Sukiyaki set with grape and grapefruit ade in Gongdeok: Okjoban

My favorite sukiyaki spot at Gongdeok Station in Mapo, after a healing afternoon at a Han River view book café

After a sweltering Sunday afternoon spent reading and relaxing at a Han River view book café, I started wondering what to have for dinner, haha.

I didn't want anything too heavy. I wanted something clean and light, and sukiyaki is one of my all-time favorites, so that's what I craved! There happens to be a place near Gongdeok Station famous for sukiyaki and shabu-shabu, so I went straight there without a second thought, hehe.

Okjoban Gongdeok Station Branch: location, hours and menu

• Address: 92 Mapo-daero, Mapo-gu, Seoul, Hyosung Harrington Square Building B, 1st floor, Unit 11
• Hours: daily 11:00–22:00 (weekday break time 15:00–17:00)

Below is the menu for Okjoban Gongdeok Station Branch.

Directly connected to Gongdeok Station: parking and atmosphere

Okjoban Gongdeok Station Branch is on the first floor of Building B, Hyosung Harrington Square, which connects directly to Gongdeok Station, so access is really good, haha. The building's own parking is roomy and well equipped too, so you can drive here without worrying about parking.

The interior is classy and full of mood, and with partitions between the tables it was perfect for a romantic Gongdeok date or a blind date!

The atmosphere is so tidy that it also looked great for a weekday lunch, a weekend get-together in Gongdeok or a company dinner. The staff were friendly and the service was flawless, so I was super happy, T_T

Sukiyaki dinner set: side dishes, ade and jeongak beef

I ordered the sukiyaki dinner set and chose the jeongak (chuck flap) cut for the meat. After the staff kindly explained the menu, I ordered the dinner set without a second thought, haha.

Once I ordered, the table was neatly set with side dishes: yuzu cherry tomatoes, homemade pickles, salad and kimchi! The sweet and tangy yuzu tomatoes especially were insanely delicious and got my appetite going before the meal, T_T

The green grape ade and grapefruit ade included in the set were refreshing and sweet too, such a great combo, T_T

Next, a cast-iron hot pot is set down, and the staff set up and cook the vegetables and meat for you with the special sukiyaki broth, haha.

I picked the jeongak cut, and the portion was huge and the meat was wonderfully fresh. The cast-iron pot was packed to bursting with vegetables, mushrooms, bean sprouts, konjac noodles, tofu and even ginkgo nuts, and the vegetables and mushrooms are unlimited refills. What a bargain!

Jeongak beef dipped in raw egg, finished with kimchi fried rice and omija tea

When the sukiyaki was cooked, I dunked a piece of the tender jeongak beef into raw egg and took a bite. It was soft and nutty and just melted in my mouth, T_T

Eating it with the broth-soaked mushrooms and crisp vegetables, the texture and flavor were a work of art! The bouncy konjac noodles and nutty tofu soaked up the broth well too, and they just kept going down endlessly, haha.

After the main dish, the set's dessert course lets you choose between kimchi fried rice and yaki udon (stir-fried udon)! We chose the kimchi fried rice, haha.

The staff stir-fried it on the iron griddle with seaweed flakes, scallions and egg, so nutty and good that even though I was about to burst, I wiped out every bit of it. It was crazy good, T_T

Finally, they served a cool, tangy omija tea (five-flavor berry tea) to cleanse the palate, so it was perfect from start to finish, hehe.

How was it for a Gongdeok date or blind date?

I was really happy with this weekend evening, enjoying neat, deeply flavored sukiyaki and shabu-shabu in a classy setting, haha.

If you're looking for a Gongdeok restaurant with a nice mood for a date, a foolproof blind date, or a hearty lunch or company dinner, I sincerely recommend Okjoban Gongdeok Station Branch!