Hongdae Seoul restaurant with mild clear broth to share: Anok

I was looking for somewhere warm and filling to eat in Hongdae and ended up at Anok. I usually love clean, plain flavors like gomtang (pork bone soup) or Pyeongyang naengmyeon, so I went in with high expectations — and overall, each dish felt unseasoned in the best way, letting the ingredients' own flavor come through, which was satisfying.

Anok is especially known for its clear gomtang and Pyeongyang naengmyeon, plus braised pork tail as a good side to pair with them, so I ordered several dishes to share. Rather than sticking to just one dish, trying a variety together seemed like it would work even better for a group visit.

How is Anok's clear gomtang different from milky gomtang?

First, the clear gomtang lives up to its name — the broth is clean and light. Most people picture gomtang as milky and rich, but Anok's version had a broth that wasn't heavy, yet still carried a subtle depth of flavor. The first spoonful wasn't sharply salty or strong at all — it went down smooth and plain, easy to eat without feeling weighed down, and I kept going back for more of the broth itself.

There was a fair amount of meat in it too, so paired with rice it made for a filling meal. The broth was clean enough that I thought it would work well as a hangover cure too. If you're someone who doesn't love overly rich or greasy gomtang, this lighter style might suit you better.

What does Pyeongyang naengmyeon at Anok taste like?

Another dish you can't skip at Anok is the Pyeongyang naengmyeon. If you like the distinctively muted, plain flavor that Pyeongyang naengmyeon is known for, this one will satisfy you. Rather than leaning on strong seasoning, it's built around the subtle flavor of the broth and the texture of the noodles — plain at first bite, but the clean taste grows on you the more you eat.

The naengmyeon also paired well when ordered alongside the gomtang. Eating the warm gomtang and then taking a bite of the cool, refreshing naengmyeon in between reset my palate each time. Especially on a hot day, it's hard to choose between the gomtang and the naengmyeon since both are appealing, so I'd recommend going with a group and ordering both to share.

How chewy is Anok's braised pork tail?

One of the standout dishes this time was the braised pork tail (jjim). Pork tail isn't something I eat often, so I ordered it out of curiosity, and the texture was softer and chewier than I expected. It has a different appeal from lean cuts of meat — if you enjoy the springy, chewy texture typical of collagen-rich cuts, this will be right up your alley.

The combination worked especially well when I ate the pork tail jjim alongside the plainer gomtang or naengmyeon. The pork tail jjim has a richer, more pronounced meat flavor on its own, but alternating it with bites of naengmyeon or gomtang balanced everything out nicely. If you want to order several dishes and mix things up, adding pork tail jjim to the table is worth doing.

What should a group order at Anok?

Overall, Anok felt like a different kind of place from the typical intense, heavily seasoned restaurants you'd expect in Hongdae. The gomtang, naengmyeon, and pork tail jjim all seemed focused on bringing out the natural flavor of the ingredients, which should especially suit people who like clean, plain food.

What I liked most was that none of the dishes felt repetitive — the combination worked well, which made it a great spot for a group to order a variety and share. Pair the clear gomtang with rice when you want a filling meal, or go for the naengmyeon when you're craving something cool and plain. Add the pork tail jjim on top and you can enjoy an even more generous spread.

• A filling meal: clear pork gomtang + rice
• Cool and plain: Pyeongyang naengmyeon
• For a generous shared meal: add pork tail jjim

If you're looking for a good gomtang restaurant or a Pyeongyang naengmyeon spot in Hongdae, this is a place worth visiting at least once. I'd especially recommend it to anyone who prefers clean, plain flavors, deep broth, and the natural richness of meat over flashy, heavily seasoned food.

From the warm, clear gomtang to the plain, refreshing Pyeongyang naengmyeon and the chewy, appealing pork tail jjim, every dish at Anok had its own character, making it a great spot not just for a solo meal but for a group wanting to try several dishes together. If you're in Hongdae craving something a little different in Korean food, and want a place that's filling without being overpowering, Anok is worth trying with the clear gomtang, Pyeongyang naengmyeon, and pork tail jjim all on the table together.