Hongdae naengmyeon restaurant with kiosk ordering for two: Anok

A newly opened Pyongyang naengmyeon spot in Hongdae

A new Hongdae favorite has opened up in the spot where I once visited a burger joint. That's right, it's Anok, a Hongdae gomtang (clear beef broth soup) restaurant. To greet a Saturday morning, I headed out with Pina for a delicious Hongdae lunch to eat some good naengmyeon (cold noodles) together~

Where is Anok, and how do you walk there from Hongik University Station?

Anok is located at 13-4 Hongik-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, 365 meters from Exit 9 of Hongik University Station (Line 2). It's open daily from 11am to 10pm, and closed every Monday.

You can get there by subway or bus to Hongik University Station. There's also a Mapo Village Bus No. 16 stop right in front, which makes it even easier to find. From the Seogyo Prugio Apartment stop, just head straight in and take the stairs up.

Funny thing is, back when the burger place was here, the shop was also on the right side of this big courtyard — a pretty similar layout. Now I'm curious whether it's the same owner. I wanted to ask directly, but in the end I never did, so the curiosity remains.

What two people ordered at Anok: three dishes for 56,000 won

Anok takes orders via kiosk. We got clear gomtang for 13,000 won, Pyongyang naengmyeon (mul-naengmyeon) for 14,000 won, and pork tail jjim for 29,000 won, coming to 56,000 won total for the two of us. In the pretty hanok-style dining room, we sat by the window and they opened it for us. We each had our own dish and shared the pork tail jjim as a communal side.

Anok's side dishes: the kimchi was the best of them

Anok's basic side dishes were perfectly seasoned, and the kimchi in particular seemed genuinely delicious. If they sold it, I'd want to bring some home to eat. A lot of people buy kimchi these days, but it's pricier than you'd expect, so it's not easy.

The seasoning on the basic side dishes was spot on and really suited my taste. The kkakdugi (diced radish kimchi) and napa cabbage kimchi especially paired well with the food. They kindly let us know that the minced sauce is delicious dipped with the meat in the naengmyeon.

Anok's Pyongyang naengmyeon, 14,000 won: a room full of cold-noodle devotees

Anok's Pyongyang naengmyeon (mul-naengmyeon) at 14,000 won came out first. What surprised me was that every single customer who walked in after us also paid 14,000 won and left — turns out they were all naengmyeon fanatics. It was fascinating to see a steady stream of people, even solo diners, coming just to enjoy this mild, understated flavor. The meat had a cold jeyuk (boiled pork) feel, mixing fat and lean meat, and the portion was really generous.

Pork tail jjim, 29,000 won: my first time trying it

The next dish that came out was also something I'd never tried in my life. It's called pork tail jjim, and like jokbal (braised pig's feet), it has that chewy, collagen-like texture stuck to the bone, with a sweet-and-sour sauce that made an impression. It costs 29,000 won.

Clear gomtang, 13,000 won: so much meat the rice went unfinished

Lastly, the clear gomtang I ordered. It cost 13,000 won, but the amount of meat was seriously intimidating. I genuinely wondered if I'd accidentally ordered the extra-large size. There was so much meat that after fishing it all out first, I couldn't finish the soup and rice. The owner really seems generous. The portion of meat was just unbelievable.

I've got a cold and am on medication right now, so I've been trying to avoid overly spicy or heavy food and eat mild, wholesome meals like this instead.

Is Anok worth it for Pyongyang naengmyeon lovers?

That's my visit today to Anok, a Hongdae naengmyeon restaurant. Seeing how many quick-footed naengmyeon fanatics were already showing up, it seems word is slowly getting out. If any of you dear readers happen to be naengmyeon fanatics, give this place a try.