Seongsu brunch restaurant for four: romesco kimchi risotto at Huirit

Why we booked Huirit, a Seongsu brunch restaurant, ahead of time

Huirit is a pasta and brunch restaurant on Wangsimni-ro 2-gil in Seongsu, and even at weekday lunch the tables were pretty full. I had a meetup in Seongsu after a while, and since Seongsu is packed with people these days and you're bound to wait wherever you go, I found this place ahead of time and made a reservation — Huirit, a Seongsu brunch spot.

It's known as a Seongsu brunch spot, so even weekday lunch had quite a crowd.

It's a converted old house, so the layout is a bit unusual, but that's exactly what makes it feel cozy and private for a brunch.

Huirit location, hours and how to find it

• Hours: Mon–Sun 11:00–22:00
• Closed: No closed days
• Location: 1F, 34 Wangsimni-ro 2-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Inside Huirit: seating options and an air-conditioned outdoor table

Right as you walk into Huirit there's a bar table and group seating, and there are plenty of outdoor tables too. What's more, the outdoor tables even have a portable AC unit, so we had no trouble eating comfortably even in this hot weather.

Further inside there's also large-group seating and a bar table. The interior is clean white with wood tables and chairs, giving it a cozy vibe — a Seongsu pasta spot.

What I liked best was the floor-to-ceiling windows — it feels wide open, never stuffy! Great atmosphere, great pasta — Huirit. A really good vibe for a Seongsu date or a pre-wedding gathering.

Huirit menu: what four people ordered, one dish each

The four of us have such different tastes... haha. Each of us ordered whatever we felt like. Sweet corn octopus cold pasta, vongole oil pasta, chapsteak, and finally romesco kimchi risotto!

Romesco kimchi risotto: firm rice that never turned to mush

The first dish to arrive at Huirit was the romesco kimchi risotto. I was curious whether romesco and kimchi would actually work together, and I was surprised at how well they matched, as if they'd always belonged together. The deep-fried green onion on top was sliced super thin, giving it a distinctive texture.

Risotto so easily turns into mush if you're not careful, but Huirit, this Seongsu brunch spot, kept that firm bite intact, so the risotto was really good. The sauce soaked deep into the rice, wrapped in threads of green onion, with the spicy kimchi flavor coming through subtly — totally my type 🥹

Vongole oil pasta with two kinds of clams

Huirit's vongole oil pasta was loaded with clams. Two kinds — littleneck and hard clams — made it look even more generous and full of savory depth, at this Seongsu pasta spot.

The noodles were thick, so there was a nice chewy texture, and the sauce coated them evenly with no bland spots. I thought oil pasta might be greasy, but it wasn't at all — the briny savoriness of the seafood gave it a clean finish, which I actually loved.

The clams weren't tough and were evenly cooked, no fishy smell at all — a clean, delicious vongole oil pasta! Highly recommend this Seongsu pasta spot, Huirit.

Sweet corn octopus cold pasta: the dish I ordered despite everyone's advice

Huirit's sweet corn octopus cold pasta was the dish I picked despite everyone trying to talk me out of it — and it ended up disappearing fastest of all four plates.

Hahahahahaha — this is the pasta I ordered against everyone's objections! They were like, sweet corn and pasta, seriously? No no, you fake foodies have no idea how good a dish with sweet corn can be ㅠㅠㅠ

But mine got wiped out first... see, see, I told you all it'd be good~ The noodles were, I think, capellini — very thin, which gave it a nice bite, and being thin meant more sauce clung to it, so eating it with that thick sauce was delicious.

The sweet corn on top gave little bursts of texture between bites of noodle — totally my type 🤭 This is why I eat it! I got teased that sweet corn must make it too sweet, but it wasn't sweet at all, just nutty and delicious. Huirit turned out to be a total hidden gem for pasta in Seongsu!

Chapsteak: flat iron steak served with baguette

Last up, Huirit's chapsteak! I hadn't had chapsteak since childhood, so it brought back a lot of memories. A Seongsu brunch spot I'd recommend.

The chapsteak came with bread to pair with it, a nice touch. The well-cooked hanger steak wasn't tough at all, went down tender, and along with jelly-like mushrooms and crunchy onions, every texture came through evenly, which I liked.

The baguette was toasted crisp, and dipping it in sauce with the vegetables on top felt like brunch in its purest form! I'm glad I discovered a delicious brunch spot in Seongsu — I think I'll be back often. If you're looking for a good Seongsu date restaurant or a Western food spot for a meetup, I'd personally recommend Huirit.