Sejong office lunch: shabu kalguksu and egg porridge at Italy Shabu

Why I went back to Italy Shabu Kalguksu in Eojin-dong, Sejong

Italy Shabu Kalguksu (이태리샤브칼국수) is one of my all-time favorite shabu kalguksu places in Sejong, and it's in Eojin-dong. It has Jeonju-style geotjeori (fresh kimchi) made every day and house-made kalguksu noodles, so I came back for another visit :)

It had been a while, and Italy Shabu Kalguksu is still tasty, still busy and still spotless. The crowds that pour in every lunchtime prove how consistent the flavor is.

Italy Shabu Kalguksu has been recognized as a Good Price Business (a government-designated affordable restaurant). Once you visit you'll see it's generous and serious about its food, and you'll feel it with every spoonful!

Italy Shabu Kalguksu seating: good for a team lunch?

The restaurant is surrounded by big open windows, so it feels airy.

In the separate inner area, which could pass for a private room, there are about 6 tables for four. It feels open yet private, so it suits a group lunch too.

Lunch near Sejong Government Complex: do you need a reservation?

Italy Shabu Kalguksu, near the Sejong Government Complex, is hugely popular for lunch in Eojin-dong, and most lunch slots are already reserved. Office workers' lunch hour is precious, honey-sweet time, so the table is set up so you can start eating as soon as you sit down.

Next to the Government Complex and Homeplus, here are Italy Shabu Kalguksu's selling points:

• Free extra noodles and ramen noodles at the self-bar, so you can eat your fill
• Parking, of course!
• Free makgeolli (rice wine) when you order pajeon (scallion pancake)
• Fish cake add-on with a photo review event!

If you book through Naver, you get a guaranteed seat and the food comes out fast, so I recommend reserving on Naver before you go.

What's on the Italy Shabu Kalguksu self-serve bar

Here's what's laid out at the Italy Shabu Kalguksu self-bar.

The self-bar always has tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) too, a sweet-and-spicy stress-relief side for office workers, I'd say. It's tasty! You're here for a meal, so just have enough for a snack and you're golden!

The 6-item shabu kalguksu set: what's included and the price

I ordered the Italy 6-item shabu kalguksu for 2, at ₩13,800 per person. Here's what comes in it:

• Beef chuck eye roll
• Handmade dumplings
• Potato ongsimi (potato dumplings)
• Hanwoo bone broth (spicy or clear)
• Mixed vegetables and mushrooms
• House-made kalguksu noodles
• Egg vegetable porridge

All this for ₩13,800 per person. A well-rounded set with generous ingredients, dumplings, ongsimi and nicely sliced beef chuck eye roll!!

The geotjeori and macaroni, made fresh every day, are must-have sides for shabu kalguksu, so I kept refilling them.

Best dipping sauce combo for the shabu beef

The sauce combo Italy Shabu Kalguksu recommends is the self-bar's wasabi plus secret soy sauce. While the broth bubbles up, mix the sauce for dipping the shabu meat and vegetables.

Heads up: mix the wasabi and secret soy sauce and you may keep eating like you've been put under a spell :)

It's hot, so I put some on my small plate to let it cool. Once cooled, dip it in the sauce, haha. It was so good I kept dipping and eating.

House-made kalguksu noodles on a 5-minute timer

Cook Italy Shabu Kalguksu's house-made noodles to the 5-minute timer and they turn translucent and silky. The noodle-making skill shows: tender and chewy, exactly the kind of kalguksu noodle I like!

Lightly drop the noodles into the bubbling broth and swish them around. If the broth runs low, there's more at the self-bar, so just add some.

Flipping the 5-minute timer now. I'm the type who always uses the timer if a restaurant has one.. haha. After 5 minutes the noodles came out translucent and very silky.

Egg vegetable porridge: the secret is one ladle of broth

For the finishing egg vegetable porridge at Italy Shabu Kalguksu, they say it's best with just one ladle of broth. Now it's porridge time!!

Following the recipe, one ladle in and getting ready to stir.

The color looks great, so it should taste great too, right?!

Not burnt, not stuck to the pot, not too thick: it turned out just the way I like it.

Dessert: heart-shaped puffed rice with soft-serve ice cream

The finale you have to have at Italy Shabu Kalguksu is heart-shaped puffed rice (ppeongtwigi) with soft-serve ice cream. After blowing on the hot porridge, here's the grand finale! We all know puffed rice, but somehow... it tastes even better, haha.

Seeing the sweet, soft ice cream decorated with heart-shaped puffed rice made me think of my kids, who must be hard at work with their own days. I'll have to come again with them.

I ate so, so well again today, and I'll definitely visit Italy Shabu Kalguksu again next time.