All-you-can-eat Shabu-shabu restaurant. A cozy spot to warm yourself with some hot shabu-shabu on a chilly day, while taking in the sights of the city outside.

​Shabu-shabu is always on my mind throughout the chilly winter months. Tender meat and well-cooked veggies in a light, savory soup is one of my favorite dishes.

While considering where to hold a year-end celebration with friends. I chose Modern Shabu House (gwanghwamun branch), which is easily accessible, clean, delicious, and has positive vibes!

A wonderful city view overlooking Gwanghwamun Square, as well as a clean and luxurious décor reminiscent of a hotel restaurant. This a location I wish to recommend for meetings or family meals!

 

Location

Modern Shabu House (Gwanghwamun) is located on the fifth level of D Tower, five minutes on foot from Gwanghwamun Subway Station. It operates in Express Bus Terminal, Jamsil area, and Yeouido besides this Gwanghwamun branch.

The express terminal branch is dazzling in white tones, whilst the Gwanghwamun branch has a luxurious impression in black tones! I prefer this Gwanghwamun store. 

 

Interior

If there are two of you, always reserve a window seat. Rooms for larger groups are also available.

Modern Shabu House (​gwanghwamun) offers a slightly dimmer lighting scheme and a posh, hotel-like ambiance. The window seat is the most popular of these seats. Through the window, a view of Gwanghwamun's cityscape can be seen.

If you are going with a partner or friend, it would be wonderful to sit next to each other. However, to secure a window seat, it is advisable to make a reservation in advance.

There is a salad bar in the center. Is there another shabu-shabu restaurant with this level of luxury? This branch has the largest area compared to others, thus it is less crowded and the mood is pleasant.

Private room for groups: extra 50,000 won

There is a private space inside that is suitable for group gatherings or family dinners. The room is not free to use, but if you need a private, peaceful spot to eat, it's not a bad option!

There is also a standard 4-person table seat by the window, and overall, there is enough space and dividers between tables, so eating in the hall is not crowded and comfortable.

 

Menu

Signature 58,000 won / Special 78,000 won / Premium 140,000 won (per person)

You can choose your preferred broth out of nine varieties. All-you-can-eat dinners include 4 varieties of meat, 15 types of veggies, plus rice/noodles and drinks!

The distinction between Signature, Special, and Premium lies in the cut of meat and country of origin. It is stated that if you order Special, you will receive the greatest quality of Hanwoo (Korean beef). Please note that students in elementary school and newborns are charged 50% and 30% of the adult price.

For menu browsing and ordering, iPads are available. You may choose one of three courses based on the number of diners, and this iPad makes it very easy to order extra meat in between.

The iPad can also be used to order drinks. Draft beer, soju, wine, and champagne were all on offer, and the cost of alcoholic beverages was not as high as I had anticipated. Corkage is 20,000 won, thus bringing wine is also recommended.

 

A total of 9 types of broth to choose from

Savory mushroom / Fresh yuzu cheong-yang / Coconut green curry / Sweet and sour tomato / Spicy Soybean Paste / Truffle / Milky cream / Sukiyaki / Spicy and sour kimchi

I've been multiple times and tried four different types of broth, but the mushroom broth is my favorite. Consider it a clear brown-toned basic broth that appears when you visit a shabu-shabu restaurant in general!

The Yuja Cheongyang broth has a refreshing flavor similar to Yuzu Ramen, so I was able to eat it without becoming greasy.

​Broth replacement : 10,000 won

Furthermore, there are many interesting broths available, such as coconut curry, milky cream, and tomato, so I wanted to try it, but that day, as usual, I got it with an ordinary taste.

If you wish to change the broth in between, you can do so for an additional charge of 10,000 won, so if you have a broth you'd like to test, you can.

 

The meal menu changes depending on the broth

- Mushroom : Truffle cream risotto

- Yuja cheongyang : Yuja cheongyang ramen

- Coconut green curry : Green curry udon

- Tomato : Cheese tomato pasta

- Soybean paste : Spicy soybean paste ramen

- Truffle : Clear truffle somen

- Milky cream : Cheese risotto

- Sukiyaki : Stir-fried Udon

- Kimchi : Kimchi rosé risotto

The variety of broth types is what makes this place so appealing. The course is completed with rice (risotto) or noodles (ramen/somen/udon/fried noodles) depending on the broth you choose.

 

Taste

Vegetables and meat are of such high quality that they are guaranteed to be excellent. Enjoy a relaxing and enjoyable meal with the help of friendly staff.

There are four types of mushrooms and a wide range of vegetables that are perfect for shabu-shabu at the salad bar. Furthermore, rice cakes and sweet pumpkins are available. As needed, fresh and well-kept vegetables can be brought from the salad bar.

 

A total of 4 types of meat are served

The meat is neatly prepared in a bento style. They give you all four types at the start, but all you have to do is try them and add the ones you prefer. I was skeptical of pork in shabu-shabu, but the taste was fantastic. I was supposed to eat only beef, but the pork was equally good.

 

Two types of sauces: Soy sauce and Peanut sauce

Staff suggested combining soy sauce with green onions and peppers, and peanut sauce with minced garlic, so we made the sauce according to his guidance.

Because it is boiled with induction, it is easy to manage the heat, and the broth boils fast, making it ideal for eating quickly.

 

Complimentary soft drinks

While the broth is boiling, you can go to the beverage bar and bring a drink of your choice.

Put all the vegetables into the broth and boil it.

​It is better to start with beef.

Soy Sauce : a refreshing and spicy flavor because of the red pepper and green onion

Peanut Sauce : a silky and creamy taste with a garlic flavor.

 

Salad Bar

If you request additional meat via iPad, the staff will deliver it to you. Go to the salad bar and bring any vegetables you want. There are so many different types of fresh vegetables.

When you ask for extra meat, this robot will occasionally deliver it to you.

​You can now relax your belt and enjoy the cuisine. When there are a lot of diners, ordering additional meat causes a minor delay, so please keep in mind that you must order ahead of time so that you can eat without interruption.

As a benefit of all-you-can-eat, you can request four more plates at once. However, consider the environment and never leave food behind. Of course, I never leave food behind.

 

Truffle Cream Risotto (from choosing the mushroom broth)

We had roughly ten boxes of meat and three baskets of veggies.

Meals are prepared as soon as you notify the staff. They cooked the risotto with cream and soaked rice at the table, and the heart-shaped truffle oil and parsley powder at the end were so lovely.

 

Spicy soybean paste broth

Did you believe the dinner was finished? Nope, we changed the broth to a spicy soybean paste flavor. You've traveled this far, so you can't possibly taste just one broth.

As part of a spicy soybean broth meal, Ramen was offered. If you're Korean, you'll appreciate the ramen at the end. They used freshly prepared noodles rather than instant noodles.

 

Strawberry ice-pop (dessert)

Dessert is also available to refresh your palate. Serving treats like fruit or plum tea is a little inconvenient, but customers adore this type of service.

Fresh strawberry sherbet was the perfect ending to our dinner.

After a big dinner, there is a promenade along the Cheonggyecheon Stream in front of the building where you can walk for a while to soothe your stomach before heading home.

 

Conclusion

Excellent in every way: flavor, ambiance, service, ease of access, and convenience. The pricing is a little high for Shabu-shabu, but I believe it is reasonable given the quality.

 

Address : 5F D-Tower, 246 Cheongjin-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul OPEN GOOGLE MAP

Phone : +82-2-2251-8501

Operation Hours : Monday-Sunday : 11:30 - 22:00

Instagram : Click for more images

 

Source : https://blog.naver.com/xoxox_/222968936764

Writer : xoxox_

Special thanks to xoxox_

 

modernshabu house seoul all-you-can-eat gwanghwamun citycenter