Jonggak Exit 3 Korean spot: spice-tuned octopus set, Bonghyejane

Hello! This time I went to a Jonggak Station restaurant in Jongno. This is actually a big office district, so there are a lot of solid Korean home-style food spots. I went back to Bonghyejane, a Korean specialty restaurant. I'd visited before, so this was a return trip. Octopus seems to be their signature dish, and the menu had gotten a lot bigger since last time. Let's take a look haha.

Where is Bonghyejane Jubang Jongno Tower branch, and how close is Jonggak Station?

It's on basement level 2 of the SK Building, the landmark building at Jonggak Station. This restaurant is near Exit 3 and it's connected to a bookstore, so you could read a book and then grab a proper Korean meal. Being right by the station, it was very easy to get to.

What is the seating like at Bonghyejane, and can a group sit together?

It's not a private room, but there's a cozy area where you could dine somewhat privately with about 8 people.

The main hall had even more tables!! They were set up as 2-person and 4-person tables. The tables were spaced out generously, so I could eat comfortably and at ease without worrying about other diners.

Bonghyejane's menu and the octopus stir-fry set chosen this visit

Here's the menu at Bonghyejane, a Jonggak favorite. Octopus leads the lineup, followed by seafood sundubu (soft tofu stew), pork stir-fry, charcoal-grilled beef bulgogi, mushroom perilla soup, hamburg steak, pork cutlet, and more. There are also side dishes and octopus set combos. Korean home cooking? Yes — it looked like a great place to eat a hearty meal. The main dishes are generous too, with spicy jjukkumi (baby octopus) stir-fry and charcoal-grilled whole octopus stir-fry.

They also do solo set meals well, but we ordered two octopus stir-fry set meals. I liked that the spice level is adjustable — we went with octopus stir-fry set just a bit spicier than Shin Ramyun. The menu felt neat and tidy, and it looked like a good lunch option for office workers in the area.

I liked that Bonghyejane, a Jongno favorite, serves tea instead of water. The tea had a savory, comforting flavor, so I kept refilling my cup.

What comes with the octopus stir-fry set meal?

Here's the main dish at Bonghyejane, a Jonggak favorite. The set meal comes out neat and tidy, like a home-cooked meal. From soup to stew, side dishes, and the main dish, the generous spread was impressive. In particular, the spicy aroma of the octopus stir-fry main dish really sharpened the appetite.

How spicy is the octopus stir-fry? Just above Shin Ramyun

First up is the main dish, octopus stir-fry. It's packed with plump, chewy octopus. The octopus was so plump that it had great chew. The spice level was just a touch above Shin Ramyun — a heat level anyone who enjoys spicy food could comfortably enjoy. There were plenty of vegetables too, and the sauce itself was so tasty that mixing it into rice was great.

Cold-pressed sesame oil on every table at Bonghyejane

At Bonghyejane, a Jongno favorite, there's sesame oil placed at every table. It's cold-pressed sesame oil, and the flavor was rich, savory, and nutty. Drizzling this over rice and mixing in the spicy octopus stir-fry was also seriously good. It really felt like a filling, satisfying meal.

The nourishing perilla seed soup served alongside

Here's the nourishing perilla soup that came with the meal. It's a soup with a rich, nutty perilla aroma, so it felt restorative from the first sip. It especially balanced out the spiciness of the octopus stir-fry nicely, making it a great side dish alongside it. Finishing the soup too made the meal feel like a hearty, home-cooked lunch.

Is Bonghyejane's octopus set worth it? The verdict

Today I visited Bonghyejane, a Jonggak favorite. It's right in front of Jonggak Station, super accessible, and a place to get a healthy, filling lunch. In particular, the deliciously spicy octopus stir-fry set was neat, hearty, and tasty. If you work nearby and want a lunch that feels like a satisfying home-cooked meal, give it a try.