Hapjeong Thai lunch for two: pad thai, spring rolls, Saeng Augustine

A few days ago I was looking for a place where my husband and I could have a relaxed weekday lunch, and we ended up at Saeng Augustine Hapjeong Branch (생어거스틴 합정점), a Hapjeong Station restaurant that's been famous for its taste for a long time.

How many hours of free parking does Saeng Augustine Hapjeong have?

Saeng Augustine Hapjeong Branch is in Mecenatpolis, directly connected to Hapjeong Station, and it gives every visiting car 3 hours 30 minutes of free parking. Public transport is convenient too, but for people who drive, the conditions are the best.

With a whole 3 hours 30 minutes free, we could eat without worrying about parking.

In busy central Seoul, free parking means you can eat and then do your Homeplus grocery shopping, catch a movie at Lotte Cinema, stop at Starbucks or see a show at the NOL Theater, all in one relaxed trip. That's what makes this Mecenatpolis restaurant so appealing.

What are the seating and private rooms like at Saeng Augustine Hapjeong?

The restaurant has an 80-seat hall and private rooms that hold 4, 6 or 12 people. The moment we walked in, the spacious, upscale interior and pleasant atmosphere stood out.

The hall has generous space between tables, and the private rooms are well set up too. I thought it was a perfect Seogyo-dong restaurant for family meals, company dinners and small gatherings from nearby areas like Hapjeong, Hongdae, Yeouido and Eunpyeong.

They also have menus in English, Chinese and Japanese, so bringing foreign guests is no trouble at all. It's a thoughtful touch.

Saeng Augustine Hapjeong menu and weekday lunch options

Saeng Augustine is a brand that says it has been studying the deep flavors of Thai food since 2009. It boasts about 60 dishes cooked to order with fresh ingredients, including pu pad pong curry (crab curry), tom yum goong, som tam (papaya salad), nasi goreng, sea bass over 1 kg and beef dishes.

When I visited on a weekday afternoon, the good-value set menus and lunch menus were packed with options, and they seem popular with people looking for a filling meal near Hapjeong Station.

This time I ordered tom yum rice noodles, chicken pad thai and tod man kung (fried shrimp cakes), and I also got vegetable spring rolls from the receipt review event.

What does the tom yum rice noodle broth taste like?

The tom yum rice noodles at Saeng Augustine Hapjeong had a rich, spicy, tangy broth with a distinctive flavor, and it was excellent.

The rice noodles are thin, so they soak up the seasoning of the broth, which made it even tastier.

It has a savory depth that suits Korean tastes, so I figured it would make a great hangover soup too.

Is the chicken pad thai portion generous?

The chicken pad thai had crunchy bean sprouts, chewy noodles and well-fried chicken, all coming together with a sweet and salty special sauce. It's a flavor everyone can enjoy, with no hit-or-miss.

The standard portion is quite generous overall, and you can order extra noodles too, so even big eaters will leave satisfied.

Tod man kung shrimp cakes and the review-event vegetable spring rolls

The tod man kung, packed with plump shrimp, was a textbook crispy-outside, juicy-inside dish. The vegetable spring rolls from the receipt review event were crunchy with clean-tasting filling, perfect as a side.

Drinks at Saeng Augustine Hapjeong and who it suits

Besides the food, Saeng Augustine Hapjeong has a varied drinks lineup, including draft beer, soju, kaoliang liquor, wine and highballs, so it works just as well for an evening company dinner or a date.

The dishes aren't overly strong but keep the deep, authentic flavors of their home cuisines, so it's a Seogyo-dong restaurant everyone from kids to grandparents can enjoy together.

I highly recommend it to office workers looking for a filling, high-quality meal near Hapjeong Station, and to families and couples who want Vietnamese and Thai food together in a pleasant space with free parking. Shopping, culture and a good meal can all be handled in one go at this Mecenatpolis restaurant, and I hope you have a satisfying meal there.