Rainy-day mala shabu-shabu with potato dumplings, Hapjeong: Nahonsha

There's something about a rainy day that makes you crave something hot and steamy. I was looking for a place near Hapjeong where I could eat comfortably alone, and I found Nahonsha!

Looking at reviews, I saw it actually has solo seating and individual pots, so it's great for eating alone — lots of solo dining reviews too. I was craving mala that day so I added all sorts of extras and had a really satisfying meal ♪(´▽｀)

So here's my review of Nahonsha near Hapjeong Station!

• Nahonsha
• 📍42 Dongmak-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul (1st floor), South Korea
• ⏰11:30 - 21:00
• Break time 15:00 - 18:00

Where is Nahonsha? How far from Hapjeong Station

It's roughly between Hapjeong Station and Sangsu Station, so it was fairly easy to reach from either. From Hapjeong Station it's about an 8-minute walk from Exit 7. Even the exterior felt cleaner and cuter than your typical shabu-shabu place!

Inside the restaurant and the solo seating

Inside, it's done in wood tones with a full window that made the mood calm and cozy. You'd think shabu-shabu means a noisy table full of people, but here it felt quiet and a bit different.

Not every seat was for solo diners — there was a mix! Along the window there are bar-style solo seats good for eating alone, while the inner area has tables for 2-4 people. So it's not purely a solo-dining-only spot — comfortable alone, but also fine with a friend. There was even a spot to put your bag, which was nice.

Menu and order: mala broth shabu-shabu for ₩28,000

There's a good range of shabu-shabu broths — clear / spicy / miso / mala / tomato — and besides shabu-shabu, sukiyaki is also available! There are also various add-on menu items you can pick to your taste.

I was really craving mala so I went with the mala broth shabu-shabu, and added potato dumplings, glass noodles, meat, and fried tofu pouch, coming to about ₩28,000 total!

After ordering, they first bring out the broth in your own individual pot. The smell wasn't overly strong or sharp — it had just the right shabu-shabu feel! They explained to put the vegetables in first, and once it boils, add the meat and other extras.

Mixing peanut sauce with chili sauce

Every table has various sauces to eat with, like peanut sauce and chili sauce! The peanut sauce was too sweet for me, so I mixed in a little chili sauce, and honestly it went really well with the mala... If you're not a fan of greasy flavors, I'd recommend this sauce combo!!

The basic solo set and add-on toppings

Next came the basic set! Various vegetables, mushrooms, noodles — all in a portion sized nicely for one person. I was worried it might feel skimpy, but there was so much of everything it looked like a proper meal even with just the basic set.

Then my separately ordered potato dumplings, glass noodles, and fried tofu pouch showed up too! Once the add-ons were all laid out, it suddenly didn't look like a portion for one person anymore... but mala needs glass noodles, no question.

Once the broth started boiling, they added the vegetables in one by one. The flavor-building ingredients went in first and simmered well!

Finally the shabu-shabu meat arrived! Sliced thin enough that it cooks fast with just a quick dip. I'd added extra meat too, and the portion was genuinely huge. Still, I was excited to eat a lot haha

How does the mala broth shabu-shabu taste? Somewhere between mala tang and shabu-shabu

Once the vegetables and meat were cooked through, I took a bite — it was spicier than expected with a nice mala aroma, perfect for a rainy day! Unlike regular mala tang, which can feel greasy and intense, this landed right in the middle of shabu-shabu and mala tang, so it'd be approachable even for people who aren't used to mala.

I also tried the fish balls and the dumplings I'd added, and they actually went surprisingly well with the mala broth? Chewy and soaked through with the mala broth, honestly way tastier than regular dumplings haha

The meat was thin so it wasn't tough, and it carried the mala aroma well too — dipped in the sauce I'd made earlier, it was nutty and delicious! Personally I think the meat paired best with the mala broth since the broth itself is quite strong-flavored.

Free broth refills

As you eat, the broth level drops because of all the vegetables and toppings, but here you can get free broth refills if you run low! Since I'd added dumplings and glass noodles, mine kept dropping fast so I asked for a refill.

When I visited there was also a stamp event going on! Every 4 visits you get a reward, and honestly after 4 visits I feel like I'd want to keep going back anyway. If you live near Hapjeong, it might be worth visiting often to collect the reward!

Honest review, overall score ⭐⭐⭐⭐4

Wanting shabu-shabu alone usually feels awkward since most places expect groups of two or more, but Nahonsha is set up for solo dining, which made it comfortable!

What I liked most was the range of broths beyond just clear broth — mala, miso, tomato — plus being able to add toppings like glass noodles or potato dumplings to your taste!

Sitting at a window solo seat eating shabu-shabu on a rainy day, it felt surprisingly atmospheric even though I was eating alone haha. If you're near Hapjeong or Sangsu looking for a good solo dining spot or shabu-shabu, I'd recommend visiting Nahonsha!