Seongsu Japanese teppanyaki dinner set at Hotcho Seongsu

Friday evening wait and atmosphere at Hotcho Seongsu

Last Friday evening, I was figuring out dinner in Seongsu with a friend and suddenly wanted okonomiyaki again, so we went to Hotcho Seongsu. Hotcho Seongsu serves Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, so it is a good place to try when you are craving Japanese teppanyaki in Seongsu. Since we could have soba noodles and dumplings along with the okonomiyaki, we ordered the Signature Set for Two.

Hotcho Seongsu is a five-minute walk from Exit 8 of Ttukseom Station and a five-minute walk from Exit 5 of Seoul Forest Station. It sits between Ttukseom Station and Seoul Forest Station, so you can just take whichever line is more convenient.

I arrived at around 6:30 p.m. on Friday evening. I was a little worried it would be busy because it was Friday night, but luckily I could walk straight in without waiting! Before visiting, I checked Catch Table to see whether there was a wait, and went after confirming immediate entry was available. If you are curious about the wait status, it may be helpful to check Catch Table beforehand!

There is a kiosk in front of the entrance where you can register for the wait, and even the exterior is super neat. It has such a cool vibe, haha.

The kitchen is wide open inside, so it is the first thing you see when you enter, with bar seating in front of it. There are comfortable sofa-style seats toward the back, which would probably be more comfortable for groups of three or more. Every table has a teppan grill, giving the place that distinct Japanese teppanyaki restaurant atmosphere!

Each table was set with sauces and cutlery, and they brought us cabbage as soon as we arrived. It looks plain and white at first, but there is a little soy sauce drizzled inside, so it is seasoned just right even on its own!

On one side, there was a Suntory Highball event menu running through September 30. I ordered a sour, so sadly I could not take part in this oneㅠㅠ If you like Suntory Highballs, give it a try!!!

Signature Set for Two menu and prices

The menu is simple enough to see all on one sheet. You choose what you want, tick it directly on the paper, and order!! Hotcho Seongsu had a range of dishes, including Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, soba noodles, and dumplings.

We wanted to try a little of everything, so we ordered the Signature Set, which comes with okonomiyaki, soba, and snowflake dumplings. Since there are several kinds of okonomiyaki and yakisoba, you can choose the flavors!! We chose Hotcho Hiroshima Okonomiyaki, togarashi (chili pepper) yakisoba because we wanted something a little spicy, and yaki gyoza (pan-fried dumplings).

• Signature Set for Two ₩39,000
• Two lemon sours ₩16,000
• Total ₩55,000

Lemon sour and crispy yaki gyoza

First up, the lemon sour~~~ The lemon sours I tried were less sweet and had a strong lemon flavor, which cut right through any richness and kept them from becoming cloying, haha. And Hotcho Seongsu does not serve them in ordinary glass cups, but in drink-specific tumblers, so they felt cold right to the end!

Ahh—our set finally came out. The yaki gyoza had been fried crisp on the bottom like snowflake dumplings. The dumplings were really moist and full of juices, while the bottom was crispy, so the texture was great. They were better than expected, and I was glad we ordered the set!

Spicy yakisoba and Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki

The soba and okonomiyaki are placed on the teppan grill. I loved that they stayed warm while we ate, so they did not go cold even when we took our time.

The togarashi (chili pepper) soba did not look red, but I was told it was a little spicier than regular soba. I ordered it spicy because I thought the richness might start to build up partway through. The soba comes plain, and you can drizzle on the sauce at the table to suit your taste! The shrimp in the soba were really plump, with bean sprouts mixed in here and there, and the gentle heat cut through the richness nicely. Personally, the little bit of spice made it an even better match for the okonomiyaki!

The main dish, okonomiyaki!!!!! Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki is said to differ from regular okonomiyaki because it has noodles inside. Maybe that is why the texture felt different, and it was more filling than I expected. Cut into the soft, moist egg and eat it together—it is so tender, and with the sauce it goes down so easily....

You can cut it into whatever size you like, and because it stays on the teppan grill, you can eat it warm the whole time. I already really love okonomiyaki, and although I am not usually a noodle person, I enjoyed Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki too, haha.

How satisfied I was with the variety of dishes

I already love okonomiyaki and Japanese food in general! The set lets you try several things, there is a good variety of alcohol including draft beer, sours, and highballs, and the tables are quite spacious while the restaurant is pleasant, so it was a great place to spend a Friday night. I was satisfied overall, and I think I will visit again.