Hongdae Korean restaurant for pork broth dinner: Anok

A tranquil hanok-style Korean restaurant in Hongdae

Such a pretty hanok-style restaurant has opened in Hongdae! Was there really a hanok this spacious and beautiful here? It is somewhere I would absolutely want to take an overseas friend when meeting in Hongdae. This is Anok (안옥), a Hongdae restaurant with a wonderfully tranquil atmosphere.

With its peaceful hanok mood, it is a one-of-a-kind Korean restaurant in Hongdae. I happened to visit in autumn, and even the blue sky was so pretty. A tiled-roof house always feels so elegant!

As a newly opened restaurant, both the exterior and interior are neat and clean, so it would be great for bringing older family members too. The hanok feels brand-new. It photographs beautifully, which keeps making you pick up your camera.

What are Anok's seating and hanok atmosphere like?

The restaurant is spacious and has varied seating: tables for two and four, plus a more private dining space tucked away inside.

A Hongdae restaurant where dining while looking outside on a snowy or rainy day would feel even more romantic. Finding a hanok in bustling Hongdae was so fascinating to me.

Anok's menu and pork broth

Now, let's look at Anok's menu: meals, meat dishes, hot pots, jeon (Korean pan-fried dishes), and grilled dishes. A simple meal would be nice at lunch, while dinner or a work gathering would be a great time to try a wider spread of meat and hot pot dishes.

Here is Anok's introduction to its broth. They say carefully selected medicinal ingredients, including astragalus root and burdock, add a subtle depth, while the fat is skimmed away over 48 hours, leaving only the clean, natural flavor of Korean pork for an easy-on-the-stomach broth.

A refreshing soup and side dishes arrive: kimchi, seokbakji (cubed radish kimchi), and pickled vegetables. The pure meat flavor in both the Pyongyang naengmyeon broth and gomtang broth made the sides taste even better.

Delicious braised pork tail, Pyongyang naengmyeon, and gomtang too. We visited at dinner and ordered generously. Let's eat!!!

Pyongyang naengmyeon piled with pressed pork

Cold Pyongyang naengmyeon ₩14,000

Should I call it pressed pork? The boiled meat has had all its fat removed, so the sliced meat is clean-tasting, while the buckwheat noodles are fragrant in this Pyongyang naengmyeon. It is a noodle dish, but the generous meat makes it really filling!

Dip the meat in the seasoning paste, then slurp up the noodles and broth. That mild, understated quality is the taste of Pyongyang naengmyeon, right? The pork tastes clean, with a savory character different from beef. It has a charm distinct from the usual version. Pyongyang naengmyeon lovers, you must try it at Anok.

Spicy braised pork tail, perfect with mild Pyongyang naengmyeon

Braised pork tail ₩29,000

It was my first time trying pork tail! It is completely packed with collagen—springy and chewy. Braised deliciously in a spicy sauce, with the fat rendered out, it has such a satisfyingly chewy texture. It is the perfect match for mild Pyongyang naengmyeon. It feels like the umami is turned up!

Sip the mild Pyongyang naengmyeon broth for its savory taste, then have a slightly more punchy, spicy tail stew—back and forth like sweet-and-salty flavors, haha. The seasoning makes you suddenly crave a beer, and the texture is so bouncy.

Clear pork gomtang served with rice in the soup

Clear pork gomtang ₩13,000

The broth is truly clear. The fat has been skimmed for a long time, creating a clean, nutty flavor. The rice is already in the soup, so just scoop and slurp it with a spoon. It feels easy to digest even when you have no appetite! Although it is pork gomtang, it is not overpowering or smelly, so even newcomers can enjoy it. With the rice mixed in, your stomach is already warm.

If you are craving special Korean food, I recommend Anok, a Hongdae restaurant in a beautiful hanok. I can confidently introduce it as the prettiest Korean restaurant in Hongdae. Pork-based Pyongyang naengmyeon and gomtang are not easy to find, but these make a clean, easy-to-digest meal without any smell or greasiness.

A Korean restaurant that suits both lunch and dinner. Try the chewy braised pork tail and the pure taste of the broth.