Magok noodle restaurant in Seoul with minari pancake: Yangcheon Shabu

Where is Yangcheon Shabu Son Kalguksu, Magok Main Branch?

Yangcheon Shabu Son Kalguksu, Magok Main Branch is a shabu-shabu and hand-cut noodle restaurant on the 1st floor, units 107-108, of Magok Botanic Park Plaza near Yangcheon-hyanggyo Station. It's open daily from 11:00 to 21:00 (last order 20:20), and parking is available.

Address: 46 Magokdong-ro 10-gil, Gangseo-gu, Seoul (1st floor, units 107-108, Magok Botanic Park Plaza), South Korea / Hours: Daily 11:00–21:00 (last order 20:20) / Parking available

I've been around this area a lot but had no idea there was a shabu kalguksu place near Yangcheon-hyanggyo Station! So I decided to check it out this time, and even before the door opened, I had a feeling..!!! This is going to be a good one!!! Hahaha. We went past the weekday lunch rush, after 3pm, and the tables were still almost full..!!

First visit, and I already felt like I'd discovered a hidden gem..! Haha, I was excited before we even ordered..

Personally I love restaurants that serve barley tea or hutgae tea (Korean raisin tree tea), and they gave us hutgae tea?! It was so good here haha.

What two people ordered: special set for two, extra shabu, seafood minari pancake

At Yangcheon Shabu Son Kalguksu, Magok Main Branch, my husband and I ordered the special set for two plus an extra shabu meat serving, and a seafood-loaded minari pancake. The basic set comes with black garlic kalguksu, five-color sesame oil rice, and base meat.

A lot of people around us were also eating the crispy potato pancake, so I hesitated, but went for the seafood-loaded minari pancake instead..!

The basic side dish is literally just kimchi, but it was so good my husband ate two bowls before the food even arrived ^^..

The wasabi sauce is set out at every table — just close the lid, shake it, and use it!

The basic black garlic kalguksu, five-color sesame oil rice, and base meat that come with the set.

This is the extra meat we ordered, one serving! The portion was pretty generous, plenty for two people!

It's the special set, but loaded with minari (water dropwort), bean sprouts and mushrooms — I was so excited! I'm not usually a huge fan of minari, but I only really eat it when I'm having shabu kalguksu haha.

Why the wasabi soy sauce stood out most

The wasabi soy sauce at Yangcheon Shabu Son Kalguksu, Magok Main Branch is set out at every table, meant for dipping meat and vegetables — and this sauce was the most impressive part of this visit.

You boil the broth, add the meat, then dip the meat along with vegetables into the wasabi soy sauce — and this wasabi soy sauce is insanely good ㅜㅜㅜ!!! It's so good I wondered if it's some kind of secret recipe soy sauce.

I fell for the wasabi soy sauce and kept dipping ^^. My husband already loves wasabi, so he was raving about the sauce the whole time haha. The meat was so tender too and went perfectly with the minari and bean sprouts — a dream combo! Ah.. I want to eat it again..

Seafood-loaded minari pancake: crisp outside, soft inside

The seafood-loaded minari pancake! I personally love crispy pancakes, and this one nailed the crispy-outside-soft-inside thing.. Truly crispy on the outside, moist on the inside ㅠㅠ. Been a while since I had such a good savory pancake, so I was thrilled haha. (The wasabi soy sauce is an all-purpose sauce, so dipping the pancake in it too is absolutely delicious!❤️)

Black garlic fresh noodles and the hourglass timer

The black garlic kalguksu at Yangcheon Shabu Son Kalguksu, Magok Main Branch is made with fresh hand-cut noodles, which can stick to the pot. Flip the hourglass over and stir occasionally!

I wanted to eat so badly that waiting for the hourglass to run out felt like it took forever.. haha.

Maybe because they're fresh hand-cut noodles, the texture was so springy and chewy! My husband said he doesn't really like noodles and would just eat the porridge, but he kept eating the kalguksu and broth, saying it was so good haha.

Finishing the course with five-color sesame oil rice porridge

The last stage of the course at Yangcheon Shabu Son Kalguksu, Magok Main Branch is porridge made from the five-color sesame oil rice. At this point, is this not basically an all-you-can-eat place..?! The food just keeps coming! Hahaha.

This time we made porridge out of the five-color sesame oil rice~~ The rice has such pretty colors it felt almost a shame to eat it ㅜ. The five-color sesame oil rice had a mild, not overpowering sesame oil aroma, and tasted healthy and delicious!

My husband said he couldn't eat another bite, he was so full.. but while I was paying, he scraped the bowl clean haha. He said it's the best shabu kalguksu he's had in his life haha.

Free amenities by the register and plum juice on the way out

By the register there are rubber bands, dental floss, mouthwash, fabric deodorizer, and even candy — anyone who needs them can help themselves! Haha.

And a glass of plum juice on the way out~~ haha. How did they know plum juice is literally the only digestive aid that works for a pregnant woman haha. I had a glass on the way out and it was so good! A hidden gem restaurant only I didn't know about — Yangcheon Shabu Son Kalguksu, Magok Main Branch!! My husband and I already agreed to visit again soon! (Next time I want to go on a rainy day haha.) We really, really ate so well haha. If you're looking for a great shabu kalguksu spot, you have to visit!!