Seohyeon Station dumpling shop: 10 gyoja split by two, Gangnam Gyoja

What is Gangnam Gyoja Bundang Seohyeon Branch like?

Gangnam Gyoja Bundang Seohyeon Branch (강남교자 분당서현점) is a Korean restaurant specializing in gyoja mandu (dumplings) and kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup), in Unit 208 of Dadu Plaza in Seohyeon-dong. It is open daily from 11:00 to 21:00 and has free parking. Break time is 15:00–16:30 on weekdays and 15:00–17:00 on weekends and holidays.

I went to Seohyeon Station and wanted something hot and filling, so I stopped by Gangnam Gyoja! The dumplings were really good, packed with filling and moist with juice, and after the hot broth I felt warm in both body and heart~ If you're looking for a Seohyeon Station restaurant with comforting, hearty Korean food, this was just right!

What are the atmosphere and seating like?

In the early evening it was quiet, so we could eat in a relaxed way. By the time we finished, quite a few people were coming in to eat alone!

The whole place is spacious and open, bright, clean and comfortable. With mid-tone wood tables and chairs, it had that warm feel of a Korean restaurant~~

Best of all, there are a lot of seats, so I don't think you'd need to worry much about waiting when you come to eat near Seohyeon Station. The tables are also nicely spaced, so you can eat comfortably without bumping into the next table or feeling cramped!

Self-zone and table seasonings

There's also a self-zone~ Rice, wet wipes, dental floss and aprons are set out, so you can take as much as you need! Each table also has pepper, chili powder, soy sauce and seasoning sauce, so you can add whatever suits your taste.

What did we order?

Here are the menu and the origin-of-ingredients board~~ There were so many options that I agonized for a long time before ordering this:

• Spicy kalguksu (얼큰칼국수)
• Large bibim guksu (비빔국수 곱빼기)
• Gyoja mandu (dumplings)
• Coke Zero

Can't skip the Coke, right~~~~ My stomach felt a bit heavy and upset that day, but after one sip of Coke Zero it felt like everything settled down~ It went so well with the dumplings especially! Hot, mild dumplings with an ice-cold Coke is the best combo, after all~

How are the free broth and kimchi?

Kimchi and hot broth come by default. The kimchi, what can I say~~~ it had a slightly fresh, geotjeori-like feel but was also perfectly ripe and delicious! The broth is mild and soft, great for sipping between bites of dumplings or kalguksu.

How many gyoja mandu come in a plate, and how do they taste?

One plate of gyoja mandu comes with 10 dumplings, so it's perfect for two people to split 5 each! Ta-da~~ the gyoja mandu finally arrive~~ The portion is quite hearty, and with other dishes the two of us left full.

They're shaped round like little flowers, and they looked so appetizing, moist and glossy, that I wanted to dig in the moment they arrived.

When I opened one in half, it was packed with mild meat filling! And it was so full of juice that the juice came streaming out the second I split it, did you see that!?!?

A moist wrapper with a mild, hearty meat filling, and the juice spreads moistly with every bite. Really delicious~~

What does the spicy kalguksu taste like?

The spicy kalguksu has flat dumplings sitting in a spicy broth, with a generous mound of meat topping in the middle. Just looking at it, the hot, spicy broth looked appetizing, and it seemed so mild and filling!

The dumplings in the kalguksu are shaped differently from the gyoja mandu. But when I opened a flat one, I was surprised to find it full of juice too! The shapes differ, but the mild meat filling and moist juice are similar, so I enjoyed both!

There were more noodles than I expected, so it was really filling! Putting a flat dumpling on top of the chewy noodles and eating them together made every bite feel rich and full.

The chewy noodles go well with the hot, spicy broth, and with the mild meat filling of the dumplings added, the combination of spicy and mild was really good.

Adding kimchi on top of the dumpling brought a sharp, refreshing kick, the perfect finishing touch~~ I kept reaching for more!

How is the large bibim guksu?

The large bibim guksu (spicy mixed noodles) felt a little different from the bibim guksu we usually imagine! In the mouth it's slightly oily, the noodles slide down softly, and you get a subtle savory depth from the sauce plus a spicy, cool kick.

Add the mild flavor of the meat sauce and it all came together much better than I expected, so delicious. Being the large size, the portion was generous and just right for sharing between two~

It was cool and spicy at the same time, really tasty! One hot spicy kalguksu, one cold bibim guksu, plus the gyoja mandu: the mix of hot and cold dishes was just right~~

How should two people order at Gangnam Gyoja Bundang Seohyeon Branch?

At Gangnam Gyoja Bundang Seohyeon Branch we enjoyed every dish: the hot spicy kalguksu, the cool and spicy bibim guksu, and the juicy gyoja mandu. The dumplings especially were full of moist juice~~ Ordering kalguksu and bibim guksu together worked nicely, each with its own charm. If you want a hot, filling meal near Seohyeon Station and fancy a mix of dumplings, kalguksu and bibim guksu, do stop by Gangnam Gyoja in Seohyeon-dong~