Family shabu-shabu with cream pasta, Jang-an-dong: Shabu Torang

On days when I have to eat alone, there's one place I keep going back to: Shabu Torang Jang-an Direct Branch (샤브토랑 장안직영점) in Jang-an-dong. The shabu-shabu is single-serving, so eating solo is easy, and the prices are easy on the wallet too. I've been many times already. It's my go-to spot.

Today was different, though: I brought the kids and my husband. I was curious whether a place I loved for solo meals would work for a family outing too, and to give you the conclusion first, everyone was happy with this meal.

Shabu Torang Jang-an Direct Branch: location, hours and parking

Shabu Torang Jang-an Direct Branch is at 146 Janghan-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, on the 1st floor. It's open daily from 11:00 to 22:00 (last order 21:00). You can park behind the building.

Seating that works for solo meals and family dinners

The restaurant has both solo bar seats and tables for 2–4 people. Coming alone, it's quiet and comfortable to eat; coming with family, we could relax and enjoy the meal.

Above all, the biggest plus is one pot per person, so everyone can eat the way they like. Since the kids were with us, my husband and I both chose the mild broth, and the kids ate it without any fuss.

What we ordered with the kids

With the kids along, I ordered more than usual.

• Mild shabu-shabu for 2
• Extra beef belly
• Extra Kkomuri fish balls
• Extra kalguksu (knife-cut noodles)
• Cream pasta
• Cream risotto

Fresh vegetables and tender beef belly

Once the mild broth came to a boil, we added napa cabbage, bok choy, mushrooms and bean sprouts, then briefly cooked the beef belly.

The meat was really tender and the vegetables were fresh, which made the broth even deeper. I dipped back and forth between the soy sauce and the chili sauce, and each had its own charm. The peanut sauce was nutty and went well too.

The kids ate the meat so enthusiastically that we ended up ordering more beef belly.

Kkomuri fish balls the kids loved

The first thing the kids grabbed was the Kkomuri fish balls.

The fish balls are shaped like little fish, so the kids shouted "It's a fish!" and loved them. They're chewy yet soft, perfect for simmering in the mild broth. The kids ate them so well that we'll definitely add them again next time.

Kalguksu, the classic shabu-shabu finish

After the meat and vegetables, we finished with kalguksu. Adding the noodles to a broth full of the flavor of the meat and vegetables made it even richer, and the chewy noodles were really good. I'd recommend adding kalguksu for a filling meal.

Shabu Torang's cream pasta: why I keep coming back

Honestly, the biggest reason I come to Shabu Torang so often is the cream pasta. I order it almost every time, even when I'm alone.

It's made by adding cream sauce to the leftover shabu-shabu broth, so it's rich and deeply flavored, and I end up eating it every visit.

The kids said it was delicious and ate it up.

Cream risotto, a perfect finish

I was full, but I couldn't give up the cream risotto.

The nutty cream sauce combined with the flavor of the shabu-shabu broth gave it a lovely rich taste. It has a different charm from the cream pasta, and I'd recommend it as a closing dish.

A solo-dining favorite: good for family meals too?

Shabu Torang Jang-an Direct Branch is a regular spot where I usually eat alone, but this time I went with the kids and my husband, and it was really satisfying as a family meal too.

The kids enjoyed the mild broth, Kkomuri fish balls and kalguksu, while my husband and I added beef belly and ate our fill. We wrapped up happily with my favorites, the cream pasta and cream risotto.

I recommend this Jang-an-dong shabu-shabu spot both to people looking for a good place to eat solo and to those looking for somewhere to eat out with kids. I think I'll be back again, whether alone or with family.