Jang-an-dong weekday lunch shabu-shabu and rosé risotto: Shabu Torang

With the weather turning cooler lately, I found myself craving something warm, so my husband and I decided on shabu-shabu (hot pot with thinly sliced meat) for lunch. While searching for shabu-shabu places in Jang-an-dong, one caught my eye for not being too pricey while also having a different setup from typical shabu-shabu spots. That's Shabu Torang in Jang-an-dong.

• Address: 146 Janghan-ro, 1st floor, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours: 11:00–22:00

The name itself sounds like a mashup of "shabu-shabu" and "restaurant," so I was curious what kind of place it'd be. Once I actually went, the space was clean and the atmosphere was pretty nice.

Inside Shabu Torang Jang-an: atmosphere and seating

Even though we visited during an early weekday lunch, there were quite a lot of people. The interior was overall neatly arranged, which made a good first impression, and the seating was varied too. There were solo seats for eating comfortably alone, as well as spots good for families, so it seemed like a fine place for solo dining, dates, or family outings alike. It also felt like a comfortable enough atmosphere for a couple like us to grab a weekday lunch.

Where to park at Shabu Torang Jang-an

Shabu Torang has a parking lot set up behind the building, so it was fine to visit by car too. Whether a restaurant has parking is something I care about when choosing where to eat, and being able to park right behind the building made things easy.

Ordering toryang shabu and sukiyaki for two

Since it was just the two of us, we ordered different menus. I picked the basic toryang shabu, and my husband chose the sukiyaki. Since it's one pot per person, it's great for picking whatever suits your own taste. I also liked that you can add whatever toppings you want on top of the base menu.

I usually love shabu-shabu, so I ordered the basic one, and cooking each ingredient one by one in the warm broth reminded me that nothing beats shabu-shabu for lunch. My husband is a meat lover, so he ordered the sukiyaki, and it was nice being able to enjoy different menus at the same restaurant. Even visiting as a pair, you don't have to order the same thing — each person can pick what they're craving, which I liked.

And it doesn't just end with the shabu-shabu — this place had a slightly special extra to the meal. The dessert menu.

Cream pasta and rosé risotto to finish the shabu-shabu?

This was also the part I was most curious about when I first looked up Shabu Torang. Usually after finishing shabu-shabu, people wrap up with kalguksu (knife-cut noodles) or porridge, but here you could enjoy pasta or risotto as dessert instead. Pasta after shabu-shabu — the combination struck me as odd at first.

That day I ordered the cream pasta and my husband ordered the rosé risotto. We were already pretty full from the shabu-shabu, but somehow, once I thought of it as dessert, it went down fine haha.

My cream pasta came with a smooth cream sauce, which worked well as a finishing dish after shabu-shabu. I also tried a bite of my husband's rosé risotto — it had that signature rosé softness with a slight kick of spice, giving off a different charm from the cream pasta. Finishing shabu-shabu with pasta or risotto isn't a common combo, so it felt refreshing and fun.

At first I worried that adding dessert on top of shabu-shabu would be way too much, but since we split a dish each, it turned out to be less filling than expected.

Is Shabu Torang worth it for lunch in Jang-an-dong?

This weekday lunch visit with my husband to Shabu Torang, a shabu-shabu spot in Jang-an-dong, was satisfying overall. The prices were relatively reasonable too, but what stuck with me most was that it's not just shabu-shabu — you get to finish with pasta or risotto at the end.

It'd suit shabu-shabu lovers, of course, but also anyone wanting a slightly different way to finish a meal instead of the usual kalguksu or porridge. Above all, the restaurant was clean and had varied seating, so it looked like a good fit for many situations — solo dining, family outings, dates. We had a relaxed weekday lunch here as a couple, and it's a good option to keep in mind when figuring out where to eat lunch in Jang-an-dong.

If you're curious about a unique combination of shabu-shabu, pasta, and risotto all in one place, I'd recommend Shabu Torang!