Hongdae Seoul lunch for four with gungchae jangajji sides: Anok

Hongdae has plenty of great places to eat, but when I'm actually craving Korean food it's not always obvious where to go. This time, instead of the usual easy options, I wanted something a bit more special, so I went to Anok! Let's get into the review~~

Where is Anok in Hongdae? Just up the alley stairs

Anok is at 13-4 Hongik-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, in the alley across from KB Cheongchunmaru and Musinsa Beauty in Hongdae. It's tucked in an alley, but it wasn't hard to find!

You just climb the alley stairs shown in the photo and you're there~! (Right there on the right as soon as you get up)

What the hanok interior at Anok feels like

True to being a Korean restaurant in Hongdae, Anok was decorated in a hanok (traditional Korean house) style. There's a courtyard and open windows so it never felt stuffy.

The atmosphere the moment we walked in was so good~ With the courtyard and open windows it felt relaxed and airy rather than cramped.

The inside was clean and lovely too~ And most of all, the owner greeted us so warmly when we arrived, which made a great first impression haha

Anok's menu and what four of us ordered

For four of us (two women, two men) at Anok, we ordered clear gomtang for 13,000 won, two bowls of Pyongyang naengmyeon (mul) for 14,000 won, and pork tail jjim for 29,000 won. We checked the menu as soon as we sat down, and since there were several things we wanted to try, we decided to order a few and share.

• Clear gomtang — ₩13,000
• Pyongyang naengmyeon (mul) — ₩14,000 x2
• Pork tail jjim — ₩29,000

Anok's banchan, and why gungchae jangajji was the favorite

Anok's basic banchan (side dishes) are kkakdugi (diced radish kimchi), napa cabbage kimchi, and gungchae jangajji (pickled Aralia shoots). They came out right after we sat down, a proper Korean-restaurant lineup.

You know a good restaurant starts with good banchan, right?! So I went straight into judge mode. Anok = pass 🖤

The napa kimchi and kkakdugi were both tasty, but my favorite was the gungchae jangajji! Even eaten on its own it wasn't too salty and was really good. Nice crunchy texture too 👍🏻

Clear gomtang, 13,000 won: the rice arrives already in the broth

Anok's clear gomtang (beef bone broth) is 13,000 won, and the rice isn't served separately — it comes already mixed into the broth. After a short wait, our food arrived!

The first dish I reached for was the clear gomtang. At first I wondered if we needed to order rice separately since none showed up. Turns out it was already mixed in — I just couldn't tell because it was hidden under the meat on top haha

I mixed it well, loaded up some meat, and took a bite — really delicious. The clear broth was clean and refreshing~~

Eating it alongside the kimchi and gungchae jangajji made it even more, more, more delicious.

With all that meat loaded in, the gomtang was hearty and filling.

Pork tail jjim, 29,000 won: the pick if you love jokbal

Anok's pork tail jjim (braised pork tail) is 29,000 won, and it was the best of the four dishes we had that day. It was my first time ever having pork tail jjim!! When it arrived I thought it looked like jokbal (braised pig's feet), and eating it confirmed the texture and flavor were similar! Since I'm a jokbal lover to begin with, I really enjoyed the pork tail jjim 🖤

The chewy, tender texture was so good, and the flavor was completely to my taste. Of everything we ate that day, this one came in first place. It was the dish I least expected to be amazing, which somehow made it more memorable.

Pyongyang naengmyeon, 14,000 won: easy to keep eating, even on a first try

Anok's Pyongyang naengmyeon (mul, cold buckwheat noodles in broth) is 14,000 won, and it lived up to its reputation for a mild, plain flavor. This was also my first time trying Pyongyang naengmyeon ever haha

I'd heard a lot about how mild and plain Pyongyang naengmyeon is, and it turned out exactly as advertised. On the very first bite I thought, is this really it?! But before I knew it I kept scooping up the broth over and over haha. I guess I got converted... 😉🖤

If you go in expecting a bold, punchy naengmyeon, this might taste bland at first, but the longer you eat it the more the clean flavor grows on you. And here's a combination I really have to recommend: Pyongyang naengmyeon + pork tail jjim = 🖤

The clean, plain Pyongyang naengmyeon paired so well with the chewy, rich pork tail jjim. If you're trying Pyongyang naengmyeon for the first time like I was, I'd definitely recommend eating it together with the pork tail jjim~~

Verdict: is Anok worth it for Korean food in Hongdae?

There were quite a few dishes I tried for the first time at Anok that day, and overall it was a meal I really enjoyed~

The clear gomtang had a clean, refreshing broth I loved, and the Pyongyang naengmyeon was unfamiliar at first but kept crossing my mind afterward. But above all, the pork tail jjim was my number one pick that day!! The friends I went with agreed it was delicious too~!!! It was a pretty satisfying meal for a group of us who all love Korean food.

If you're looking for a good Pyongyang naengmyeon spot in Hongdae, want a clean gomtang or gukbap, or just want something a bit special, this is a great place to visit! If you've been hunting for a good Korean meal in Hongdae, try the naengmyeon, gomtang, and pork tail jjim at Anok~!