Gangnam Station hotpot rice bowl with butter and abalone: Moa Gangnam

On a day I had an appointment in Gangnam and wanted something a bit heartier than usual, I visited Moa Gangnam, a go-to spot for Gangnam Station dinner dates. I've been into hotpot rice lately, so the menu caught my eye right away — especially a hotpot rice combining abalone and mushrooms with nutty butter flavor. The combination alone sold me.

Where is Moa Gangnam, and what are its hours?

Moa Gangnam is on the 1st floor of Geumseong Building, 31 Teheran-ro 5-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. It's easy to find from Gangnam Station Exit 11, and it's open 11:00 - 22:00.

Why Moa Gangnam works for a meetup near Gangnam Station

Visiting in person, I could see why Moa Gangnam gets mentioned so often as a group meetup spot. It's easy to reach from Gangnam Station, and the clean interior means it's unlikely to clash with anyone's taste, whoever you're bringing along.

The menu also has plenty of range — rice dishes, noodles, meat dishes — so when several people visit together, everyone can pick something to their liking. That's a real plus if you're looking for a spot near Gangnam Station for a wedding invitation gathering or a small group meetup.

That said, it can get busy during popular hours, so if you have an important appointment, it's worth checking on reservations or wait times beforehand.

What we ordered at Moa Gangnam

Moa Gangnam, a go-to spot for Gangnam Station dinner dates.

Looking through the menu, there were some unexpected options beyond hotpot rice, like pasta.

The dish I had my eye on most was the abalone-mushroom butter hotpot rice — abalone and several kinds of mushrooms with nutty butter flavor. Just reading the description made me picture a satisfying, filling meal.

Another one that caught my attention was the perilla oil jeotgal (salted seafood) pasta. With the umami of pollack roe and octopus jeotgal plus whole perilla seeds, it felt distinctly different from a typical cream or tomato pasta.

Abalone-mushroom butter hotpot rice: how it looks and tastes

The moment Moa Gangnam's abalone-mushroom butter hotpot rice arrived, the first thing that caught my eye was how generously loaded it was with ingredients.

Mushrooms and abalone were piled generously on top of the rice, with scallions and sesame seeds adding to the appetizing color. Since it arrives in a hot stone pot, it stayed warm right to the last bite too — a nice bonus.

Once I mixed the rice and ingredients together, the buttery, mellow, nutty flavor spread through naturally. The mushrooms were chewy and moist, and adding abalone made the texture feel even richer.

Above all, the ingredients didn't feel like they were competing — eating them together, they came together really well.

Perilla oil jeotgal pasta, the dish to try next

If I visit Moa Gangnam again, the perilla oil jeotgal pasta is the dish I want to try next.

Combining pollack roe and octopus jeotgal with whole perilla seeds, it seemed like it would suit anyone who loves salty umami flavor paired with the nutty aroma of perilla oil.

It's fun that they apply Korean ingredients to pasta like this. Ordering the hotpot rice and pasta together to share also seems like a good idea.

Moa Gangnam visit: the verdict

Gangnam Station dinner date at Moa Gangnam. Gangnam has so many restaurants, but when you actually have to pick a meeting spot, choosing what to eat isn't easy. What impressed me about Moa Gangnam this time was how it lets you enjoy familiar Korean ingredients in a slightly different way.

The abalone-mushroom butter hotpot rice I tried had nutty buttery flavor well matched with the texture of abalone and mushroom. Being served warm in a hot pot made it a filling meal, and it's the kind of dish that comes to mind on a day I want something clean and flavorful rather than heavily seasoned.

If you're looking for a date spot, a place to meet friends, or a filling meal in Gangnam, it's worth checking out the hotpot rice menu at Moa Gangnam.