Konkuk Univ. noodle restaurant for buckwheat soba at lunch: Kosi

I was looking for somewhere to have lunch near Konkuk Univ. and found a place that does both udon and pork katsu properly. They specialize in self-made udon noodles and aged pork katsu, and apparently even appeared on a TV show about noodle masters. Following the flagship in Dogok-dong and the Gil-dong branch, they've now opened one near Konkuk Univ. too! Today I'm introducing Kosi Konkuk University Branch :)

They age the noodles for a whopping 48 hours, so as someone who loves udon, I was excited even before I got there.

Where Kosi Konkuk University Branch is, and its hours

Kosi Konkuk University Branch is at 197 Achasan-ro, 1st floor, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, open daily from 11:10 to 21:00. Break time is 15:00-17:00, and last order is at 20:30.

• Takeout/delivery available
• Group friendly
• Wi-Fi
• High chair available
• Parking available (free for 1 hour)

The exterior of Kosi near Konkuk Univ. is clean and has that proper Japanese udon shop feel. I visited during lunchtime and could see quite a few customers even from outside, so I thought, "this place must really be popular." I came here looking for a good katsu restaurant near Konkuk Univ., and what I liked most was that you can get self-made udon along with the katsu.

48-hour house-made noodles: why the restaurant is called Kosi

Near the entrance there was a sign about their appearance on the noodle masters TV show. Kosi uses just three ingredients — salt, water, and flour — to make the dough, which goes through a first and second fermentation before the noodles are finally finished after a full 48 hours. Made in the traditional Sanuki style, the noodles have a chewy, bouncy texture when you bite into them. In Japan, this kind of texture is described as having "koshi" — so that's probably where the name comes from haha.

What Kosi looks like at lunchtime, and how many seats

We visited at lunchtime and the restaurant was really packed. They say the hall has about 52 seats, but nearly every table was full. It felt like a spot where office workers and students looking for a good katsu restaurant near Konkuk Univ. Station come for lunch. There's plenty of seating, so it seemed good for meals with friends or a partner, and fine for a family outing too.

We sat at a window seat. It wasn't stuffy at all and it was nice being able to watch the street while eating. Ordering could also be done right at the table, which was convenient — no need to flag down staff, just take your time looking at the menu and order.

The three dishes ordered at Kosi and what they cost

That day we ordered three things: soba for 10,500 won, mazesoba udon for 11,000 won, and half-half katsu for 13,000 won! From udon to katsu, we tried to cover the menu items that looked most popular at Kosi near Konkuk Univ. If you're looking for a good udon restaurant near Konkuk Univ. Station, I'd recommend ordering a noodle dish along with some katsu.

Buckwheat soba (memil soba), 10,500 won

First, the soba! It had that clean, classic Japanese soba look overall, and just looking at it felt refreshing. A perfect visual for a light meal on a hot day haha.

It came with inari (fried tofu pouch rice), and was neatly set up with tsuyu dipping sauce, grated radish, chopped scallions, and wasabi on the side.

Tasting the noodles, I could kind of see why they'd been on that TV show. Soba noodles can easily end up broken or soggy if cooked wrong, but here the noodles were bouncy with a real bite to them. There was no mushy feeling when I ate them with the tsuyu — the texture held up well. I could see why fans of self-made noodles would seek this place out as an udon restaurant near Konkuk Univ. Station.

Mazesoba udon, 11,000 won

Next, the mazesoba udon! With an egg yolk sitting right on top, it looked delicious from the start. It came loaded with meat and various toppings, and you just break the yolk and mix everything together before eating.

I broke the yolk and mixed it all up thoroughly. The sauce was savory and salty with deep umami, and once the yolk was mixed in, everything turned soft and nutty. On top of that, the bouncy noodles soaked up the seasoning really well, so every bite brought together the meat, noodles, and sauce, and I just kept reaching for more with my chopsticks. Since it's self-made noodles, I especially liked that the noodles' chewy texture wasn't lost even under the strong seasoning. If you want to really experience the noodles at Kosi near Konkuk Univ., I'd also recommend this dish!

Half-half katsu, 13,000 won: cheese katsu vs plain pork katsu

And then, the half-half katsu. It's a dish that comes with both cheese katsu and plain katsu, which is a great setup for someone like me who wants to eat both haha. It's perfect if you're looking for a good katsu restaurant near Konkuk Univ. and can't decide on just one menu item.

The katsu was fried to a really crisp finish on the outside. The breading wasn't too thick, the meat was thick and tender, and biting into it kept the juices in, so it wasn't dry at all — I really liked that. Apparently the pork is also aged for 24 hours and then fried right when ordered, and you could definitely tell the meat was tender. The cheese katsu had plenty of cheese packed inside, giving it a nutty, slightly heavier flavor, while the plain katsu let you taste the meat itself in a clean, straightforward way.

Is lunch at Kosi worth it after trying all three?

Having tried all three — soba, mazesoba udon, and half-half katsu — I personally didn't feel like any of them was a letdown. The katsu was fried well too, but what stuck with me most was the bounce of the 48-hour aged noodles. The broth is apparently simmered for 12 hours using anchovies and kelp from the South Sea, and the soy sauce is boiled in-house and then aged for 24 hours before use.

The slower it is, the deeper the flavor becomes.

This food philosophy of Kosi near Konkuk Univ. didn't seem like an empty slogan. After eating, I understood why the place was so crowded haha. If you're looking for somewhere to eat cleanly near Konkuk Univ., or want to enjoy both katsu and bouncy self-made udon in one meal, I'd recommend it :)