Bukchon pizza and pasta, 6th on the weekday waitlist: Low Five Anguk

If you're looking for a good pizza place in Bukchon, you've probably heard of Low Five Anguk. I'd heard that Low Five, famous in Suwon's Haenggung-dong, had opened a branch in Anguk and got curious. Its signature corn pizza is so well known that I went for the open-run (arriving early to queue before opening).

It was a weekday, so I figured it would be a little relaxed. Nope. Right after opening it filled up fast, and after going in person I could see why it has a reputation as a go-to place near Anguk Station.

How does the waitlist at Low Five Anguk work?

Low Five Anguk runs on Catch Table: you register your phone number and get a waitlist number. I'd heard the open-run is a must, so I arrived before 11 a.m. on a weekday.

I registered around 11:05 and my number was 6. There were already groups waiting when I got there, and entry started at 11:30 a.m. They take your order before you go in, so food comes out soon after you sit down and you don't wait long.

Is Low Five Anguk crowded on weekday lunchtimes?

Even on a weekday, Low Five Anguk was almost full within 10 minutes of letting people in. I'd thought it would be a bit more relaxed because it was a weekday, but I was wrong, and guests with reservations and big groups kept coming in.

If it's like this on a weekday, I imagine the weekend wait is even longer. If you're planning to visit, it's best to check Catch Table in advance.

What we ordered and the price: about ₩63,000 for two

For pizza we ordered half-and-half with two flavors, ₩26,000. The Tex-Mex taco pizza has a spicy chipotle base topped with grilled shrimp, hot chicken, bacon and salsa.

Cilantro is served separately if you ask, so you can add it to your taste. The corn pizza has a white truffle cream base topped with bacon, chili shrimp, butter seasoning and chodang corn (sweet corn).

Its trademark is the sweetness that comes through from the chodang corn.

The vongole pasta we ordered with it was ₩18,000, an oil-based pasta with extra virgin olive oil, Manila clams, garlic and Reggiano cheese.

The classic Caesar salad was ₩13,000, served with lemon, ranch dressing and Reggiano cheese, and the lemonade was ₩6,000. For two people, pizza, pasta, salad and drinks came to about ₩63,000 in total.

• Half-and-half pizza (Tex-Mex taco pizza + corn pizza) ₩26,000
• Vongole pasta ₩18,000
• Classic Caesar salad ₩13,000
• Lemonade ₩6,000

How were the Tex-Mex taco pizza and corn pizza?

Low Five's Tex-Mex taco pizza was spicy and honestly felt like eating a real taco. I'm not much of a cilantro person, so I had mine set aside, while my older friend ate hers with cilantro. The grilled shrimp, hot chicken and salsa came together into something punchy that kept me reaching for another slice.

The corn pizza, the one I was most looking forward to, beat my expectations. The savory white truffle cream and the sweetness of the chodang corn worked well together, and the toppings were generous. The dough isn't thin and crispy but thick and chewy, American-style, so it's satisfying to bite into. I like a thick, chewy crust, so I loved it.

Vongole pasta and lemonade

The clams in the vongole pasta were well purged of grit, so it was clean with no fishy taste. Overall the food at Low Five Anguk leans salty, but that also means the flavors are rich.

The lemonade was fresh and strong, and it cleansed my palate between bites of pizza and pasta. My friend, who teaches students, said Tex-Mex food has been a hot topic among them lately, and after eating it myself I understood why people are seeking it out these days.

Atmosphere inside Low Five Anguk

The interior of Low Five Anguk is neat, with a classic feel.

I'd wondered whether an open-run was really necessary, but seeing the seats fill up so quickly with just the reservation and group guests, I totally got it.

Verdict: half-and-half pizza if it's your first time

What I liked most at Low Five Anguk was that the half-and-half lets you enjoy two flavors at once. It was my first visit and I couldn't decide what to pick, so trying two popular items together was a good choice.

The corn pizza, true to its status as Low Five's signature, was the most memorable, and the Tex-Mex taco pizza was a flavor you can't just find anywhere. It's popular enough to fill up quickly even on weekdays, so if you plan to visit, check Catch Table first. It was a satisfying meal, and I'd like to try other pizzas next time.

Visitor information for Low Five Anguk

• Name: Low Five Anguk
• Address: 1F, 20-3 Bukchon-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Getting there: Near Exit 2 of Anguk Station
• Reservations: Catch Table
• Parking: No dedicated parking lot
• Restroom: Inside the restaurant, unisex