Jung-gu Taiwanese restaurant for a solo afternoon meal: Huhugwan

A small spot near City Hall Station, Huhugwan. It's a cozy Taiwanese restaurant on the 2nd floor. The dishware is pretty, the food is delicious, and the vibe is great — solid. I stopped by after going to City Hall to buy bread, so I figured I'd write it up!

• ☝️The break time is short
• ✌️The food is clean and tasty!
• 🤟Great for solo dining, dates, and gatherings with the variety of menu options!

Huhugwan hours and location: second floor at City Hall Station Exit 11

Huhugwan is open daily from 11:00 to 23:00, with a one-hour break time from 16:00 to 17:00. It's located right in front of City Hall Station Exit 11.

Huhugwan, right in front of City Hall Station Exit 11. It's great that the break time is so short. Usually once it's past 3pm there's nowhere to eat, so being able to visit even at an awkward hour was really satisfying. I happened to have an errand near Jonggak to buy bread lol, and found this place while looking for somewhere nearby to eat. Note that the entrance is slightly toward the alley side.

Inside Huhugwan: the room and the solo-dining seats

The inside of Huhugwan was clean yet distinctly exotic. The red lighting and red sofas give off a strong Chinese feel, while the colorful tile placements give it a modern touch. Being on the 2nd floor, sitting by the window gives a nice sense of openness. In fall, eating with the windows open must feel amazing 😍 Having dedicated solo seating is another big plus.

What to order at Huhugwan: pepper stir-fry rice or mapo tofu?

I debated what to order and went with a rice bowl. Between pepper stir-fry rice and mapo tofu, I picked the pepper stir-fry rice! When I asked, they said the mapo tofu has a bit of mala spice in it. Good to know if you're into that mala flavor.

The complimentary spring rolls and basic egg soup, and after a short wait, the pepper stir-fry rice. Since cooking starts the moment you order, it comes out piping hot. The kitchen is right in front of the solo seating, so I could clearly hear the wok being tossed right after ordering.

What does Huhugwan's pepper stir-fry rice taste like?

Huhugwan's pepper stir-fry rice was on the salty side. The smoky wok aroma hit right away. It had soaked up the chili oil well, giving it a beautiful color too.

With peppers, bell peppers, onion, and meat all stir-fried together, the texture was varied, and the savory seasoning matched the rice perfectly. The combo of crunchy vegetables and nicely chewy meat was solid!

The seasoning was strong but not overwhelming, and even though I'm a spice wimp, it wasn't spicy — just right. The rice underneath was fluffy and perfect for mixing in.

What is gusungye? A cold Sichuan-style chicken dish

Craving some protein mid-meal, I added gusungye. Gusungye is a Sichuan-style chicken dish. Despite being Sichuan-style, it's not overly spicy — think of it as chilled chicken thigh meat. The sauce on top is a fragrant, spicy chili oil sauce!

The chicken was very tender even though it was cold. I wonder if boiling it at home would turn out the same. There was zero gamey smell, just pure meat-plus-sauce flavor. Even with the chili oil sauce, it wasn't too intense!

They sprinkle cilantro on top, which you can mix in to taste or push aside. I mixed it in as a bit of a challenge and it was great! If anything, without the cilantro it might have tasted kind of plain — the cilantro and chili oil together gave it an exotic flavor. If you're someone who likes cilantro, definitely add it in.

The spring rolls were crispy and delicious too, which gave me strong confidence that their fried dishes must be great in general. The portion wasn't small either, so I felt quite full after finishing everything.

After eating well and stepping outside, the sky was pretty too. Come to Huhugwan at Exit 11!