# Cold chicken noodles at SABAL, a Korean restaurant in Jongno, Seoul - By Yuna (https://superchart.com/en/@wooden-chopstick-journal/) - Written Sep 21, 2026 - Local places › Restaurants › Jongno, Seoul - Sponsored: This post was written as a paid visit sponsorship. - English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@wooden-chopstick-journal/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date/ - Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@wooden-chopstick-journal/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date/index.md) ## In short SABAL is a modern Korean restaurant in the Gyeonghuigung-ui Achim Complex 3 arcade in Jongno, Seoul, between Gyeongbokgung Station and Gwanghwamun Station. On a weekday evening, the writer booked a table and came with her boyfriend for hongcho-gyenaengguksu (cold chicken noodles in vinegar broth) and gamtae deulgireumbap (seaweed and perilla oil rice), with complimentary pumpkin porridge and grain tea; nothing was heavily seasoned, which was a relief after too much strong food. At 16,000–17,000 won per dish and 2 hours of free parking in the building, SABAL is an easy date spot near Gyeongbokgung Station. ## Good to know - **Location**: 142, Gyeonghuigung-ui Achim Complex 3, 34 Sajik-ro 8-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul - **Hours**: Daily 11:30–20:50 (break 12:50–17:00) - **Last order**: 14:10 / 20:10 - **Parking**: 2 hours free in the building's officetel and retail parking lot - **Price range**: 16,000–17,000 won per dish - **Ordered**: Hongcho-gyenaengguksu (cold chicken noodles in vinegar broth), gamtae deulgireumbap (seaweed and perilla oil rice) - **Seating**: Tables for 2 to 4, toddler chairs available, outdoor terrace seats - **Price reference**: ₩16,000 ≈ $11.5 (2026-09-22) *as written by the visitor on Sep 21, 2026* Bringing you a review of SABAL, the Korean restaurant we visited as a Gyeongbokgung Station date course with my boyfriend one weekday evening! ![Exterior of SABAL, a Korean restaurant near Gyeongbokgung Station](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date-01-1nawe-m-966.webp) ![Entrance to SABAL in the Gyeonghuigung-ui Achim Complex 3 arcade](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date-02-1xgxk-966.webp) ## Where is SABAL, and is there parking? Gyeonghuigung-ui Achim Complex 3, 2 hours free SABAL is a Korean restaurant in the retail arcade of the Gyeonghuigung-ui Achim Complex 3 officetel, between Gyeongbokgung Station and Gwanghwamun Station in Jongno. I'd had my eye on it for a while, so I made a reservation for a weekday evening. Since it was a weekday evening, we got seated right away with no wait, which was great, and the building's basement parking lot offers 2 hours free — worth knowing if you're driving! ![SABAL's interior with roof-tile-style tile decor](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date-03-1slrn-966.webp) ![SABAL's evening atmosphere with soft lighting](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date-04-gtqz5-966.webp) ## Is SABAL a good Korean restaurant for a date night? The moment we walked into SABAL, I was struck by how modern the atmosphere felt for a Korean restaurant. The tile interior has a roof-tile texture, the lighting is soft, and being evening time, it was quiet and calm — perfect for a date. The place isn't huge, but the tables are nicely divided by potted plants, so we could talk comfortably over the meal without worrying about the next table. ![SABAL table seating divided by potted plants](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date-05-1h4vx-966.webp) ### SABAL's table setting and the complimentary pumpkin porridge As soon as we sat down, the basic setting arrived — kimchi, rakkyo (pickled scallions), and pickles — along with a complimentary pumpkin porridge that turned out to be a nice surprise. The finely blended porridge came topped with cinnamon powder and sliced almonds, sweet enough to whet the appetite. And instead of plain water, they serve grain tea — a nice detail. ![Basic table setting of kimchi, rakkyo, and pickles with complimentary pumpkin porridge](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date-06-1htuz-966.webp) ## What do the hongcho-gyenaengguksu cold chicken noodles taste like? We ordered hongcho-gyenaengguksu and gamtae deulgireumbap. We'd considered a chicken noodle dish too, but that day we were craving something tangy, so we went with the hongcho-gyenaengguksu! The tangy-sweet broth had shredded chicken and chewy noodles — not overpowering, but great at waking up the palate. It's the kind of dish that's perfect on a hot day, but it worked surprisingly well even now that the weather's cooled down. ![A bowl of SABAL's hongcho-gyenaengguksu](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date-07-1wcrk-m-966.webp) ![Hongcho-gyenaengguksu topped with shredded chicken](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date-08-2s1v4-966.webp) ![Close-up of the chewy noodles in hongcho-gyenaengguksu](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date-09-1ryrl-966.webp) And the gamtae deulgireumbap (seaweed rice with perilla oil) exceeded expectations. There wasn't a single strong seasoning in it, yet I couldn't stop spooning it up — that's exactly what that phrase means, I guess. ![A full spread of SABAL's gamtae deulgireumbap](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date-10-1ip0w-966.webp) ![Gamtae deulgireumbap with side dishes](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date-11-1w1ih-966.webp) The chogye noodle broth was so good I finished the whole thing, ha. ![Hongcho-gyenaengguksu bowl emptied down to the broth](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date-12-h2ki5-966.webp) ## Gamtae deulgireumbap at SABAL: mild, but you keep reaching for more The rice came out together with warm noodles. ![Warm noodles served alongside the gamtae deulgireumbap](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date-13-ls6ek-1200.webp) ![Mini warm noodle side dish served with the perilla oil rice](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date-14-iiz2h-966.webp) The nutty perilla oil aroma spreads gently, and with chewy mushrooms, pickled radish, chives, and egg garnish mixed in, it's a mild flavor that you still keep going back for. Wrapping a bite of rice in gamtae (dried laver), the mild rice suddenly bursts with the savory, salty flavor unique to the seaweed — a different kind of appeal from the strong flavors we're used to these days. ![Wrapping rice in gamtae seaweed to eat](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date-15-v82sr-966.webp) Maybe because the seasoning wasn't heavy, it was oddly addictive — even full, I found myself emptying nearly the whole bowl without meaning to, haha. Mild but you keep thinking about it — now I get what that means. ![Bowl of gamtae deulgireumbap nearly finished](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date-16-je01w-966.webp) Overall, none of the side dishes were heavily seasoned either, so nothing clashed with the mains — it all blended together naturally. The staff were friendly too, so for the price it felt like a fancier Korean restaurant experience. Being a weekday evening, the turnover was relaxed and we never felt rushed, which was another satisfying point. ![The SABAL table after finishing the meal](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date-17-16qr0-966.webp) ## Where to go after dinner: a Gyeongbokgung Station date course After eating a hearty meal, we headed to a fortune-telling café near Gyeongbokgung Station and asked about a bunch of things we'd been worried about lately. Eating well and then going for a relaxed fortune-telling session with a full stomach turned out to be a surprisingly good date course. Hearing all that advice lightened my mood, and I came home feeling good! ![Full view of the SABAL storefront near Gyeongbokgung Station](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date-18-3hmqq-m-966.webp) ## SABAL prices and seating at a glance The price range is about ₩16,000–17,000 per dish, so it's not a big burden as a date course, and they have a range of seating from 4-person tables down to 2-person spots, good for couples or family gatherings alike. Toddler chairs are available too, so visiting with kids seems fine, and there's outdoor terrace seating for nice weather — I'd like to try that next time. If you're looking for a Korean meal that's clean and mild but keeps drawing you back rather than the usual heavy flavors, I'd recommend SABAL — especially if you're a bit worn out from overly strong tastes. Next time I definitely want to try the tangtang octopus with deodeok gochujang rice and the mini tteokbokki. - Name: SABAL - Address: 142, Gyeonghuigung-ui Achim Complex 3, 34 Sajik-ro 8-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea - Hours: Daily 11:30–20:50 (break time 12:50–17:00, last order 14:10 / 20:10) - Parking: 2 hours free in the building's officetel/retail parking lot ## Where it is - SABAL (사발) - 142, Gyeonghuigung-ui Achim Complex 3, 34 Sajik-ro 8-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea - 서울특별시 종로구 사직로8길 34 경희궁의아침 3단지 사발 142호 - 37.5735857, 126.9724791 - Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%EC%82%AC%EB%B0%9C/@37.5735857,126.9724791,17z --- Superchart · https://superchart.com/en/@wooden-chopstick-journal/sabal-gyeongbokgung-chogye-noodles-date/ · https://superchart.com/llms.txt