Konkuk Univ. donburi: hot holiday cube steak set & cold udon, Hekbap

Looking for a solo rice bowl spot near Konkuk Univ. and finding Hekbap

I had errands near Konkuk University for the first time in ages over the holiday. By the time I finished, lunchtime had already slipped past, and I was hungry and hollow-bellied. What to eat for lunch?

Since it had been so long since I'd been to Konkuk Univ., every restaurant seemed to have changed, and I couldn't decide where to go. A quick search turned up a rice bowl place that's good for eating alone, so I hurried over to Hekbap Konkuk University Main Branch (핵밥 건대본점).

Where is Hekbap Konkuk University Main Branch? Getting there from Konkuk Univ. Station

The address is 127 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, 2nd floor. By subway, come out of Exit 3 of Konkuk Univ. Station, turn around and walk straight until you hit a crosswalk. Cross it, turn right, and after a short walk you'll see the Hekbap shop on the 2nd floor.

Once you spot it, slip into the alley and you'll find the entrance. Very easy to find.

There's a menu board outside, so you can scan the menu before going in, which I liked. Lunchtime had already passed and I was starving, and the food photos looked so good that I walked in with really high hopes.

I'd read a lot of blogs before going, and it seemed like most people order the Korean beef daechang (beef intestine) bowl. It must be Hekbap's signature. Personally I love ramen and thought hard about getting that, but the day was so hot that I hesitated. Still pondering, I climbed the stairs to the 2nd floor.

Inside Hekbap Konkuk University Main Branch and the solo seats

The shop was very spacious and clean. With its white wood-tone interior and green trees and sky outside the window, the view was great too.

For a comfortable solo meal, I took a sky-view window counter seat (dacchi seat). A space perfectly made for eating alone! I was really happy with it.

Cube steak bowl set with a cold udon swap: how much?

The cube steak bowl set plus ₩500 to swap to cold bukkake udon came to ₩17,400. At Hekbap, the udon in the set can be changed to cold bukkake udon.

I deliberated for ages. Rice bowl, curry or ramen? In the end I figured I might as well get a set with a bit of everything. It's hot these days and I've been sweating a lot, so I chose the cube steak bowl as a kind of stamina food. And then I saw the udon could be changed to cold bukkake udon? I absolutely love cold udon!! I swapped it right away. Summer means cold udon!

The magical worry-solving book on the table while you wait

Hekbap Konkuk University Main Branch seemed to run lots of events. There's a review event, but each table also has a fun magical worry-solving book, so you don't get bored waiting for food. Kind of like why they put mirrors in elevators?! Haha, don't you think?

I thought of my worry and opened the book, and it told me not to waste time on such pointless thoughts.

How were the cold bukkake udon and the cube steak bowl?

The cold bukkake udon was like rain after a drought on a hot day, and in the cube steak bowl the meat was tender and the sauce wasn't salty. While I was reading the book and waiting, my order arrived. It looked so appetizing.

It was so hot that I tried the bukkake udon first. Pass!! So good... genuinely that rain-after-drought cool udon taste...

Then a bite of the cube steak bowl: the mushrooms were delicious, and the meat was tender and easy to eat. The sauce was drizzled just right, so it wasn't too salty either.

The set's side: karaage

The karaage (Japanese fried chicken) that came as the set's side was also so good! Personally, I wanted a few more pieces.

Is Hekbap Konkuk University Main Branch worth going back to?

The staff were friendly and the food was really good. It's not far from Konkuk Univ. Station, so the access is great, and I'll probably come again next time I'm in the Konkuk Univ. area.