Sound Station

<Ego Soufflé> Hapjeong flagship. Crème brûlée soufflé. The soufflé itself is genuinely delicious, with a finely made texture extending all the way through. If anything, it was almost a shame that so much cream covered and slightly obscured the soufflé's inherent appeal. The sweetness was gentle, with a pleasantly long finish. Commemorating the first use of the homework cheki.

Hapjeong <Menya Su>. Special duck shoyu ramen. From the Menya Jun lineage, and easily national top-tier in soup depth and finish. The chashu and menma also reveal meticulous attention to detail. If forced to name a flaw, perhaps the ajitama is a little ordinary. That is how little there is to criticize. A superb bowl.

Hapjeong <Honghong>. Directly beside the station exit. Posters and photographs from Chungking Express and A Moment of Romance clutter the walls. I order the yuringi every time, while both the fried noodles and fried rice are cooked with exquisite control. The flavors are excellent even as a meal rather than drinking food. Open late into the night.

This is a world champion's pizza. Hapjeong <Spacca Napoli>. Having spent a week at the Naples World Pizza Championship eating nothing but pizzas from past world champions in place of regular meals, I can say with confidence that the Margherita here is genuinely world-class.

Hapjeong <Kkinkkin>. I have a vague distrust of food near busy station districts, but exceptions always exist. The cooking respects fundamentals, making it comfortable to eat. The moment my companion's pad Thai arrived, the aroma said today's choice was a success. A place that handles fire well.

Hapjeong <Shinchan and Fukumaru>. Shinchan Ramen, an all-rounder famous in Incheon for consistently polished results while trying all kinds of experiments, opened its third branch today. The base soup is balanced and deeply savory, and this place handles aroma oil exceptionally well. Another heavyweight has entered the ramen battleground of Hapjeong. Very good.

Hapjeong <Jaja>. A return after a long absence. The yuringi was as excellent as the tangsuyuk, and the XO fried rice should also be ordered. I especially liked the chili *gan-jjajang*. Its wok character was not superficial scorching added at the end under the name of “fire flavor,” but something naturally integrated into every ingredient. A welcome trace of real wok work.

Hapjeong <Jaja>. There was Chinese food this serious near Hapjeong Station? The fried rice showed a rare level of recent detail, while the *gan-jjajang* was thick, concentrated, and gently infused with wok aroma. The pan-fried dumplings were handmade and delicious. The tangsuyuk stood out especially for a batter texture preserving the original form of old-style *tenpura*. I will return.

Hapjeong <Gulraem>. Rarely, it has bar seating, so dining alone feels completely natural. Instead of tiny pieces no bigger than a fingertip, the skewers carry substantial chunks of lamb. The fried rice in the two-person set was well cooked, and above all, the meat was quite excellent. Even beyond being solo-lamb-skewer friendly, I want to return.