Gangseo Japanese diner, beef intestine rice bowl set: Hekbap

When I want a solid meal near home, rice dishes are always the easiest choice. This time I was looking for somewhere to eat around Kkachisan and ended up at Hekbap Kkachisan Branch, where you can get both rice bowls and ramen.

What kind of restaurant is Hekbap Kkachisan Branch?

Hekbap sells way more than rice bowls — ramen, soba, katsu (cutlet), curry, udon, so there's a wide range to choose from. I liked that it's a place where you can casually enjoy Japanese home-style dishes as a full meal. 😊😊😊😊😊

This time I wanted to try several dishes, so I ordered three: pork jowl rice bowl, a beef intestine rice bowl set, and karai ramen.

Looking at each dish as it arrived, they all had a different vibe from each other, so if you can't decide on just one, it'd be great to visit with a few people and split them.

Pork jowl rice bowl, eaten with a dab of wasabi

First up, the pork jowl rice bowl! Pork jowl has that chewy, savory quality I already like, and having it over rice as a don (rice bowl) made for a really satisfying meal.

The meat and toppings sit right on top of the rice, so a spoonful of rice and pork jowl together works really well. There's wasabi served on the side, and eating it together made it even tastier!! 😋😋😋😋😋

Especially with rice bowls, mixing the meat and sauce into the rice a bit is tastier than eating the rice plain, right? Mixing it in little by little so the meat and sauce coat the rice kept it satisfying all the way to the last bite.

Beef intestine rice bowl set: karaage and udon included

Second was the beef intestine rice bowl set. On the menu, the plain Korean beef intestine rice bowl and the set meal version are listed separately — the set I ordered comes with karaage and udon on top of the rice bowl, so it's heartier than just the bowl alone.

If you like beef intestine, you'll know it has that savory, rich flavor that pairs really well with rice. Piling it on top of the rice, the savoriness melds with the rice in a way that keeps you reaching for another spoonful. If you're someone who loves beef intestine among meat cuts, this rice bowl is worth trying.

Ordering it as a set also made the meal feel a bit more complete. It's a good pick for a hearty lunch or on a day when you're craving meat for dinner.

Karai ramen, the spicy break between rice bowls

The third dish was the spicy karai ramen! While the two rice bowls are rice-based, ramen changes the pace with broth and noodles, making it a nice thing to order alongside them. Karai ramen, true to its name, is a good pick for anyone who likes spicy food.

Slurping the noodles in the hot broth gave the meal a completely different feel from the rice bowls. Eating only rice dishes can feel a bit heavy after a while, but working in some ramen broth in between was a nice way to reset the palate.

If you're like me and want to try several dishes in one visit, splitting one rice bowl and one ramen between you would work well too.

If you're craving meat, you can go for pork jowl or beef intestine rice bowl; if you want broth and noodles, pick the ramen — so it's an easy place to visit even when everyone wants something different.

Seating, high chairs, takeout and delivery at Hekbap

Hekbap really does carry a wide range of Japanese home-style dishes — rice bowls, ramen, soba, katsu, curry, and udon.

The store has seats good for eating alone as well as space for groups, and the Kkachisan branch is listed as offering both takeout and delivery. There are also baby chairs, so it works well for family visits too. 💛💛💛💛💛

If you're looking for a solo dining spot near Kkachisan Station, or a place where you and your family or friends can each pick a different dish to eat together, I'd recommend Hekbap Kkachisan Branch. 👍👍👍👍👍 Next time, I'd like to try other rice bowls and other ramen options I didn't get to this time.

Hekbap Kkachisan Branch: hours, address and parking

• Address: 35 Gangseo-ro, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, South Korea (2nd floor)
• Hours: 11:00–21:00
• Break time: 15:00–16:30
• Takeout/delivery available, no parking