Mapo Korean restaurant for a wedding invitation gathering: Anok

Anok, found as a Hongdae wedding invitation gathering spot

This is bride-to-be Paradinse, busy going to wedding invitation gatherings! Finding a spot for one is harder than I thought, right? I want to treat friends I have not seen in ages to something good, and we need to chat too, so the atmosphere has to be nice as well~~ That is how I found Anok, a great restaurant in Hongdae for Pyongyang naengmyeon and gomtang.

Anok is at 13-4 Hongik-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, and is open from 11 AM to 10 PM. Last orders are at 9 PM, and it is regularly closed every Monday.

Isn't it sooo pretty right from the entrance? Exactly my taste,, There is a menu board too 💛 I will have to bring my foreign friends here next time.

The warm atmosphere unique to a hanok interior

I loved that Anok's interior was completely Korean in its hanok atmosphere too 🤎 I do not know why I love these serene, calm vibes so much lately~☺️ The warmth unique to a hanok made it the perfect place to have a cozy little chat✨

The interior was bursting with traditional charm too! Autumn was coming from way over there, haha. Oh, and something I really loved! There is no break time. We visited at that awkward hour of 3 PM but could still eat, which made me so happy! I am someone who has often had to endure being hungry around this time because of break time,, 🐷

You can order from the kiosk at each table~~ Even the cutlery is so pretty.

The neatly arranged side dishes came out~~ There was kimchi and pickles? They were tasty, so we got one refill, haha.

Spicy pork tail stew

Pork tail stew ₩29,000

I ordered it because I wanted something spicy and warming, and it was wonderfully tender and soft~ The meat came right off the bone, and the sauce was incredible! It was not too spicy, just the perfect heat to eat!! They gave us mini tongs too, so it was easy to enjoy.

Clear gomtang with rice hiding inside

Clear gomtang (beef bone soup) ₩13,000

I ordered this because I wanted to try gomtang served with the meat rolled up like this, and the broth was milky-white yet very clear~~ There was a huge amount of meat. The rice was hidden inside like this. There was lots of rice too, so it was very filling.

My first Pyongyang naengmyeon

Pyongyang naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles) ₩14,000

Ta-da, it is the Pyongyang naengmyeon I had always wanted to try! I finally got to have it. Actually, this was my first-ever Pyongyang naengmyeon experience!! Yay!

There was lots of thick meat in this too~~ And the noodles are underneath!! There were generous portions of both noodles and everything else.

I think we ordered Anok's signature dishes really well, right? 🤭 Every dish looked delicious, and the table was absolutely full—it was such a feast, right? 🥹💕

I dipped it in the sauce that came as a side dish, and it was sooo delicious! The meat was mild, not tough, and tender too, so it was really so good!

How did my first Pyongyang naengmyeon taste? Drumrollllll haha. It did not taste like anything. They say you eat it for that flavor,,, so I asked the staff how to eat it

Perfect for someone like me who loves gukbap (rice soup)! 🤍 I properly filled up with a hot, hearty bowl of gukbap 🍲 Gukbap really is love!

Autumn, the foreign worker in Korea 🇰🇷 “Can you live without Korean food?” → No. I cannot. Absolutely cannot. 🙅🏻♀️ haha. One bowl of gukbap and my soul was fully recharged 🍲🔥 Seeing her eat so heartily while saying it was super delicious, even a foreign worker gets serious about gukbap after coming to Korea…🤣 We cannot live without Korean food 🥹🤍 Korean-energy(?) recharge complete with gukbap again today!

A great place in Hongdae to eat Korean food with someone special

I would recommend Anok as a great Hongdae spot for both Pyongyang naengmyeon and gomtang. The atmosphere was calm and lovely, making it perfect for sharing a cozy chat over delicious food. I especially recommend it for a wedding invitation gathering or a meal with someone special! 💌 Anok satisfied us with both its food and atmosphere 🥰