Konkuk Univ. Japanese spot: mom's first tonkotsu ramen set, Hekbap

It's Double Honey here, a fan of neat, tidy meals💛 Eating family-style is great, but sometimes I crave a meal where everyone gets their own tidy tray. It makes me feel looked after, so I go for it every now and then. This time I went on a date with my mom in Konkuk Univ. and let someone else make us a delicious meal. Let me introduce Hekbap Konkuk University Main Branch (핵밥 건대본점), a Konkuk Univ. restaurant that was clean and tasty. Let's take a look together❣

Hekbap Konkuk University Main Branch: hours and basic info

Hekbap Konkuk University Main Branch is at 127 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, on the 2nd floor, and it's open daily 11:00–21:00. Break time is 15:00–16:30, last order is 20:30, and takeout and reservations are both available.

Hekbap runs a review event. Write a review with photos and you get a free drink, so go for it if you're interested!

How to get to Hekbap from Konkuk Univ. Station

Come out of Konkuk Univ. Station Exit 2 and keep walking, and you'll find Hekbap on the 2nd floor. It's a comfortable walking distance from the station, so it was very easy to reach by public transport. I love being close to a station, but this distance is totally fine by me😊

There's a banner of delicious food at the entrance. Before going in, it made me wonder what to eat, and seeing the tasty photos built up my excitement!

Seating, atmosphere and waiting at Hekbap

The inside of Hekbap was much roomier than it looks from outside. It was cleaner than I expected, and I was surprised the moment I walked in. I visited around 7pm on a weekday and, luckily, got in right away with no wait. It would feel a bit awkward to make my mom wait, you know~

My favorite spot was by the window! It's a great place to eat alone. You can see lush green trees~ and watch people while you eat👍

There are 2-person and 4-person tables too, so it's perfect for a date. Overall it didn't feel crowded or noisy, just a comfortable place to have a meal.

Every table is set up with the basics: water, paper cups, even hair ties!! The hair ties are such a thoughtful touch💛 If you need an apron, there are disposable ones on the wall, so take as many as you need.

Meals at Hekbap come as a full tray, and if you want extra side dishes, use the self-serve bar. It has wasabi, pickled radish and kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi).

Hekbap menu and how to order

Hekbap has a wide range of Japanese dishes: rice bowls, ramen, curry, pork cutlet and more. Even if you each want something different, as long as you want Japanese food, you can come here and each pick what you like!

Each table has an ordering machine. Photos and prices are shown clearly, so take your time looking and then order❣

How to eat Hekbap's rice bowls, soba and katsu

Each table had instructions on how to enjoy each type of dish. It would probably be good either way, but since they recommend it, I had to try it their way🙂

Rice bowls aren't meant to be mixed. You put the toppings on top of the rice and eat them that way! It's even better with wasabi.

For soba, you break the egg and toss the toppings together~ They say adding kelp vinegar improves the taste and aroma.

For katsu (breaded cutlet), they recommend eating it with the secret sauce and a bit of wasabi on the side.

Cube steak bowl for ₩13,900: how did it taste?

As a meat lover, I ordered the Hekbap cube steak bowl (₩13,900) without a second thought. It looks hearty just by sight! Big cubes of steak sit on top of the rice, so it's a great pick for meat fans. Meat lovers, go for it!

It comes with cube steak, salad, rice cake and soup. The chewy rice cake was good, and since the air conditioning made it a bit chilly, the hot soup hit the spot.

They recommend eating it with wasabi, so I grabbed some from the self-serve bar. We already know meat and wasabi go together~ Highly recommended.

On the first bite, the nutty richness came first, and my mouth filled with happiness. The sauce isn't overly strong either, so with the rice it all felt balanced. If you want a filling rice bowl, I think you'll be happy with it.

Mom's first ramen: tonkotsu ramen and pork cutlet set for ₩16,000

At Hekbap, my mom had ramen for the very first time in her life. It was the tonkotsu ramen and pork cutlet set (₩16,000), which comes with tonkotsu (pork bone) ramen, pork cutlet and rice cake.

The meat and egg on top look so appetizing. The meat is very tender and mild. It was so good that I stole quite a lot of it😊

The tonkotsu ramen stuck to the classic flavor. The broth is smooth and fairly mild, though it could get a little heavy as you eat! Since it was her first time, she felt a bit unfamiliar with it, but she said she'd like to try the spicy version next time. Is she falling for the charm of ramen...!!

And the pork cutlet in the set was seriously good!!! I wasn't expecting much, but it's good enough to be a main dish👍 The set left me properly full. It was a long-overdue date with my mom, and it was satisfying.

Who I'd recommend Hekbap to

• Anyone looking for a good place to eat alone in Konkuk Univ.
• People who want to each pick their own dish from a wide range of Japanese food
• Anyone who wants a neat, one-tray-per-person meal in a clean setting