# Japanese restaurant in Mangwon-dong: basil soba and rice bowls, Padong - By Yeorin (https://superchart.com/en/@doorway-table-visits/) - Written Sep 11, 2026 - Local places › Restaurants › Mapo, Seoul - Sponsored: This visit was sponsored by the business. - English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@doorway-table-visits/mangwon-padong-basil-soba-donburi/ - Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@doorway-table-visits/mangwon-padong-basil-soba-donburi/index.md) ## In short Padong is a Japanese restaurant in Mangwon-dong, Mapo, Seoul. After a 30-minute weekend lunch wait, we shared basil soba, tuna rice bowl, and steak rice bowl for ₩41,000. Padong is recommended for an unusual soba and filling rice bowls in Mangwon-dong. ## Good to know - **Hours**: 11:30–21:00 - **Break time**: None (may close early when ingredients sell out) - **Regular closing day**: Every Monday - **Parking**: No parking lot - **Basil soba**: ₩13,000 - **Tuna rice bowl**: ₩15,000 - **Steak rice bowl**: ₩13,000 - **Total for two**: ₩41,000 - **Capacity**: About 8 parties *as written by the visitor on Sep 11, 2026* I made lunch plans with a friend in Mangwon-dong. It had been a while since I was in Seoul, so I was wondering what to eat when I found Padong (파동), a popular spot known for Japanese food, and headed there right away. ![Visiting Padong, a Japanese restaurant in Mangwon-dong](https://img.superchart.com/images/mangwon-padong-basil-soba-donburi/mangwon-padong-basil-soba-donburi-01-t7xkp-900.webp) Since it was weekend lunchtime, though, there was quite a wait. There are lots of popular restaurants around, so people were waiting out on the street. We waited 30 minutes before getting into Padong, the restaurant we were visiting that day. ![Weekend lunch wait before entering Padong](https://img.superchart.com/images/mangwon-padong-basil-soba-donburi/mangwon-padong-basil-soba-donburi-02-y2o2a-900.webp) ## Inside Padong and the wait The restaurant was not large and could accommodate about eight parties. The air conditioner was going full blast, so it was incredibly cool. There was also a counter table, but it did not seem to be in use that day. As you would expect from a popular spot, customers kept coming in throughout our meal. ![Inside Padong, which accommodates about eight parties](https://img.superchart.com/images/mangwon-padong-basil-soba-donburi/mangwon-padong-basil-soba-donburi-03-1c5v9-900.webp) ![Padong restaurant interior with a steady stream of customers](https://img.superchart.com/images/mangwon-padong-basil-soba-donburi/mangwon-padong-basil-soba-donburi-04-1duwh-900.webp) There were lots of cute figurines beside our table. Among them were miniature versions of Padong's menu items, and they were so detailed and lifelike that they were adorable. ![Miniature figurines modeled after Padong menu items](https://img.superchart.com/images/mangwon-padong-basil-soba-donburi/mangwon-padong-basil-soba-donburi-05-ulfpg-900.webp) ## What does the basil soba taste like? They took our order before we went in, so the food came out quickly once we were seated. The basil soba looked so pretty in photos, with its vibrant green basil sauce and toppings arranged neatly together. There was clearly a generous amount of basil in it, and I loved how well its distinctive aroma came through. ![Basil soba with basil sauce and toppings](https://img.superchart.com/images/mangwon-padong-basil-soba-donburi/mangwon-padong-basil-soba-donburi-06-11o71-900.webp) I popped the egg yolk and mixed everything together enthusiastically. Between the look of it and the basil scent, I was so excited before even taking a bite. One bite of the basil soba made me think ordering it had been such a good decision. The basil aroma was not overpowering, and it had a nutty yet clean umami flavor. The noodles were springy and nicely coated in sauce. It had a slight kick too, so I enjoyed it without getting tired of it until the very end. Great with the arugula as well. ![Basil soba served with arugula](https://img.superchart.com/images/mangwon-padong-basil-soba-donburi/mangwon-padong-basil-soba-donburi-07-o1rk4-900.webp) ## Tuna rice bowl with crisp gim The tuna rice bowl looked neat and tidy, with its many ingredients gathered together. The colorful combination was lovely too. ![Padong tuna rice bowl topped with assorted ingredients](https://img.superchart.com/images/mangwon-padong-basil-soba-donburi/mangwon-padong-basil-soba-donburi-08-s1yed-1200.webp) The bowl contained tuna pieces, and their thick cut and vivid color alone made the freshness of the ingredients obvious. I took a bite with high expectations, and the tuna melted softly in my mouth, spreading a clean, nutty flavor with no fishiness. ![Tuna rice bowl with thick-cut tuna](https://img.superchart.com/images/mangwon-padong-basil-soba-donburi/mangwon-padong-basil-soba-donburi-09-1hx07-900.webp) The tuna rice bowl was delicious on its own, but wrapping the rice, tuna, and a little wasabi in the crisp gim (roasted seaweed) that came alongside doubled the nuttiness. The portion was generous and it tasted great—highly recommended. ![Tuna rice bowl with gim and wasabi](https://img.superchart.com/images/mangwon-padong-basil-soba-donburi/mangwon-padong-basil-soba-donburi-10-rrp82-900.webp) ## The juicy steak rice bowl The steak rice bowl immediately caught my eye with its large, thick slices of steak laid over rice. Cooked to just the right doneness, the glossy meat looked appetizing even before I took a bite. ![Rice bowl topped with thick steak](https://img.superchart.com/images/mangwon-padong-basil-soba-donburi/mangwon-padong-basil-soba-donburi-11-235ap-900.webp) The moment I bit into the meat, juicy juices spread through my mouth, and its tender texture was impressive without any dryness. Padong's sweet-and-salty soy sauce-based house sauce had soaked nicely into the meat, adding even more flavor. This one paired extremely well with wasabi too. ![Steak rice bowl with soy sauce-based sauce](https://img.superchart.com/images/mangwon-padong-basil-soba-donburi/mangwon-padong-basil-soba-donburi-12-yre19-900.webp) ## Where it is - Padong (파동) - B1, 47 World Cup-ro 17-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea (서울특별시 마포구 월드컵로17길 47 지하1층) - 서울특별시 마포구 월드컵로17길 47 지하1층 - 37.5552206, 126.9078206 - Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%ED%8C%8C%EB%8F%99/@37.5552206,126.9078206,17z --- Superchart · https://superchart.com/en/@doorway-table-visits/mangwon-padong-basil-soba-donburi/ · https://superchart.com/llms.txt