Seoul Korean restaurant: after-work ₩12,500 solo Spam set, Bapjangin

After work today I stopped at Bapjangin (밥장인) for a quick dinner before catching my bus at the Express Bus Terminal. There are plenty of restaurants here because so many people pass through, but finding one where you can walk in alone and have a warm meal was harder than I expected. Then I spotted Bapjangin on the B1 level of Seoul Express Bus Terminal and went in.

Lots of the customers looked like they had come straight from work, just like me, and it was easy to spot people eating alone. The Korean menu was wide, from stews to bulgogi stir-fry, squid stir-fry and tofu kimchi. I ordered the solo Spam set, which comes with stew, rice and a piece of Spam.

Where is Bapjangin Express Bus Terminal Branch, and what is the atmosphere like?

Bapjangin Express Bus Terminal Branch is at 194 Sinbanpo-ro, Seocho-gu, Seoul, South Korea, Seoul Express Bus Terminal B1, Unit 20. It was an easy stop on my way to or from a bus, and a no-fuss option on days when you want a warm Korean meal before heading home.

When I visited, the place was really packed. Some people were finishing up and heading straight out, while others sat alone with stew and rice. It had the feel of a spot people use to get a meal done fast in a place where everyone is always coming and going, like the bus terminal.

Is it easy to order alone at Bapjangin in the Express Bus Terminal?

You pick your seat and then choose your food at a kiosk. There is no need to call a staff member over, so ordering alone was no trouble, and I could take my time reading the menu names and set contents. If you are looking for a solo-friendly place to eat near Express Bus Terminal Station, this seemed fairly comfortable.

What caught my eye most was that, besides the stews and stir-fries, there are solo sets. You don't need a group to get a set; you can order stew, rice and Spam together on your own. It suits eating alone after work or before your bus time.

Bapjangin stew and stir-fry menu and prices

The stews were jjageuri (a thick, reduced stew you mix with rice) at ₩11,000, a clean-tasting potato stew with no meat at ₩11,000, and a spicy kimchi stew at ₩11,000. The savory brisket sundubu (soft tofu stew) with beef brisket was ₩14,000. Each stew has different ingredients and a different flavor direction, so it's easy to choose by taste.

For stir-fries there was smoky bulgogi stir-fry at ₩13,000 and sizzling squid stir-fry at ₩17,000, plus tofu kimchi at ₩18,000. You can keep it simple with just a stew, but there are also dishes like bulgogi and squid stir-fry that go well with rice, so the range looked wide, from a light solo meal to a meal for two.

Solo Spam set contents, plus sets by group size and full spreads

The solo Spam set I ordered comes with your choice of stew, a bowl of warm rice and a piece of Spam, for ₩12,500. The Spam makes it feel more filling than just stew and rice, and I liked that, eating alone, I could get something like a full table without ordering several dishes separately.

If two people visit, there is a Spam set for two at ₩25,000 with stew, two bowls of rice and two pieces of Spam. If you also want bulgogi, there is a full spread for two at ₩38,000 or for three at ₩46,000. Solo sets and group sets are clearly separated, so it looked easy to order whatever your party size.

• Solo Spam set ₩12,500: choice of stew + one bowl of rice + one piece of Spam
• Spam set for two ₩25,000: stew + two bowls of rice + two pieces of Spam
• Full spread for two ₩38,000 / for three ₩46,000: bulgogi included

What side dishes does Bapjangin serve?

The side dishes were bean sprouts, kimchi and seasoned radish. They went well with a meal built around stew and rice, and picking at one now and then kept me from feeling like I was eating just one thing. There weren't an overwhelming number of sides, but everything you need for a meal came neatly arranged.

You can sprinkle a little seaweed flakes on the rice, add oil and mix it all together. It adds a nutty flavor you don't get with plain white rice, and it went nicely with the stew. Putting kimchi and meat on top of the seaweed rice let me work the salty Spam in naturally too.

How were the portion and taste of the solo Spam set?

The kimchi stew that came with my solo Spam set was loaded with Spam, and there was plenty of kimchi and meat too. It was easy to eat spoonful by spoonful with rice, and it felt even more filling over the rice mixed with seaweed flakes and oil. I'd been wanting a Korean meal with some broth or stew that day, so it fit perfectly.

The Spam alone was good, but with kimchi, meat and rice together the set felt even more substantial. Just because it was a meal for one didn't mean the menu was skimpy, and I was happy to get warm stew, rice and sides all at once. Next time I'd like to try other dishes, like the jjageuri or the smoky bulgogi stir-fry.

If you want a solo dinner after work, or a warm meal before a express bus, the solo Spam set at Bapjangin near Express Bus Terminal Station is worth a try.