Mapo brunch restaurant for spicy Toowoomba risotto: HEOD Gongdeok

HEOD Gongdeok after a Gyeongui Line Forest Trail walk

Autumn weather means the Gyeongui Line Forest Trail, no question. I love starting in Gongdeok and walking all the way to Hongdae; along this route, you get nature in the middle of the city as well as all the trendy spots. The cherry blossoms are gorgeous in spring, the greenery in summer, and the fall foliage in autumn. This time too, I went to HEOD Gongdeok, which has lately been making a name for itself as a great brunch spot along the Gyeongui Line Forest Trail, to soak up the early-autumn weather.

HEOD Gongdeok location and business information

The restaurant is called HEOD Gongdeok and is expected to change its name to HEOD Mapo. It is on the first floor at 24 Gwangseong-ro 6-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea, and is open daily from 11:00 to 21:00. Break time is from 15:30 to 17:00.

The exterior of HEOD Gongdeok beside the railway tracks

As you walk along the forest trail, you come to a stretch of railway tracks in the middle of it. That is exactly where it is located. It is probably only a five-minute walk from Sogang University Station, too.

HEOD started in Gangneung. There are several perks here, too.

• A birthday celebration cake for the birthday person
• 50% off with active-duty military verification
• Yes, pets! Dogs are absolutely welcome!

Maybe that is why there were quite a few guests out walking with adorable doggies. And apparently it guarantees 100% success on blind dates, so I should recommend it to my friend Yeonga, whose blind dates have been failing again and again lately. Hang in there, Yeonga!!!

A cute interior to enjoy by the window

The interior is completely, adorably cute. The yellow, green, and wood tones work together so well. I took a seat facing outside, and eating while looking out and enjoying the weather made me so happy. I totally recommend a window seat. It gets busy on weekends, so definitely make a reservation.

HEOD Gongdeok menu and order

As you would expect from a hot restaurant, ordering is by QR code.

First of all, there are so many menu items. They also have set menus, which make choosing a little easier. Most people seemed to order a set.

They had lots of classic brunch dishes, including pasta, gnocchi, French toast, and sandwiches. I ordered the Toowoomba risotto, French toast, and coffee.

There was such a variety of dishes that it was fun choosing. Next time, I am definitely trying the gnocchi.

Toowoomba risotto and French toast in the sunshine

The weather was just insane, honestly. Waking up late on a weekend, throwing on some comfy sweats, strolling in the sunshine, then slipping into a delicious place for a late breakfast—what a precious kind of life. This is living. Even the leaves swaying in the breeze were sparkling.

Toowoomba risotto that was not rich

I was surprised because it was completely different from the Toowoomba dishes I had imagined. It was bright red, so I thought, this is definitely going to be spicy! The big peppers on top completely wiped away the idea that risotto has to be rich and heavy. Even the cabbage pickles served alongside were such a smart pairing.

But was it too spicy? Not at all. There were big chunks of meat inside, and the heat was about the level of Shin Ramyun—so good..! It completely broke the stereotype that brunch is rich and sweet. I devoured it in no time!

Event coffee and sweet toast

Of course, the coffee was delicious too. It showed the class of a great Gangneung restaurant from the city of coffee. For the record, I got mine free through an event, hehe.

I thought the French toast would be a tiny portion, but unexpectedly there was a lot, so I was very satisfied. Proper vanilla cream and rich maple syrup too—it was perfectly designed for a sugar recharge. One bite and the inside was fluffy, nutty, and sweet; it put me in such a good mood. It was genuinely the perfect match for the spicy Toowoomba I had earlier.

While I was happily eating my French toast, I saw the fig French toast—the one I had been debating—being served to another table, and immediately regretted not ordering it!! They piled on way more fruit than I expected. Now I have a reason to come back next time, right? It had everything, from the atmosphere to the food. I officially agree with their boldly written promise of 100% blind-date success. HEOD Gongdeok is absolutely an essential date-course stop on the Gyeongui Line Forest Trail.