Gwanghwamun poke restaurant, beef with tofu noodles: Wystab Diet

I went looking for a Gwanghwamun restaurant to try for lunch and ended up at Wystab. I've been searching for solo-dining lunch spots in Gwanghwamun while dieting, and I've had plenty of experiences where just eating salad or poke left me hungry again in no time. But here, you can pair warm, cooked meat with tofu noodles, so it was more filling than I expected. Eating it in person, it felt a bit different from a typical diet meal.

I thought this place would be especially good for people looking for somewhere to eat lunch alone. When I visited, I saw quite a few men dining solo, and the menu setup also felt easy for women eating a diet meal.

Where is Wystab Diet Gwanghwamun, and is it easy to find from Jongak Station?

Wystab Diet Gwanghwamun sits between Jongak and Gwanghwamun stations, which is a pretty good spot. It's not too far to walk whether you have a lunch appointment in Gwanghwamun or you work near Jongak.

I walked through the surrounding forest of buildings and went down to the basement floor. Taking the escalator down leads you straight to the store, so it was easier to find than I expected. Even on my first visit, I didn't get lost.

During lunch hour in Gwanghwamun, it's kind of a hassle to travel far, so I thought this location would work well for eating quickly and heading back to the office.

And some restaurants make you feel awkward for eating alone, but this place didn't have that vibe at all for solo dining. Since I actually saw men dining alone during my visit, I think anyone looking for a solo-dining spot in Gwanghwamun could visit comfortably.

How do you build a bowl at Wystab Diet Gwanghwamun?

At Wystab, you first pick the protein you want, then choose add-ons. At first I wasn't sure how to combine everything, but once I understood the order, it was simpler than I thought.

You choose a protein from salmon, beef, smoked duck, or chicken, then add things like mala cauliflower, tofu noodles, or oat pasta.

This time I went with a safe choice: beef + tofu noodles. Since I'm dieting, rather than piling on too many things from the start, I picked one protein I wanted and added tofu noodles.

There's also a set menu that includes a side and a drink, so you can choose based on your appetite or preference. When I visited, I also saw a new menu item called a protein rice bowl and a warm American-style chicken soup called protein pastang, which I'd like to try next time.

Especially when you're eating diet meals, you often end up with cold salad every time, so personally I liked being able to choose a warm menu like this.

How did the beef and tofu noodles taste?

Wystab's beef came out warm and cooked, so it had a chewy texture that was fun to eat. Honestly, I used to think diet food couldn't be delicious. At other salad places, even when I added meat, eating cold meat with cold vegetables together always felt more like 'I'm eating this because it's healthy' than actually enjoying it.

Even for the same diet meal, eating it cold versus eating warm-cooked protein really does feel different.

I chose beef and tofu noodles, and something unexpected happened. I originally thought I'd eat a reasonable amount and maybe leave some, but the tofu noodles were so much better than I expected that I ended up eating almost all of it. Actually, I just ate all of it, haha.

After eating, I belatedly looked up the nutrition label to check the calories, and thankfully it was less than I'd worried, so I felt relieved. While dieting, when something tastes good, you start wondering 'am I allowed to eat this?' — but that day I could eat it happily and still feel relatively at ease.

Above all, the feeling afterward was good. It wasn't a heavy, overly full feeling — just pleasantly satisfied. I took my leftover Americano and walked outside for a bit, and it felt like I'd had a proper lunch.

When I eat too little while dieting, I usually get hungry again quickly in the afternoon and start looking for snacks, but that day I could finish my meal without that feeling, which was nice.

Of course, on my way home I passed by Gwanghwamun Mijin and saw salt bread for sale, so my resolve wavered for a moment. Seeing something delicious always shakes your diet willpower a little, I guess.

Still, this meal was personally satisfying. If you've been thinking of Gwanghwamun salad or poke spots only as cold, light food, I think trying a combo of tofu noodles with a warm protein is worth it.

How do you book Wystab Diet Gwanghwamun on Naver?

If you're planning to visit Wystab Diet Gwanghwamun during lunch hour, I'd recommend checking Naver Reservation first. When I checked, there was a 10% discount coupon through Naver Reservation, so that's worth not missing.

Diet meals tend to make you a bit more price-conscious than a regular meal, so checking coupons or promotions before you reserve can make it a more reasonable choice.

Especially if you're a Gwanghwamun office worker with a fixed lunch hour, it'll be more convenient to check the reservation or store situation beforehand.

What I realized visiting in person was that Wystab isn't simply a place to eat salad. You can choose your protein and add tofu noodles or oat pasta, so you can build a meal the way you want it.

This time I chose beef and tofu noodles, but next time I'd like to try the new protein rice bowl or the warm American-style chicken soup, protein pastang.

What worked and what didn't at this Gwanghwamun diet lunch

Pros

What I liked most was the warm protein menu. At other salad places I'd visited before, even the meat came out cold, which was a bit disappointing, but here I could eat warm, chewy meat that really felt like a proper meal.

• Warm-cooked protein — chewy texture that feels like 'a real meal'
• Menu customization — choose protein from salmon, beef, smoked duck, or chicken, and add tofu noodles or oat pasta
• Comfortable for solo dining — men dining alone were around too, so it seemed low-pressure for everyone

Cons

What fell a bit short was that, being a diet meal, you end up spending a bit more time deciding on a combination than with a regular meal. On a first visit, you might pause for a moment wondering which combo suits you.

Also, if you're a man with a bigger appetite, one main alone might feel a bit lacking. I felt pleasantly full after adding tofu noodles, but if you normally eat a lot, adding a side might be worth it.

Final verdict on Wystab Diet Gwanghwamun

This visit to Wystab, a Gwanghwamun restaurant, was quite a satisfying meal for me as someone looking for a diet-friendly lunch spot.

If you've felt that salads or poke you've had before were too cold and light, I'd recommend trying warm-cooked beef paired with tofu noodles.

I originally had no intention of finishing the tofu noodles, but they were better than expected so I ended up eating it all, and afterward I walked out around Gwanghwamun feeling pleasantly full.

So I think this would suit women looking for a Gwanghwamun diet restaurant, solo dining, or lunch spot, and since men dining alone were there too, it seemed fine for solo male diners as well.

Rather than sticking to cold salad just because you're dieting, this is a good spot to visit when you want a hearty meal combining warm protein with tofu noodles or oat pasta.

And there's a 10% discount coupon through Naver Reservation, so make sure to check before you visit.