Gwanak sandwich restaurant with pastrami: Daily Fix Seoul

After finishing an interview, I had lunch alone near Seoul National University Entrance. The place I went to was Daily Fix Seoul National University Entrance. I paired my first-ever pastrami sandwich with chili cheese fries and beer. There was plenty of meat, but what I especially loved was the combination of the chewy top and bottom buns with ranch sauce. Even with the sides, it was a seriously satisfying solo meal.

To give you the conclusion first: I completely fell for pastrami on my very first try.

Eating alone near Seoul National University Entrance at Daily Fix, where yellow seats welcome you

Daily Fix Seoul National University Entrance is at 164 Gwanak-ro, 1F, Unit 108, Gwanak-gu, Seoul. From outside, the big BURGER sign is the first thing that catches your eye.

Inside, yellow seating is set against wooden walls and tables. The colors are so bold that I kept taking photos even before the food arrived.

I ate alone that day and had a very comfortable meal. It is a place to remember when you are looking for a solo dining spot near Seoul National University Entrance and craving a burger or sandwich.

My first pastrami: here is what I ordered

• Pastrami sandwich · ₩15,900
• Chili cheese fries · ₩9,900
• Veggie sticks · ₩4,900
• Budweiser 330 ml · ₩5,900 × 2 bottles
• The total came to ₩42,500.
• I paid ₩2,500 myself, excluding the ₩40,000 reviewer-program subsidy.

I came to a handmade-burger place, but my main choice that day was the pastrami sandwich. Since it was my first time trying pastrami, I was curious what it would be like. Pastrami is smoked meat seasoned with spices, said to have roots in the meat-cooking traditions of southeastern Europe, including Romania. It became established in the United States through the food culture of Eastern European Jewish immigrants and is known as a classic deli item.

Even while taking photos, I thought the actual portion looked pretty huge. The meat peeking out from between the bread had a real presence from the start. Once I picked it up with one hand, I knew this was not going to be a light lunch.

Chewy bread and ranch sauce I remembered as much as the meat

Both the top and bottom were wonderfully chewy when I bit in. I expected the meat to be the star, but as I ate, I kept noticing the bread too.

With the ranch sauce added, the combination was so good. I liked it more when the bread and meat came together in one bite than when they felt separate. If I had to name just two things I fell for that day, they would be the chewy bread and the ranch sauce.

Seeing the cross-section made it clear why it felt so substantial. Thin layers of meat fill the space between the bread. If pastrami tastes this good on a first try, I think I will naturally seek it out again. Before eating, I thought I should try another burger next time, but while eating, I started thinking I might order this sandwich again. It was the kind of deliciousness that already had me wondering about my next order.

Chili cheese fries with beans: a side that means business

The chili cheese fries were a side dish in name only. There was a generous layer of cheese and chili over the fries, and next to the main, it filled the whole table. Together with the sandwich, it was a very generous combination for one person.

What I especially liked was that the chili contained beans. It did not feel like fries with just a little cheese and sauce on top; it felt like getting a generous serving of chili itself. By my standards, I was thinking, “This is the real deal, isn’t it?”

Whenever I picked up a fry, I made sure to get some chili and cheese with it. Alternating bites of sandwich and fries, every item on the table played its part. This was a side I liked for both the portion and the flavor.

Why I even finished the carrots I do not usually eat

I also ordered veggie sticks. They came with celery and carrots, which were nice to have alongside the meat and fries. That day, I really enjoyed the vegetables too.

The carrots were especially surprising. I do not usually eat carrots much, but here I finished every last one. I do not know whether it was the sauce or the carrots themselves, but they suited my taste so well that day. The celery was good too, and since I cleared the carrots as well, this meal satisfied me right down to the vegetables. If I had ordered only the sandwich and fries, I would have missed this little pleasure.

Interview-mode shirt, brief break-mode lunch

I was wearing a shirt that day because I had just come from an interview. Drinking beer at lunch dressed like that somehow made me think of those daytime-beer scenes in comics. It felt like briefly living on a different schedule from an office worker’s lunchtime, maybe? Looking only at my shirt, I seemed like I should still be nervous, but I had a Budweiser in my hand. I put thoughts of the interview down for a moment and focused on the sandwich in front of me.

In the end, I drank two bottles of Budweiser. The food was so plentiful that I found myself eating slowly and having it alongside the meal. Lunch after the interview turned into a more satisfying meal than I expected.

A place that makes me want to return for another burger

The empty plates seem to tell the story of the day on their own. I finished everything: the pastrami sandwich, chili cheese fries, and even carrots I do not normally eat. If you want a hearty sandwich while eating alone near Seoul National University Entrance, use my order combination as a reference. Still, the amount was considerable for one person, so choose your sides according to your usual appetite. I want to come back and try another burger next time. If my first visit was this good, I cannot help being curious about the other menu items.