Gongdeok hanwoo omakase with a jasmine tea ice ball dinner: Usu

Here's my honest review of the Dinner B Course at Usu Gongdeok, easily one of the most polished hanwoo (Korean beef) dining spots I've visited recently. From the moment I stepped in, the tidy atmosphere and attentive service made me feel well taken care of throughout the meal. 🥂

Above all, each dish's neat plating, along with every layer of ingredient and sauce, showed real thought from the chef. Every course left me satisfied, so I'd confidently recommend this to anyone looking for a private gathering, anniversary, or company dinner spot near Mapo/Gongdeok. 👍 Please read this review all the way through today 💌

Where is Usu Gongdeok, and what are the parking and corkage terms?

Usu Gongdeok is located at 109 Mapo-daero, B2 201, Lotte Castle President Complex, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea. Parking is in the building's basement lot, which is very spacious and comfortable, and they gave us a generous 3 hours, so it was very convenient.

All private rooms, open year-round, corkage-free 🍷 — such great perks... For alcohol lovers like me, a corkage-free restaurant is honestly hard to resist 🫠

What anniversary extras does Usu give?

The basic barley tea served was nice too 🍵 Since I mentioned in advance it was an anniversary visit, they gave us two free glasses of wine along with elegant sweets and even a romantic candle service! If you're planning a visit for an anniversary, definitely mention it in advance to add that special touch. 🕯️🍷

Every seat at Usu Gongdeok is set in a fully separate private room. Great for quiet, intimate conversation, making it a fine choice for formal business meetings, company dinners, or anniversary dates. 👏

Usu Gongdeok menu and course prices

What comes in Usu's Dinner B Course (90g)?

We went with the Dinner B Course (90g). With its varied composition and polished cooking, it was a feast for both the eyes and the palate. Let me walk you through it course by course. 😋

1. Beef and egg jinjuk (thick rice porridge) 🥣

Made with a deeply simmered broth of hanwoo bone stock and chicken, the flavor is rich and savory above all. The smooth porridge is topped with crispy scorched rice, a scallion crust, shiitake mushroom, and asparagus as garnish. From the first bite, the harmony of pleasant texture and deep umami was excellent.

2. Four one-bite finger foods 🍱

Four dishes that build anticipation for the course. Hanwoo bulgogi sandwich 🥪

Hanwoo bulgogi, mushroom duxelles, and truffle cream cheese layered on savory brioche. The smoky flavor of jerky powder stands out. Scallop and clam 🐚

Inside a crispy brick pastry roll, well-seared scallop and clam cream with avruga caviar bring a subtle ocean fragrance. Sweet shrimp gimbugak (fried seaweed) 🦐

Fried gimbugak brushed with pollock roe, topped with fried abalone innards rice, sweet shrimp, and yuzu sauce. A rich umami flavor spreads through the mouth. Lobster taco 🌮

A squid-ink tortilla harmoniously topped with sous-vide lobster, tomato, and frilly lettuce. A smoked gochujang mayo keeps the balance clean.

3. Shiitake with shrimp and young zucchini 🍄

A combination of A-grade shiitake mushroom, plump shrimp, zucchini, tofu, and aged kimchi. Savory peanut tofu sauce and wild chervil oil bring out a deep, refined flavor.

4. Hanwoo yukhoe (beef tartare) with gamtae seaweed 🌿

Fresh hanwoo yukhoe (beef tartare) topped with house-made aioli, scorched rice, and pickled Chinese artichoke. Wrapped in gamtae seaweed and eaten in one bite, the softness of the yukhoe and the crisp texture strike a perfect balance. Personally, this was really delicious.

5. Jeju red tilefish 🐟

Jeju red tilefish grilled crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. Served with barley and wild chervil rice and mullet roe, with a shallow pour of pine mushroom broth for a deep, clean flavor — genuinely one of my favorite dishes; I finished the broth down to the last drop. 🥣✨

6. 1++ hanwoo tteokgalbi (grilled beef patty) 🍖

Juicy hanwoo tteokgalbi topped with pistachio and basil oil. Celery agrumette and balsamic sauce cut the richness for a refreshing bite.

7. Abalone with five-color gardenia noodles 🍜

Elegantly presented gardenia-colored noodles. Toppings of abalone, bracken fern, and wild chervil, along with a spicy mustard-garlic sauce and gamtae seaweed dressing, cleanse the palate.

8. Main: 1++ hanwoo grill with a bansang (rice and side dish set) 🥩

Top-grade 1++ hanwoo sirloin grilled to your liking on a personal charcoal grill. Personally, the hanwoo seaweed soup and sea bream pot rice were amazing. (I know it sounds like I'm saying everything's delicious... but everything really was.)

With the smoky aroma of charcoal, the rich juices of the hanwoo pair beautifully with the deep-flavored seaweed soup set and fish pot rice for a neat finish.

9. Dessert 🍨

A combination of smooth corn ice cream, cream cheese, apricot, and sponge cake. A refreshing green tangerine sauce and coconut chips rounded off a truly complete course down to the last dessert. Since it was our anniversary, they even brought sweets, a candle, and took a Polaroid photo — I didn't know what to do with myself 😭 (sparkling wine was also on the house...)

Verdict: the care behind Usu's jasmine tea ice ball

Usu Gongdeok is a place where the chef's craftsmanship and care came through in every single dish served. ✨

Because here's the thing — after finishing my last jasmine tea, I found they'd put in an ice ball made by freezing the leaves and jasmine tea itself. Any place that shows this kind of insane dedication and obsession, I'm definitely coming back... 💦

Honestly, I've been to plenty of other hanwoo omakase places and often came away with a 'just okay' impression, but with Usu, from the very first amuse-bouche I thought, wait, this is different and delicious? 👏🏻 It would also be a great place to bring your parents. (You all know not every restaurant is worth saying that about...)

Moving beyond a simple grilled-meat-centered menu, the course was carefully designed with harmony between ingredients and aesthetic plating in mind, and it left a strong impression. With refined service, free wine and sweets, and a private setting on top of it all, I had a thoroughly satisfying time throughout the meal. If you're looking for a top-tier hanwoo dining experience in the Mapo/Gongdeok area, I confidently recommend Usu Gongdeok. 💖 Really.