Hongdae Korean restaurant for chilled pork with minari: Anok

After taking a written exam over the weekend, I was craving Korean food, so I visited Anok (안옥), a newly opened Korean restaurant in Hongdae ·ᴗ·

Anok near Hongdae Entrance Station: location and hanok exterior

Anok is about an 8-minute walk from Exit 9 of Hongdae Entrance Station :) The hanok-style building really stands out, and the exterior has such a lovely atmosphere.

Even the path into the restaurant feels neat and polished~ There is no on-site parking, so if you're driving, you'll need to use a nearby public parking lot!

There is also a menu posted at the entrance, so you can check it before going in.

Traditional, tidy interior

Inside, it has the feel of a traditional yet tidy Korean restaurant ·ᴗ·

Most tables seat two or four, and the wood-toned furniture and paintings on the walls make it even more atmospheric. It feels like a nice place for international visitors too, since you can really take in a Korean atmosphere~ Aprons are available on one side as well.

A menu from gomtang to pancakes and traditional liquor

For meals, there are gomtang (beef or pork soup with rice), Pyongyang naengmyeon, and yukhoe bibimbap! The clear gomtang also comes in a special size, while the naengmyeon is available in broth or spicy mixed styles~

The meat dishes include braised pork tail, chilled pork, and yukhoe (Korean beef tartare), along with a pork platter, Korean beef bulgogi hot pot, grilled deodeok root, cheese potato-shred pancake, and kimchi pancake.

Beyond soju and beer, there is a wide range of drinks, including highballs, traditional liquor, distilled spirits, and makgeolli (Korean rice wine). They seem perfect with pancakes or chilled pork, haha. There are soft drinks too, and you can add noodles or a bowl of rice.

• Clear pork gomtang
• Mul Pyongyang naengmyeon (Pyongyang-style cold noodles in broth)
• A plate of chilled pork
• Extra bowl of rice

We ordered clear gomtang and Pyongyang naengmyeon as our mains, then added chilled pork on the side ·ᴗ·

Salt and pepper are on the table, so you can season things to your taste :)

The basic sides were napa cabbage kimchi, kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi), and pickled stem lettuce, along with a sauce for dipping the meat~ Kimchi matters with gomtang, and both the kimchi and kkakdugi were delicious, haha.

A full spread of clear pork gomtang and mul Pyongyang naengmyeon

Finally, everything we ordered arrived 🙌 Clear gomtang, Pyongyang naengmyeon, and chilled pork too! There was plenty of meat, so the whole spread looked wonderfully generous.

Clear pork gomtang served with rice already mixed in

First up, the clear pork gomtang! The rice comes already mixed into the soup. I tasted the broth first and could really pick up the gentle savoriness of the meat stock and the rich flavor of pork. I totally approve of this as a great Hongdae gomtang spot!!

The lean pork was incredibly tender and delicious after soaking up all that broth~ I also loved that there was a generous amount of meat, haha.

My partner said one bowl simply wasn't enough and ended up ordering an extra bowl of rice. They mixed that into the soup too and finished every last bit~

Mild Pyongyang naengmyeon with meat

Next was the Pyongyang naengmyeon! Large pieces of meat sit on top of the noodles.

Mustard and vinegar are served too, so you can add them however you like.

The broth was mild and clean, while the noodles had a subtle nutty flavor~ Eating them with the meat adds the rich taste of pork and gives every bite more texture than noodles alone! I haven't had Pyongyang naengmyeon all that often, but this one was delicious 👏👏

Chilled pork topped with minari salad

Last up, chilled pork! The highlight was the pleasantly springy texture of the cold pork ✨ The lean meat was mild while the fat was savory, and they worked so well together with every bite~

The chilled pork tastes even tangier and better when topped with minari (water parsley) salad! Personally, this was my favorite way to eat it, haha.

A little of the seasoned sauce adds a salty kick. Enjoy the meat's natural flavor first, then add it when you want a little more seasoning :) If you'd like gomtang and Pyongyang naengmyeon in a hanok atmosphere in Hongdae, I recommend Anok 😊