Nowon Korean restaurant set for three, ₩49,000: Hantiok with Mom and

Finding a place to eat with my parents in Nowon always turns into a bit of a puzzle. I want somewhere that's not too casual, with neat, tidy food that older folks can enjoy comfortably — but not so pricey that we can't go back often.

This time, looking for somewhere to eat with my mom and sister, I ended up at Hantiok, on the 9th floor dining hall of Lotte Department Store Nowon.

I personally use department store dining halls a lot. There's plenty of parking so I don't have to worry, and the dining halls themselves tend to be quiet and well-kept, which makes them especially comfortable for meals with my parents. This time too, my mom said the atmosphere was nice and the food was neat and tasty, which made me quietly proud.

Location and hours of Hantiok Lotte Department Store Nowon Branch

Hantiok Lotte Department Store Nowon Branch is located at 1414 Dongil-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul, on the 9th floor dining hall of Lotte Department Store Nowon. Being inside the department store makes it easy to find on the first visit, and convenient to pair with other shopping plans. Using the department store parking lot gets you 2 hours free, and with plenty of parking spaces, it's easy to visit by car.

Hours are daily from 10:30 AM to 8:30 PM. It's closed on the department store's holidays, so keep that in mind.

I was impressed to learn Hantiok started in 1970 in Yecheon, North Gyeongsang Province, and is now run by the third generation — a Korean restaurant specializing in gukbap and meat dishes. Maybe because of that long history, the whole menu felt familiar and unpretentious.

What's the atmosphere like on the 9th floor dining hall?

When I go to a department store, shopping is easy, but I also often end up eating at the dining hall. Especially when moving around with my parents, being able to handle parking and dining in one place is more convenient than you'd think. The 9th floor of Lotte Department Store Nowon has a cluster of fairly calm restaurants, making it a good place to browse whether you're looking for a date spot or a family dinner.

This time I made a reservation ahead to eat with my mom. The store itself was clean and calm, which suited a meal with my parents well.

These days, delicious food matters, but so does how comfortable the atmosphere feels for the people you're eating with. In that sense, Hantiok felt less like a lively, buzzing place and more like somewhere to eat at ease. So if you're looking for a good Nowon restaurant while also thinking about a place for your parents or a family meal, this kind of department store dining hall seemed like a pretty solid option.

What's in the Hantiok 3-person set (₩49,000)?

This time we ordered the Hantiok 3-person set (₩49,000). At first I thought a meal for three at a department store dining hall would run pretty pricey, but once the spread arrived, the lineup turned out to be really substantial.

Centered around bossam, it came with mandu-tofu, jeyuk bokkeum, steamed fish, salad, kimchi, bean sprouts, pickled gungchae, pickled perilla leaves, lettuce wraps, and rice.

It was great that each person also got their own bowl of gukbap. Most of all, this much food for ₩49,000 for three felt like a pretty good deal. Given how much dining out costs these days, being able to feed a family of three a variety of side dishes plus meat and gukbap in one meal felt like it would suit anyone looking for an affordable Nowon restaurant. My mom liked that the dishes came out neatly one by one, giving her the fun of trying a little of everything.

How do the bossam, mandu-tofu, steamed fish, and jeyuk bokkeum taste?

The bossam meat was tender and easy to eat without feeling heavy. Paired with the spicy-sweet radish kimchi, it went really well with the mild flavor of the pork.

With bossam, I think the meat itself matters, but so does how well the kimchi or side dishes pair with it — and that's what keeps you reaching for more. That day, I naturally kept wrapping bite after bite. The mandu-tofu was an interesting combination too.

It came with hearty, filled meat mandu (dumplings) alongside soft, nutty hand-made-style tofu, so switching between the meat and tofu was fun.

I liked that the steamed fish was actually steamed, not fried. It was seasoned just right too — not overpowering, and light to eat.

The jeyuk bokkeum was tasty too and went well with rice. Overall, none of the dishes were overly strong-flavored, which my mom especially liked.

What kind of gukbap is andong gukbap?

One dish at Hantiok you shouldn't skip is the andong gukbap. It's a soup made with 1++ grade Korean beef brisket, ugeoji, bean sprouts, and scallions — eating the broth together with the hearty ingredients made for a filling meal on its own. The ugeoji in particular was soft, and with plenty of ingredients, it went really well with rice.

Eating a variety of side dishes along with the gukbap definitely raised my overall satisfaction with the meal. There's a certain comfort that comes from Korean food's rice-soup-side dish combination. Watching my mom enjoy the soup that day made me happy too. My sister said the soup was tasty and that Hantiok was pretty good, haha.

Honestly, when I take my parents out to eat, what makes me proudest isn't finding a delicious place — it's watching them actually enjoy the food. In that sense, this visit to a Nowon restaurant was quite satisfying.

Is it good for a date or family dinner too?

Hantiok Lotte Department Store Nowon Branch had a calm atmosphere and neat food, which made it good for a meal with parents, and I think it would also work as a date spot for anyone who likes clean, simple Korean food. Being inside Lotte Department Store also meant shopping or a café before or after the meal flowed naturally. Parking was also easy, using the department store lot with 2 hours free, so visiting by car wasn't a hassle.

Most of all, my mom was happy with both the food and the atmosphere this time, which made me end the meal in a good mood too. For ₩49,000 for three people, being able to enjoy bossam, jeyuk bokkeum, steamed fish, mandu-tofu, various side dishes, and gukbap together made this a place I wanted to recommend to anyone looking for an affordable Nowon restaurant.

If you're looking for a family meal with kids, or a place to eat with your parents, Hantiok is worth considering for its mild, neat Korean food. If you're like me, looking for a comfortable place to eat with your mom, you can enjoy a variety of dishes and leave with a full, satisfying meal.

When you want a tidy Korean meal in Nowon along with easy department store parking, Hantiok at Lotte Department Store Nowon is a place worth remembering.