After-work clear broth vs tomato broth shabu-shabu in Hapjeong

A visit to Nahonsha, a solo-dining shabu-shabu and sukiyaki restaurant near Hapjeong Station between Hongdae and Sangsu, to try the clear broth and tomato broth — haha

feat. for anyone who can't afford Haidilao, come on over, I've boiled up an alternative for you

Nahonsha's location and parking

Nahonsha is a restaurant specializing in solo dining, located between Hapjeong and Sangsu stations — a shabu-shabu and sukiyaki spot in the Mapo area near Hapjeong, Hongdae and Sangsu. Parking is available, but keep in mind you must call ahead with your party size and visit time!

Interior and how it works

Every table in this Hapjeong spot comes with its own induction burner and pot, so you can eat comfortably alone in a pleasant setting.

The solo seats have a retro, cozy feel while still being clean and spacious, but it's also a great place for groups, dates, blind dates, work dinners or family meals.

This premium shabu-shabu and sukiyaki restaurant near Hapjeong uses fresh ingredients daily and top-grade Australian chuck — note that the restroom is located in the building, not inside the restaurant itself!

They're also running a Naver receipt review event, so check it out and grab some chewy glass noodles to enjoy your meal even more!

• 🍯 Tip — Leave a receipt review for glass noodles or a drink

Besides the main food, you can easily request an apron, more broth, scissors or call staff over using the call button on the table — and the staff were really kind, which I loved 😊

On the table were peanut sauce, sweet chili sauce and soy sauce, and instead of plain water, they served deeply brewed barley tea — the kind you keep wanting to drink.

Menu and broth options

Here's the shabu-shabu menu at this Hapjeong restaurant. On my weekday after-work visit the sukiyaki had sold out, so I went straight for shabu-shabu~ Within the shabu-shabu options, mala and tomato broth (aka the red broth) cost ₩1,000 extra, but they're worth it flavor-wise.

There are five broth flavors — clear, spicy, miso, mala and tomato. Since clear broth seemed like it would be the most popular, I ordered both clear and tomato to compare.

You can add meat, vegetables, mushrooms and glass noodles, making it good for solo dining, dates, or lunch and dinner. Besides soju and beer, they also sell sake by the glass and tokkuri, so it's a nice spot for a drink after work or a group dinner.

Clear broth vs tomato broth — how did they compare?

Clear broth, ₩14,900 — the basic broth here at this Hapjeong shabu-shabu spot stays clean all the way through the meal, so it seems like it would appeal to everyone regardless of age or preference. It's made with bonito flakes, kelp and chicken stock.

Tomato broth, ₩15,900 — I was torn between this and mala broth, but went with tomato in the end. It's a hot-pot-style broth, so it's a good-value way to enjoy that flavor. (Isn't the color gorgeous, haha?)

• 🍯 Tip — It gently recreates the Haidilao flavor for a much cheaper price

At this shabu-shabu spot near Hongdae, Sangsu and Hapjeong, the broth arrived first, then the vegetables, Australian beef, kalguksu (wheat noodles) and pickled chili followed. I prepared all three sauces — chili, peanut, soy — and mixed flavors as I went. Not that I'm hiding it~ 😊

I added the fresh vegetables into the broth little by little and enjoyed a great meal at this solo-dining-friendly spot near Hongdae and Sangsu. (Honestly you can just dump it all in at once too.)

The fresh vegetable mix — fish cake, enoki mushrooms, sweet pumpkin, cabbage, oyster mushrooms, dumplings, carrots, bok choy and more — went in first to boil, then I fished them out before adding the meat next. But really, you can eat in whatever order you prefer!

The top-grade Australian beef had no gamey taste at all and was tender, so even people sensitive to meat smell could enjoy it comfortably. This Hapjeong shabu-shabu spot serves mild, non-spicy flavors that keep you reaching for more.

Personally, I found the tomato broth already well-seasoned on its own — good without any sauce, and good dipped too. Eating it made me curious about the sukiyaki, so I've decided to come earlier next time 💪💪

The noodle finish

Scraping the pot clean with kalguksu noodles at the end — isn't that the true K-food dessert? ⌯' ꇴ '⌯ The tomato broth, mild and never overpowering, made the kalguksu noodles taste almost like pasta, which made it even better.

Overall thoughts

Nahonsha, a solo-dining shabu-shabu and sukiyaki restaurant near Hongdae, Sangsu and Hapjeong, stood out because the food is mild and non-spicy enough to please just about anyone, regardless of age or taste. Clean facilities and friendly service make it a place worth coming back to.