Seoul restaurant in Insa-dong: pine nut soft tofu makguksu at Goshine

From the Do Ho Suh exhibition to lunch in Insa-dong

I did some culture-consuming today for the first time in a while — went to see the Do Ho Suh exhibition that's super hot right now. It's actually really hard to book, but my sister took care of the reservation for me~ These days everything's scanned in with QR codes at entry, too. Might feel a bit unfamiliar for older folks, but the security was great and it was convenient.

I'll write a proper post about the amazing Do Ho Suh exhibition another time. After admiring works that made me gasp, I got hungry and headed over to nearby Insa-dong. It was blazing sun in the middle of the day and still hot, so I decided on cool mul-makguksu, done deal. Whenever I actually come play in Insa-dong I always agonize over where to go, but this time it was a place tucked in an alley just inside Ssamziegil with real hanok charm —

Goshine Donghae Makguksu Jongno branch

— where every single dish, from buckwheat gimbap to avocado gimbap to mul-makguksu to bibim-guksu, was so delicious, and the space was pretty too, so it turned into a genuinely happy meal.

Where is Goshine Donghae Makguksu Jongno branch, and what are the hours?

Goshine Donghae Makguksu Jongno branch is 260m from Exit 6 of Anguk Station (Line 3), right in the alley just before you get to Ssamziegil. It's open daily 11:00–21:00, with a break time from 16:00–17:00, and last order at 21:00. There's no parking, so let's all just walk to Insa-dong❣️

The daytime streets of Insa-dong, lively and full of foreign visitors

Inside the hanok: a noodle house that feels like a traditional tea room

Inside Goshine Donghae Makguksu Jongno branch

Wait, is this really a makguksu place? I thought I'd walked into some pretty traditional tea house. High ceilings with exposed beams and old-fashioned props.

Our assigned seat was also really lovely.

Avocado gimbap and salad buckwheat gimbap at Goshine

I ordered the Goshine pine nut soft tofu makguksu, salad buckwheat gimbap, avocado gimbap and more from the kiosk.

Gimbap (seaweed rice roll) with absolutely stunning visuals

With one bite, the calm, subtle aroma of the buckwheat noodle wrap gives way to the creamy, nutty richness of avocado spreading smoothly through. The mayo sauce and crunchy vegetables add texture that keeps it light instead of greasy — anyway, both were seriously delicious.

If you're looking for a Jongno restaurant in Seoul or a Korean restaurant near Anguk Station, don't go anywhere else. Come to Goshine Donghae Makguksu and make sure you order the buckwheat salad gimbap and the avocado gimbap.

I wish I could roll gimbap this well too... No rice at all — it's built on a base of buckwheat noodles, with paprika, pickled radish and the usual gimbap fillings packed tightly inside. Meanwhile the gimbap at my house always bursts at the seams lol.

Mul-makguksu is mild, bibim-guksu is quietly spicy

Cool mul-makguksu topped with sesame seeds.

Unlike the sharp or sour store-bought broths you often get, this one was mild and refreshing. The house-made buckwheat noodles had that signature snap-but-soft texture. If you want more punch you can add vinegar or mustard, but at first I just ate it plain to enjoy the mild, nutty buckwheat flavor as it was. There was a little dadaegi (chili paste) mixed in, so the seasoning was just right.

And then the subtly spicy bibim-guksu. Clean seasoning, not sweet.

The sweet-and-tangy bibim-makguksu paired perfectly with the light avocado buckwheat gimbap.

Why the pine nut soft tofu makguksu is worth ordering

And a strong recommendation for the pine nut soft tofu makguksu. Wow~~ it was like Korean-style carbonara. Incredibly savory and smooth.

Goshine Donghae Makguksu Jongno branch is a place I want to go back to just for this pine nut soft tofu makguksu and the avocado gimbap.

One last shot of the avocado gimbap before I go. If you're looking for a good Insa-dong restaurant or a Jongno restaurant in Seoul, stop agonizing and head to Goshine Donghae Makguksu Jongno branch❣️