Yeouido snack bar: anchovy-broth office lunch combo, Hyeonseonine

Why Hyeonseonine for a Yeouido office lunch

I had snack-bar food for lunch at Hyeonseonine Premium (현선이네 프리미엄) on B2 of IFC Mall in Yeouido. I work in Yeouido, so I agonize over lunch every single day, but this time I really wanted snack food, so I went to Hyeonseonine, a famous Yeouido IFC lunch spot. I'd heard for ages that it's one of the "top 3 tteokbokki" (spicy rice cakes), and I finally tried it!!!

Hyeonseonine IFC Mall branch: location, hours, parking

• Location: IFC Mall B2, 10 Gukjegeumyung-ro (in the walkway toward Yeouido Station)
• Hours: daily 11:00–21:00
• No parking support
• Kiosk ordering
• Lunch; solo dining is fine

It's good for a quick solo meal, and if you go with coworkers and order the combo set, it's fun to share lots of dishes. Since it's inside IFC Mall it's easy to reach, so it's no hassle at lunchtime or whenever snack food sounds good!!!

What's the atmosphere like at lunchtime?

It was lunchtime, so the Hyeonseonine IFC Mall branch was packed with office workers. You could tell right away that it's a go-to Yeouido IFC lunch spot. The place is bigger and tidier than I expected, comfortable for eating alone or with coworkers.

Hyeonseonine menu and kiosk ordering

The menu covers everything from tteokbokki to gimbap (seaweed rice roll), sundae (Korean blood sausage) and ramyeon. Single items seem best if you're alone, and the set menus if you're with others.

You order at the kiosk by the entrance. There were so many options that I hesitated, but I wanted to try a bit of everything, so I went with the combo set!

Hyeonseon combo set, ₩25,000: enough for two?

We ordered the Hyeonseon combo set (₩25,000). Tteokbokki, fritters, sundae, gimbap and fish cake (oden) all arrived at once, making a hearty spread. The portion was generous even for two, so I was happy!

Tteokbokki: sweet and savory rather than spicy

Tteokbokki first. The chewy rice cakes were well soaked in a sweet, savory sauce, more of an easy-for-anyone style than a spicy one. The sauce isn't too thick either, so I kept spooning it up. That first bite showed why it's famous as a Yeouido IFC lunch spot!

Fish cake: clean anchovy broth

I drank the fish cake broth first, and it was cleaner than I expected. It had a cool anchovy-stock savoriness, so a sip between bites of tteokbokki refreshed my mouth. With the spicy tteokbokki the balance was great, and I thought it made a filling lunch combo in Yeouido IFC Mall. The fish cake was bouncy with a nice texture too.

Fritters: gimmari, squid and vegetable

The combo's fritters came in a variety: gimmari (glass noodle rolls), squid and vegetable. As befits a must-have with snack food, the crunch was really good. The batter wasn't thick, so it wasn't greasy, and dipping them in the tteokbokki sauce made the flavor pop even more.

Sundae: no gamey smell, my favorite

The sundae had almost no gamey smell, making it one of my favorites. Chewy texture, moist inside, and I'd definitely recommend dipping it in the tteokbokki sauce. Clean-tasting and moist, it went really well with the sauce!!!

Gimbap: true to the basics

The gimbap was true to the basics. Generous fillings and well-seasoned rice, so it paired really well with the tteokbokki. It's good as a light lunch, and as part of the combo set it made the meal even more filling.

Is Hyeonseonine worth going back to?

It was a proper meal after a while: tteokbokki, fritters, sundae and gimbap. Next time I want to try the rabokki (ramyeon tteokbokki) or another set! I'll naturally head back whenever I crave snack food :) If you're looking for a hearty snack-bar lunch in Yeouido IFC Mall, I recommend giving it a try!!!!