Steak poke and buldak salmon at Ola Poke Samseong near COEX, Seoul

Looking for somewhere to eat alone near COEX

Today I'm bringing you my review of eating solo at Ola Poke Samseong Branch, a salad restaurant near COEX that's great for solo dining! Since switching jobs to a company near COEX, nobody looks out for me anymore, so I end up eating alone a lot — and around COEX, eating solo at lunchtime can feel a bit awkward, sigh ㅠㅠ But I heard this place is comfortable for solo dining, so I went straight there.

It's near Exit 4 of Samseong Station and close to COEX, so it's a perfect spot for nearby office workers to grab lunch.

Lunchtime wait and bar seating

There were a lot of people inside. But turnover is pretty fast, so I didn't wait long even during lunch hour, and I was able to grab a seat while waiting for my order to come out.

There's also bar-style seating, so you can eat comfortably by yourself. Even with seating like this, you don't feel awkward eating solo near COEX!!

Ola Poke Samseong Branch menu

The menu was really varied — you can even get just vegetables without rice, and eat exactly to your taste. Picking your own sauce is part of the fun too.

What I ordered

• Steak poke ₩14,500 (basic, wasabi mayo sauce)
• Buldak salmon kkakdugi (spicy salmon with diced radish kimchi) ₩8,000

I went with the steak poke since it's filling. haha

At lunchtime, they recommend grabbing a seat first. But I just ordered first and waited, and luckily a seat opened up. haha

If you're not sure which sauce combo to pick, you can just order the recommended sauce — saying 'basic' means they'll pick the recommended one for you!!

Calorie chart and self-serve bar

There's a calorie chart posted on one side, which is great for anyone dieting. My steak poke came to a total of 612kcal. You need to eat at least this much to get through work!

There's water and, I think, broth set up on one side, so you can freely grab water. The water was even lemon water, good for dieting haha.

Cutlery is also set up on one side, so once your order comes out you can just grab what you need and eat! Having mouthwash on hand too is such a nice touch!

How was the steak poke?

My order arrives! It came out fast too. Pineapple, corn, chickpeas, red onion, salad and more — packed with really healthy ingredients, all of which taste good, so it can't be bad.

On top of that, the amount of meat was more than expected, so finishing one whole steak poke left me really full. Doesn't it look generous even just from the photos? haha

The meat wasn't tough at all — nice and tender, which I loved. The recommended wasabi mayo sauce uses real wasabi, so it's quite spicy — you should only add a little at a time. I dipped in small amounts, and it was still spicier than I expected. haha

Buldak salmon kkakdugi and the leftover-rice combo

The buldak salmon kkakdugi (spicy fire-chicken-style salmon with diced radish kimchi) works great as a side! Eating the spicy salmon alongside the mild steak made for a really good combo. Buldak salmon kkakdugi — essential for anyone who loves bold flavors, hehe.

On top of that, adding it to the rice left over from the steak poke turns it into a whole new buldak salmon poke — magic! Try this combo! It's high in protein, easy to digest, low in calories — a really great meal. And on top of that, a solo-dining-friendly salad restaurant near COEX! That alone is a huge plus haha. I think I'll be eating solo at Ola Poke Samseong Branch again.

Ola Poke Samseong Branch info

• 34 Yeongdong-daero 85-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, unit 102
• Hours: Mon–Fri 10:30–20:30
• Break time 15:00–17:00, last order 20:20
• Closed Saturday and Sunday