Setori Hall

Hongik Univ. Station <Je M'appelle>. Earl Grey Double O. A bottom layer of pie that stays crisp to the end, grapefruit and pineapple purée, and bergamot Earl Grey cream. The care given to the ingredients is evident, while the shop is comfortable and the service exceptionally kind. One of the few places genuinely worth visiting near AK Plaza.

Hongik Univ. Station <Amenohi Coffee>. You can drink coffee brewed from beans roasted by Nizami Yoko, the protagonist of the film The Coffeemaker. It differs from the style currently popular in Korea, but is very good. The owners are a Japanese couple, and Japanese can be heard throughout the café. The shop is clean and small. Photography is prohibited except for the menu.

Hongik Univ. <The Real Cheeseburger>. No angle could rescue its appearance, so I reluctantly posted this photo, but the flavor is real. It comes closest to my ideal completed form of an American-style cheeseburger. Nothing shouts over the rest, yet every stat—bun, patty, cheese, and all other elements—fills out a perfect hexagon. Its only flaw is how it looks.

Hongik Univ. <Tamtam Five-Spice Jokbal>. Half spicy jokbal and half garlic jokbal. It is easy to think all jokbal is alike, but the balance of the unexpectedly spicy level-one seasoning is exquisite. Aside from too few wrapping greens, the meal was quite satisfying. Unless you cannot tolerate heat, there seems little here to dislike. A good place, though somewhat distant from the venues.

Hongdae <Banga Charcoal Dakgalbi> flagship. The staff grills the chicken for you, and it was unexpectedly delicious. Salt, garlic, and spicy soy seasoning are served by default. I am curious about the marinated dakgalbi too. The price is somewhat high for this kind of restaurant, but not prohibitively so, and I will probably return once. The chicken was tender and full of juice.

Hongik Univ. Station <Mentaku>. It is remarkable that someone without a famous lineage reached this point through independent training. The tsukejiru is richer than anything I have encountered recently, topped with ground sesame and perilla seeds. The crucial noodles are excellent, and the chashu—changed from sous vide to a whole pork-belly preparation—is good too. Extra noodles are mandatory. More than willing to return.

Hongdae <Sumeun Kkochi>. Lamb skewers grilled before serving. If you crave lamb but dislike the smell clinging to your clothes, this ranks high among the available choices. The meat is good, while the dumplings and mushrooms hit exactly the point one hopes for from this kind of food. Very good for a clean, uncomplicated dinner.

Sinchon <Tacomong>. Famous and delicious enough to draw a line early. The spicy sauce prepared for the okonomiyaki is exactly assertive enough and pairs well, but above all, the octopus in the takoyaki was excellent. Tenderly cooked while retaining proper spring, it made my first takoyaki in a long time deeply satisfying.

Hongik Univ. Station <Oretachi Curry>. The curry alone makes this an excellent place. Flavors are deep and concentrated, with the aromas of multiple spices condensed well. Extra scallion is free and worth adding. If you want good curry without an overly abundant or heavy meal, this is a choice you will not regret.

Hongik Univ. <Dongdong Gomguk>. Clear beef soup. The rice is served through *toryeom*. Has a bowl of gukbap ever warmed your heart? I can now answer that it happened one rainy lunchtime. The meat is tender, the broth neither light nor heavy, and the salinity is balanced at an optimum that could satisfy nearly anyone. This is how gukbap should be.