Tuna poke with buckwheat noodles at Slow Cali, a Hongdae poke shop

Today I'm bringing you a review of a poke spot I really love — Slow Cali Hongdae Entrance Station Branch. I usually go for healthy, light food, so I eat poke pretty often, and honestly, this is the place that first got me into poke as a food!

There used to be a location near my house that I went to all the time, but sadly it closed and I hadn't had it in a while. 😭 So when I had a reason to visit Hongdae, I was thrilled and picked some up to eat at home.

Slow Cali Hongdae Entrance Station Branch hours and last order

Slow Cali Hongdae Entrance Station Branch / Daily 10:00–23:00 / Last order 22:40 / Closed on Korean public holidays (day-of)

What the Slow Cali Hongdae store is like inside

Slow Cali Hongdae Entrance Station Branch is really clean and spacious, so the moment you walk in it feels pleasant and airy.

There are nice bar seats set up along the window and around the space where you can comfortably eat alone! It's a spot where you can eat without feeling self-conscious, so it's perfect for anyone looking for a place to eat solo in Hongdae.

Another huge plus is that there's no break time! If you missed the lunch rush or get hungry at some odd hour in the afternoon, you can drop by anytime and enjoy a clean meal — I really liked that.

What to order: bases, sauces and toppings at Slow Cali

Slow Cali has a variety of poke and bowl menus, but for me tuna poke is the best. It's also the menu I've ordered and eaten the most out of everything!

After choosing your menu, you can pick your rice/noodle/salad base, sauce, and extra toppings.

Personally, I'd recommend buckwheat noodles as the base, and classic or spicy for the sauce. This time my husband and I packed it to go and ate at home, and we each picked a different base and sauce to suit our taste.

• ☑️ My husband's pick: Tuna poke + spicy sauce + buckwheat noodles
• ☑️ My pick: Tuna poke + oriental sauce + salad-only

I usually love the poke with buckwheat noodles the most at Slow Cali! The chewy, nutty buckwheat noodles combined with tuna are just a work of art. Adding the noodles fills you up with a decent amount of carbs too, so it keeps you full much longer.

But this time I'd overeaten a bit at lunch, so I wanted a light dinner and tried the 'salad-only' option! If you're on a diet or managing your meals tightly, the 'salad-only' option is really useful.

How the tuna poke tasted after takeout

Even after being packed to go, the ingredients still felt fresh.

It's packed with vegetables so the calorie burden is much lower, but with all those fresh veggies you actually feel surprisingly full just from this!

What really stands out about Slow Cali's poke is the rich variety of textures. Soft, fresh tuna combined with popping flying fish roe, crunchy green beans, and crispy onion flakes on top makes every bite genuinely fun to chew.

A salad that could easily be bland ends up tasting great and never gets boring thanks to these textures.

The spicy sauce my husband had had a subtle, savory kick, so it was clean and enjoyable without being heavy.

With the buckwheat noodles mixed in, it definitely feels much more filling.

💚 Final verdict on Slow Cali in Hongdae

If you're looking for a meal that's tasty yet light and easy on the stomach, Slow Cali is a foolproof choice. If you're looking for a no-pressure solo meal spot near Hongdae, or craving a tasty diet-friendly food while managing your meals, give Slow Cali Hongdae Entrance Station Branch a try!