Gongdeok Seoul Korean beef lunch with mom and gardenia porridge: Usu

I pass by Lotte Castle in Gongdeok all the time, and every time I saw the yukhoe bibimbap (raw beef tartare rice bowl) lunch special sign at Usu, I told myself I had to come try this Gongdeok restaurant someday. This time I finally made it, with my mom. We went for the Lunch C course.

Usu Gongdeok location, hours and parking

Usu Gongdeok is at 201, B2, Lotte Castle President commercial building, 109 Mapo-daero, Mapo-gu, Seoul, right in front of exit 2 of Gongdeok Station. It's open daily from 11:00 to 22:00 (break time 15:00–17:00, no closed days).

• Location: 201, B2, Lotte Castle President commercial building, 109 Mapo-daero, Mapo-gu, Seoul (right in front of Gongdeok Station exit 2)
• Hours: Daily 11:00–22:00 (break time 15:00–17:00, open year-round)
• Parking: 3 hours free (no limit on number of cars)

To park, don't use the hotel parking lot — go a bit further in and use the commercial building's parking lot instead.

Does Usu Gongdeok have private rooms? Every seat is in a quiet private room

Every seat at Usu Gongdeok is a private room, so it looked great for anything from a small family gathering to a slightly bigger sangyeonrye (formal meeting of the two families before marriage) or first birthday party. Corkage is also free, which seemed perfect for bringing a drink along on a special occasion.

A staff member showed us to a quiet, private room. They brought out cool barley tea, and after mom and I had walked over and worked up a little sweat, it hit the spot perfectly. With soft lighting and a calm mood, we could talk freely and enjoy the meal without worrying about neighboring rooms at all.

What's in the Usu Lunch C course: from porridge to hanwoo grill

The Usu Lunch C course opened with an introduction of the ingredients, then moved through porridge, a bite-size course, shiitake mushroom with shrimp and zucchini, five-color abalone gardenia noodles, hanwoo grill, sea bream hot pot rice with hanwoo seaweed soup, and dessert. Before long they showed us the ingredients going into our dishes, and you could really see Usu's pride in them.

Porridge topped with a gardenia flower

You could tell it was made with care from good ingredients. The first course, porridge, warmed us up nicely, and the nurungji (scorched rice) and mushrooms mixed in added fun texture to the smooth porridge. The scent and flavor of the gardenia flower on top of the finely ground porridge were also flawless.

Bite-size starters: shiitake with shrimp, zucchini and abalone gardenia noodles

Eating through the bite-size course, the shiitake mushroom with shrimp and zucchini, and the five-color abalone gardenia noodles, I realized that first impression of pride in the ingredients wasn't for nothing. Between the mushrooms, abalone, shrimp and the rest, you could really tell this place uses great oil too. Each ingredient kept its own character and flavor while the balance across the whole dish was excellent.

Main course: hanwoo grilled on your own personal brazier

The main hanwoo grill came out lightly seared on the outside to lock in the juices, sliced into easy-to-eat pieces, and we got to finish cooking it to our own taste on a personal charcoal brazier — such a nice touch. The texture and quality were good enough that it truly melted, something I hadn't felt in a while. It was delicious whether dipped lightly in salt or paired with wasabi, so I kept reaching for more.

Sea bream pot rice and hanwoo seaweed soup

The sea bream hot pot rice that came out around the same time had no fishy taste at all and great umami, and the hanwoo seaweed soup served alongside surprised me — instead of a quick, light broth, it tasted like it had been simmered long and deep. I think using quality beef, being a hanwoo restaurant known for it, made it taste even better.

Dessert and service at Usu

The clean dessert that followed capped off a course that flowed smoothly from start to finish, with great balance and nothing feeling out of place. The server also explained each dish without overdoing it, which left a good impression.

Is Usu Gongdeok good for a meal with your parents? The verdict

True to being a hanwoo dining restaurant, Usu Gongdeok delivered not just great beef quality but very satisfying side dishes and courses throughout. I'm now curious how good the yukhoe bibimbap lunch special must be, and mom and I ended the meal agreeing we should come back with the kids to try it.

If you're looking for a Gongdeok restaurant, a spot near Gongdeok Station, a Gongdeok-style set-course restaurant, a place for a sangyeonrye or family gathering, or a private-room restaurant to bring your parents to, I recommend Usu Gongdeok :)