# Gongdeok salad restaurant, mala tofu noodles + extra beef: Why Starve

- By Eunsol (https://superchart.com/en/@shopfront-meal-stops/)
- Written Sep 6, 2026
- Local places › Restaurants › Mapo, Seoul
- Sponsored: This meal was provided by the restaurant for the purpose of this review; menu items and prices are as stated by the original source.
- English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@shopfront-meal-stops/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box/
- Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@shopfront-meal-stops/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box/index.md)

## In short

Why Starve Diet Gongdeok Main Branch is a high-protein, low-carb protein box restaurant on the B1 level of Lotte Castle President, connected directly underground to Gongdeok Station in Mapo, Seoul. The writer ordered the mala chicken tofu noodle protein box with 100g of beef added (17,800 won) and an iced americano (2,400 won) at a bar table, and the portion was large enough to leave a little behind, with the tingling mala tofu noodles alongside warm broccoli and green beans standing out most. For a filling meal that still tastes good while eating clean, Why Starve Diet Gongdeok Main Branch is the answer.

## Good to know

- **Address**: Unit B131, B1, Lotte Castle President, 109 Mapo-daero, Mapo-gu, Seoul
- **Ordered**: Mala chicken tofu noodle protein box with 100g beef added, 17,800 won / iced americano 2,400 won
- **Protein box prices**: Chicken Light 7,900 won · Beef Light 12,900 won · Chicken Tofu Noodle 9,900 won · Beef Tofu Noodle 14,900 won
- **Sides & desserts**: Greek yogurt 3,900 won · sweet pumpkin or tomato soup 2,500 won · protein cookie 2,500 won · baked egg 900 won
- **Seating**: Bar-table seats for solo diners; tables set far apart
- **Parking**: Parking discount available at the mall's own lot (apartment and hotel lots excluded)
- **Getting there**: Direct underground link from Gongdeok Station; also reachable through the Lotte Hotel basement
- **Price reference**: ₩17,800 ≈ $13 · ₩2,400 ≈ $1.8 (2026-09-15)

*as written by the visitor on Sep 6, 2026*

I went to check out Why Starve Diet Gongdeok Main Branch, a well-known spot near Gongdeok Station, and had a solo meal that was surprisingly clean and satisfying. I'm sharing an honest review of a meal that made me wonder whether it's really okay to enjoy diet food this much.

This place completely broke my assumptions about what "diet food" has to be. The portions were huge, so I got a meal that was both healthy and filling, and the combination of the tingling, spicy mala tofu noodles with warm-cooked vegetables was outright artful. Honestly, if this place were near my house, I'd want to stop by every day.

![Main photo of Why Starve Diet Gongdeok Main Branch](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box-01-251eq-1200.webp)

## Where is Why Starve Diet Gongdeok Main Branch, and is there parking?

![Entrance to Why Starve Gongdeok Main Branch](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box-02-ked69-900.webp)

Let me give you the essential info for this well-known Gongdeok salad restaurant at a glance.

- 📍Address: 서울 마포구 마포대로 109 롯데캐슬프레지던트 지하1층 B131호
- 🚘Parking tip: you can get a parking discount by using the mall's own lot (search for Lotte Premium Food Market Gongdeok branch; apartment/hotel parking doesn't qualify)

## Underground from Gongdeok Station: what are the solo seats like?

What impressed me most about Why Starve Gongdeok Main Branch was honestly the access. You can get here straight from Gongdeok Station underground without ever going outside, which is great on rainy or cold days.

![Underground passage connecting Gongdeok Station to the restaurant](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box-03-op3mv-900.webp)

![Restaurant location in the Lotte Castle President basement mall](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box-04-80ek5-900.webp)

You can also enter directly through the basement of the Lotte Hotel, so finding your way here is about as easy as it gets.

Walking in, you're greeted by a clean, stylish interior in orange tones. The space is fairly spacious and the tables are kept at a comfortable distance from each other.

![Orange-toned interior and tables inside the restaurant](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box-05-wwzkg-900.webp)

In particular, the bar-table style single seats are really well set up, so it's totally comfortable for office workers near Gongdeok or anyone stopping by solo after a workout.

## Full Why Starve Diet menu and prices

![Menu board at Why Starve Gongdeok Main Branch](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box-06-mwpgq-900.webp)

There's a wide variety of high-protein, low-carb dishes to choose from depending on your taste.

![Menu guide for high-protein, low-carb protein boxes](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box-07-17tre-900.webp)

What I ordered was the Mala Chicken Tofu Noodle Protein Box with 100g of beef added, ₩17,800, plus an iced americano, ₩2,400.

![Ordered mala chicken tofu noodle protein box with iced americano](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box-08-zgg5o-m-900.webp)

![Price guide for the protein box lineup](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box-09-10vh5-900.webp)

### The main protein box lineup

- Chicken Light ₩7,900 / Beef Light ₩12,900
- Chicken Pasta ₩8,900 / Beef Pasta ₩13,900
- Chicken Oat ₩8,900 / Beef Oat ₩13,900
- Chicken Tofu Noodle ₩9,900 / Beef Tofu Noodle ₩14,900
- Chicken Cauliflower Rice ₩9,900 / Beef Cauliflower Rice ₩14,900
- Smoked duck & salmon protein box series

### Sides and desserts

- Greek yogurt ₩3,900
- Sweet pumpkin soup / Tomato soup ₩2,500
- Chocolate / Cookies & cream protein cookie ₩2,500
- Baked egg ₩900

## Honest review: mala chicken tofu noodle box with 100g beef added

![Mala chicken tofu noodle protein box served on a tray](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box-10-1dudv-900.webp)

This time I ordered the Mala Chicken Tofu Noodle Protein Box with 100g of beef added, paired with sriracha sauce and a cold iced americano.

When the food came out on a tray, I let out a gasp — it had real heft and looked incredible.

![Protein box topped with both chicken and 100g of beef](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box-11-ykkg6-900.webp)

With the base chicken plus 100g of beef added on top, it was truly the ultimate in filling high-protein satisfaction.

![Generous portion of the high-protein protein box](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box-12-zhhsq-900.webp)

The portion was massive, so I really got to eat until I was full — in fact, I even left a little bit. What stood out most was the distinctive flavor of the mala tofu noodles. The bold, tingling mala flavor wrapped around the mild tofu noodles so well that it made me forget this was even diet food.

![Spicy mala sauce coating the tofu noodles](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box-13-z1d4b-847.webp)

I usually prefer warm-cooked vegetables over raw ones, and the broccoli and green beans here were cooked just right — soft with great texture.

![Warm-cooked broccoli and green beans](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box-14-wj78a-900.webp)

Dipping bites into the sriracha sauce I'd added doubled the spiciness, and I never got tired of it, all the way to the last piece.

![A bite of tofu noodles with sriracha sauce](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box-15-7qypv-900.webp)

Finishing it off with a bitter, clean iced americano made for a perfectly satisfying meal.

## Verdict: taste, protein and easy access in Gongdeok 🤤

![Empty protein box tray after finishing the meal](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box-16-gadwt-900.webp)

Why Starve Diet Gongdeok Main Branch is like an oasis for anyone tired of bland diet food.

![Solo dining seat at the bar table in Why Starve Gongdeok](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box-17-nlpz6-900.webp)

![Clean meal finished with an iced americano](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box-18-dkynj-900.webp)

With plenty of protein, a nutrition-packed composition, and easy access, this is a must-visit if you're near Gongdeok Station looking for a healthy, clean meal!

## Where it is

- Why Starve Diet Gongdeok Main Branch (와이스타브 다이어트 공덕본점)
- 109 Mapo-daero, B131, B1F Lotte Castle President, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
- 서울특별시 마포구 마포대로 109 롯데캐슬프레지던트 지하1층 B131호
- 37.5447098, 126.9504093
- Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%EC%99%80%EC%9D%B4%EC%8A%A4%ED%83%80%EB%B8%8C%20%EB%8B%A4%EC%9D%B4%EC%96%B4%ED%8A%B8%20%EA%B3%B5%EB%8D%95%EB%B3%B8%EC%A0%90/@37.5447098,126.9504093,17z

---

Superchart · https://superchart.com/en/@shopfront-meal-stops/gongdeok-mala-chicken-tofu-noodle-protein-box/ · https://superchart.com/llms.txt