Yeonnam-dong ochazuke restaurant for pork belly lunch: Ochaya Yeonnam

Since I started working from home, I've been taking a salsa class in Hongdae during the day, and class ends at 12:30 — right at lunchtime. So my husband and I met up for a quick meal.

How long does it take to reach Ochaya Yeonnam from Hongik Univ. Station?

Ochaya Yeonnam is an ochazuke specialty restaurant in Yeonnam-dong. It's actually quite close to Hongik Univ. Station on the Gyeongui Line — about a 5-minute walk!

Does everyone like ochazuke? My husband and I really do, so when I heard there was a specialty restaurant for it, we had to visit. Since it's right in Yeonnam-dong, it wasn't hard to find at all~

It's a Japanese home-style dish of rice and toppings soaked in warm broth. It looks delicious just from the visuals — my mouth was already watering before we even ate. Mentaiko (spicy pollock roe) ochazuke seems to be the most basic menu item, but the ones with big, generous toppings caught my eye more.

What exactly is ochazuke?

Honestly, I don't think there's another dish that's quite as 'mood-dependent' as ochazuke. When you want something hearty, you soak the rice in rich broth; when you have no appetite, you just pour thin green tea over it and slurp it down!!

It apparently started in Japan as a simple way to eat leftover rice with hot water or tea poured over it, but now that very simplicity has become its charm. It's rare for a dish to satisfy with just broth and rice, no fancy toppings needed~~

Ordering at the kiosk and how to eat ochazuke

You order at Ochaya Yeonnam via kiosk. I ordered the one with pork belly topping, my husband got the one with eel, and we also got a cola~ We visited a bit late, but apparently at lunchtime this place gets a line, it's that popular~

The eating instructions were kindly printed in several languages at every table. I heard Hongdae has become a hotspot for foreign visitors, and it really seems true~ You're supposed to eat about half, then pour the broth over the rest — pretty easy, right~~?

How does the pork belly ochazuke taste?

This is the ochazuke I ordered, topped with pork belly, and the pork belly was really tender~~ Adding a bit of wasabi gives it a spicy kick that adds cleanness to the flavor.

The three side dishes at Ochaya Yeonnam

You get three kinds of side dishes~ Dried radish strips / perilla leaves..? / kimchi. I ate the one in the middle happily but honestly have no idea what it was, haha. They all seemed mild enough that even non-Korean visitors wouldn't find them too spicy.

How was the eel ochazuke?

This is the eel my husband ordered!! Doesn't the eel look impressively long and plump?

It was seasoned really properly. As good as the eel you'd get at a dedicated eel rice bowl restaurant~ Very good.

You eat the eel by breaking it up with your spoon as you go. It's also great wrapped in seaweed.

Pouring the broth: the best part of the meal

When about half was left, we poured in the broth, and it went moist and full of flavor... Eating it plain was already good, but both my husband and I agreed the umami was way better after pouring the broth — we kept giving each other thumbs up!!

What impressed me especially was that the broth temperature was just right, staying warm down to the last bite. With ochazuke, the flavor often goes flat the moment the broth cools even slightly, but there was none of that letdown here, heh. The rice was also cooked slightly firm so it wouldn't soak up the broth too fast — a nice detail.

It's easy to eat alone, and it's also perfect as a hangover cure the morning after drinking, so I think I'll be craving it again. Every time I eat Japanese home-style food, I want to go on a trip to Japan... am I the only one?

I scraped up every last grain of rice. It was genuinely delicious, a real find! And I felt happy having eaten something filling and healthy! (Says the person who's supposed to be dieting.) I'd love to come back again. My intent to revisit is 200%~~ Recommended if you're looking for a lunch spot near Hongik Univ. Station.