Gyodae Station udon shop in Seoul: bukkake udon at Kosi Gyodae

What kind of restaurant is Kosi Gyodae Branch?

Kosi Gyodae Branch is a Gyodae Station Japanese restaurant specializing in fresh udon noodles made the 800-year-old Sanuki way, plus domestic pork loin tonkatsu. If you're passing near Gyodae Station, drop by Kosi Gyodae Branch where you can enjoy udon and crispy tonkatsu in one place~~~

I expected it to feel mostly like an udon specialty shop, but once I got there I found tonkatsu and katsudon on the menu too, so there were plenty of choices. Since it's a self-milled udon specialist that's even been featured on a Korean TV show about craftsmen, I especially wanted to try the udon noodles~

Getting to Kosi Gyodae from Gyodae Station: location and hours

Kosi Gyodae Branch is located at Seocho-dong 1557-22, Seocho-gu, Seoul. It's about a 5-minute walk from Gyodae Station (Seoul National University of Education), so it's a perfect spot to stop before or after visiting the Seoul Arts Center. I was curious whether the rumors of it being a line-up restaurant were true, and once I got there, I could see why.

• Hours: Daily 11:00–20:50
• Break time: 15:00–17:00

There's a parking space right in front of the restaurant, and also a seating area for waiting if there's a line~~

There's a menu board right in front of the restaurant so you can see what's on offer~ But I'll go inside and check things out in more detail.

Inside Kosi Gyodae: seating for solo diners and dates, and kiosk ordering

As soon as I walked into Kosi Gyodae Branch, the clean, modern interior caught my eye. It's good for solo dining and also perfect for a date. The tables were spaced comfortably enough to eat at ease, and ordering was simple via kiosk, so even first-time visitors could use it easily.

I also took a quick photo of the menu items you can order directly at the table~

What we ordered at Kosi Gyodae: gama-ten bukkake udon and sweet potato cheese croquette

I wanted to have the mazesoba (mixed noodles) again, but it was sold out, so I ordered the gama-ten bukkake udon and sweet potato cheese croquette (2 pieces) instead.

While waiting for my order, I looked around the seats again. The interior of Kosi Gyodae Branch is cleanly done up in wood tones.

The seats were comfortable and spacious, and the semi-partitions seemed good for eating with a bit of privacy.

Self-bar and table sauces at Kosi Gyodae

I took a photo of the self-bar corner at Kosi Gyodae Branch. On top there are side dish bowls and sauces~ You eat the sides provided by default, and if that's not enough, you can go get more.

The self-bar comes with danmuji (pickled radish) and kkakdugi (radish kimchi) as defaults~ Aprons are also self-serve.

While waiting for the food, here are the sauces on the table. Since it's known for tonkatsu, there's tonkatsu sauce and salad sauce, so I'll add them in once the food arrives.

How does the gama-ten bukkake udon taste? House-made noodles and tempura

The food I ordered arrived — gama-ten bukkake udon and sweet potato cheese croquette (2 pieces). The gama-ten bukkake udon is the style where you dip the udon noodles into a savory sauce, which is a unique way of eating it, so I decided to try it.

The noodles had a bouncy, chewy texture, and I could really feel the characteristic stickiness of Sanuki udon. In particular, the noodles didn't get too soggy and kept just the right springiness, so I could enjoy them deliciously right to the last bite. The broth was rich yet clean, so it was easy to eat without feeling heavy.

The udon came with crispy shrimp tempura and sweet pumpkin tempura. The combination of crispy texture with the chewy udon worked really well.

The crispy pumpkin tempura was sweet, and the shrimp tempura had a plump, meaty texture that was really delicious. Neither had too much batter, so I could eat them without feeling greasy.

Sweet potato cheese croquette, two pieces

The sweet potato cheese croquette really was a great sweet-and-salty combination, and I thought I made a great choice ordering it. Inside the crispy fried shell, the soft sweet potato and cheese blended together for a really good sweet-salty combo.

I also took a photo of the cabbage salad, kkakdugi, and danmuji served as basic side dishes.

Who is Kosi Gyodae Branch best for?

The combination of gama-ten bukkake udon and sweet potato cheese croquette at Kosi Gyodae Branch is a menu that suits pretty much everyone, even first-time visitors. It's good for solo dining and the atmosphere is more than fine for a date too, so I'd definitely recommend a visit~

The tori-ten gama udon set and tori-ten bukkake udon set are each ₩15,000, so they're good value and generous in portion, making them fine for both lunch and dinner. If you're craving clean Japanese-style tonkatsu or udon, I recommend Kosi Gyodae Branch near Gyodae Station~!