Konkuk Univ. Japanese diner: curry set with udon & karaage, Hekbap

Hekbap Konkuk University Main Branch (핵밥 건대본점) is roomy and great for eating alone without any fuss. Honestly, it's rare to find a place like this among Konkuk Univ. restaurants..!

Where is Hekbap Konkuk University Main Branch?

Hekbap sits on the 2nd floor right on the main road, at the start of the three-way intersection leading to the Konkuk Univ. bowling alley. Being on a main road and at the entrance to that intersection, it's very easy to find.

It's also the old Rolling Pasta spot. Lots of easy solo-dining places seem to open in this location~

Go in through the entrance by the coin karaoke room and take the stairs up to the 2nd floor. There's no elevator..! It's close to Exits 2 and 3 of Konkuk Univ. Station.

Do you need a reservation at Hekbap Konkuk University Main Branch?

Reservations are available through Naver for parties of 5 or more. I went on a weekday evening and there was plenty of space, so it didn't feel necessary.

From rice bowls to ramen: the Hekbap menu

The menu is varied, from rice bowls to curry to ramen, and items can sell out depending on ingredients.

The menu is neatly laid out on a single sheet. I also filmed the whole menu as a video, because there are quite a lot of items and I was curious myself..haha The salmon soy-marinated bowl (연어장) sold out right after I shot that video..T_T Some items may be gone, so order quickly~

Spacious, bright interior with mostly 4-person tables

The interior is fairly large, with mostly window seats and 4-person tables.

That's probably why they take separate reservations for parties of 5 or more.

Each table has a book next to the pepper and other condiments.

It's a (supposedly) worry-solving book. I told it my worry of the day and it told me not to get the wrong idea T_T hahaha It keeps you entertained before the food arrives.

Each table also has instructions on how to enjoy each dish best, so they're worth a look.

The basic side dishes are danmuji (pickled radish) and kkakdugi (radish kimchi), both taken from the self bar.

The restrooms are inside, one stall each for men and women~ They're single-occupancy.

What's in the curry rice bowl set at Hekbap?

The basic side dishes from the self bar. They taste just as you'd expect: perfectly fine.

Meaty curry rice bowl set (고기듬뿍카레덮밥정식) ₩15,900

As the name says, this is a curry rice bowl loaded with meat. The meat itself didn't have a smoky grilled flavor, but it wasn't too assertive, so it goes well with the curry, and the combination of curry, udon and karaage was really good.

Details like the flakes on top are well done, so the curry itself was pretty good quality, and it isn't spicy, so it's the kind of flavor most people will enjoy.

Every dish comes with 2 sweet fried rice cakes (tteok), similar to the sweet ones you get at Baeksojeong. They're good before the meal and also work as a kind of dessert.

The set at Hekbap is the basic menu plus ₩3,000, adding udon and 2 pieces of karaage (Japanese-style fried chicken). Two extras for ₩3,000 felt like good value and a good combination.

Pork cutlet curry rice bowl set (돈카츠카레덮밥정식) ₩16,900

This is another curry option, topped with tonkatsu (pork cutlet) instead of meat. Hekbap has 3 curry dishes in total, including one with fried chicken wings. Pork cutlet and curry is a pairing we all trust without needing to say a word!

Pork jowl rice bowl (항정살덮밥) ₩11,900, slightly spicy

The pork jowl bowl is one of Hekbap's popular dishes. Rich pork jowl comes with a gochujang-based sauce, so it's a little spicy, but that cuts the richness and I thought the combination worked. If you don't handle spice well, it may feel a bit hot.

Cube steak rice bowl set (큐브스테이크덮밥정식) ₩17,900, sweet soy sauce

In contrast to the pork jowl bowl, the cube steak set has a sweet soy-based sauce. The steak is literally cut into big cubes, and the sweet sauce makes it a flavor kids would like too.

Side spicy pork cutlet (매운돈까스) ₩5,500, gets spicy as you eat

I ordered the spicy pork cutlet as a side. It's 5 pieces, so think of it as a really small side dish. At first you barely notice the heat, but as you keep eating it's spicier than you'd expect..! haha If you don't do well with spice... order carefully!

When you finish, put your dishes in the return window and head out. As a convenient solo-dining spot in Konkuk Univ., a lot of things are self-service!

Hekbap Konkuk University Main Branch: verdict and tips

The space is big and the menu is varied, so I don't think you'd get tired of it even if you go often, and it's a good fit for easy solo meals. Surprisingly, Konkuk Univ. has few simple meal spots that aren't bars, so I plan to be a regular~!

• Parties of 5 or more can book via Naver; weekday evenings had plenty of seats
• Dishes can sell out when ingredients run low, so order quickly
• The set is +₩3,000 for udon and 2 pieces of karaage
• Be careful with the pork jowl bowl and spicy pork cutlet if you can't handle spice
• No elevator; take the stairs to the 2nd floor