.naver.com/pss701002/222977965103

Writer : pss701002

Special thanks to pss701002

hanseong kalguksu seoul apgujeong restaurant