Shabu-shabu for one in Cheomdan, Gwangju: 80-minute lunch at Shabu20

You know those weekday lunches when you want something a little special? But nothing too expensive, either. While hunting for a place that's good value and tasty, I found Shabu20 (샤브20), a shabu-shabu (hotpot) spot in Cheomdan! I went on a weekday and I was really glad I did :)

Where is Shabu20 Gwangju Cheomdan, and where can you park?

Shabu20 Gwangju Cheomdan is at the entrance of Cheomdan District 2 and is open daily from 11:30 to 22:00 (break time 15:00-17:00, last order 21:00). You can use the building's parking lot.

Shabu20, right at the entrance of Cheomdan District 2.

I visited this Cheomdan shabu-shabu favorite for the weekday 80-minute lunch course.

There's a parking lot in the building, so it was easy to come by car.

What is the atmosphere like at Shabu20 Cheomdan?

Shabu20 Cheomdan is a spacious, clean restaurant. The moment I walked in, the wide, tidy space caught my eye. It's a shabu-shabu place, but there was no lingering smell and it felt fresh and comfortable, which I liked even more.

The lighting is bright and the interior is neat, so the vibe works for a date or a family get-together. Even on a weekday lunch there were quite a few customers, so a good place is a good place, haha. The tables are nicely spaced too, so I could eat comfortably without worrying about the next table.

Can you eat at Shabu20 alone?

Shabu20 is open to solo diners from one person, so you can have shabu-shabu on your own. People usually assume shabu-shabu needs two or more, right? That's why I'd really recommend it to solo eaters. Being able to enjoy shabu-shabu alone without any pressure is a huge plus. Quite a few people were dining alone at lunchtime :)

What is the Shabu20 weekday 80-minute lunch course like?

Shabu20 has a separate set menu for weekday lunch, so you can enjoy it at a reasonable price. The spread is generous and the price is friendly, so it's top-level for an office lunch. I think this lunch set is exactly why so many office workers come at lunchtime :)

Which shabu-shabu broths can you choose?

At Shabu20, once you sit down you start by choosing a broth. There are plenty of options, such as a clear kelp broth, a milk cream broth and a spicy mushroom broth. I picked the katsuobushi (dried bonito flake) broth and the spicy broth. If it's your first visit, I'd suggest starting with a clear broth and trying the others next time :)

What is at the Shabu20 self-bar?

The Shabu20 self-bar is well stocked with noodles, rice, all kinds of sauces, side dishes, vegetables, salads and naengchae (cold chilled salad). Just looking around the self-bar at the start was fun. There were so many kinds of vegetables! You go for shabu-shabu to eat veggies, after all~ There are salads and naengchae too.

The most famous items at Shabu20 are, without a doubt, the galbi (marinated ribs) and the dakgangjeong (sweet crispy fried chicken)!

There are so many sauces, and recommended sauce combinations for shabu-shabu are posted too, so I'd suggest following them.

I'm so excited~ this is Shabu20's dakgangjeong, the very one I'd only heard rumors about. Besides the dakgangjeong, there are also baeksundae (Korean blood sausage), fried rice and tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes).

Even takoyaki and pasta!

And desserts, porridge, kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) and more are all ready too.

And unlimited draft beer, how could I resist!

Coffee, drinks, even ice cream.

• Vegetables, salads, naengchae
• Galbi, dakgangjeong
• Baeksundae, fried rice, tteokbokki
• Takoyaki, pasta
• Porridge, kalguksu, desserts
• Unlimited draft beer
• Coffee, drinks, ice cream

That's everything on the Shabu20 self-bar.

How do you cook and eat the meat at Shabu20?

At Shabu20 the meat is served only the first time, and after you finish it you go get more yourself from the meat fridge. I ate with two broths: katsuobushi and spicy.

When you gently drop fresh vegetables into the boiling broth, they cook quickly and stay crunchy. The real charm of shabu-shabu is the vegetable flavor seeping into the broth and making it deeper, right? With so many kinds of vegetables, it was fun to try a bit of everything.

Just looking at it fills me up~ the galbi is legendary.. and the dakgangjeong, what can I even say. The meat comes thinly sliced, and when you lightly blanch it in the broth it cooks up tender and juicy.

Pull it out before it's overcooked, while it's still a little pink, and dip it in the sauce. It's really good.

Ponzu or sesame sauce: which is better?

The tangy ponzu sauce and the nutty sesame sauce are perfect to alternate between. Personally, I liked dipping in the sesame sauce more :)

Finishing shabu-shabu: noodles or porridge?

At Shabu20 you can finish with both noodles and rice. Putting the noodles into the broth so the soup soaks into them is pure heaven 🍜 Adding rice at the end and boiling it into porridge is delicious too, and if you can't decide between noodles and porridge, putting in a small amount of each works, haha. I think this final step is the real highlight of shabu-shabu :)

After the meal, ice cream is served for dessert. It cools you down after the hot shabu-shabu, so it's an especially welcome touch in summer 🍦 Thoughtful details like this are really what turn people into Shabu20 regulars.

Oh, and you know Shabu20 Cheomdan does takeout too, right?

Who should try Shabu20 Cheomdan?

• People who want a special lunch in Cheomdan District 2
• People who want to enjoy shabu-shabu even alone
• People looking for a good-value shabu-shabu spot
• Office workers stuck on what to eat for weekday lunch

I highly recommend Shabu20 to all of you! I'm 100% going back 🌿