Hongdae Korean restaurant for spicy pork tail dishes: Anok

Hongdae has an incredible number of good restaurants, but maybe because it skews younger, there are really no Pyongyang naengmyeon spots in Hongdae even if you search right now. Gomtang is much the same. But I heard a new Hongdae spot serving both Pyongyang naengmyeon and gomtang had opened within about a 10-minute walk from Exit 9 of Hongik University Station. This is Anok (안옥).

Anok, a Korean restaurant above a Hongdae alley staircase

If your map route tells you to climb stairs, you have found the right place. As soon as you get up the stairs, the Anok building is right there!

When you think of Hongdae, there are lots of hip, casual restaurants, but this place definitely has a different feel among those alleys. It feels like a newly built hanok (traditional Korean house) from the approach, and the interior is Korean in style too, so it would be nice for bringing guests. There are several two-person and four-person tables, so it seems like there should be enough seating even at lunch and dinner peak times.

A menu ranging from gomtang to hot pots and savory pancakes

Looking at the menu, it seemed less like a place people come specifically for Pyongyang naengmyeon, and more like a good setup for pairing gomtang with a meat dish, or visiting with a group and ordering a range of hot pots and pancakes. You order at a kiosk and pay afterward.

• Meal dishes: clear gomtang, Pyongyang naengmyeon (cold broth or spicy mixed), yukhoe bibimbap (beef tartare mixed rice)
• Good add-ons after ordering one dish per person: braised pork tail, chilled sliced pork, yukhoe (beef tartare)
• Drinking-food dishes: pork platter, Korean beef bulgogi hot pot, grilled deodeok root, cheese potato-shred pancake, kimchi pancake

As you would expect from a Korean restaurant, they are generous with the banchan (side dishes).

The food came out quickly too, starting with the meal dishes! I had felt oddly empty and hungry since the morning, and wow, the presentation really got my mouth watering.

Clear gomtang with a light broth and generous meat

Anok clear gomtang, ₩13,000. This clear-broth pork soup boom does not seem to be fading. It feels like it has gone beyond a trend and simply become a staple.

The meat arrived so generously that it looked as if we had ordered an extra portion. The light, clean broth was so good, and it was a satisfying amount for a full meal in one bowl.

Extra seasoning comes with it, so you can enjoy the clear gomtang in a spicier version as you eat. We had the regular size, but there is an extra-large size too, so keep that in mind if you have a big appetite.

Spicy-sweet, chewy braised pork tail

Anok braised pork tail, ₩29,000. My goodness, there is braised pork tail as well as braised beef tail.

We had been at a standoff over whether to order soju from the moment we placed this order, but the second the beef tail stew came out, we all agreed we had to order it hahaha. There is seriously a lot of it too. One meal dish per person plus this meat dish would be very filling.

Even among jokbal (braised pig's trotter), I tend to prefer those chewy cuts. And this braised pork tail coated in spicy-sweet sauce was absolutely right up my alley. It is tender, so you do not have to struggle to pick the bones clean, and it has that lovely chew—highly recommended for anyone like me who likes tender jokbal cuts.

It is an unbelievably delicious drinking snack that goes well with both beer and soju. I wholeheartedly recommend the braised pork tail.

Mild cold Pyongyang naengmyeon loaded with meat

Anok Pyongyang naengmyeon (cold broth), ₩14,000. I love Pyongyang naengmyeon and go around trying it here and there, but this was my first time having it in Hongdae.

Once I mixed it, I was surprised by the noodles filling the bowl. And both the gomtang and Pyongyang naengmyeon have refillable broth! Compared with other Pyongyang naengmyeon places, the broth here was on the very mild side, but Anok's standout feature is the absolutely wild amount of meat.

It has three or four times as much meat as other Pyongyang naengmyeon places. (Usually I get about three pieces of meat with Pyongyang naengmyeon.) The mildly rich pyeonyuk (pressed boiled meat slices) balances nicely with the gentle broth. The noodles also had a strong buckwheat flavor, so buckwheat-loving Pyongyang-naengmyeon fans should give Anok in Hongdae a try.

Korean menu combinations for solo diners and groups

Since we ate everything from gomtang to braised pork tail and Pyongyang naengmyeon that day, it was fun choosing among dishes with such distinct personalities. For dining alone, I recommend the gomtang or Pyongyang naengmyeon; for a group, add the braised pork tail or chilled sliced pork. When you are craving Korean food in Hongdae, Anok is worth a visit for enjoying gomtang and Pyongyang naengmyeon in one place.