Udon restaurant in Dongjak, Seoul for solo dining: Kosi Isu Branch

A simple yet satisfying udon meal near Isu Station

I wanted a simple but satisfying meal near Isu Station, so I went to Kosi Isu Branch (코시 이수점).

It was one of those days when I really wanted udon. After considering the menu, I ordered kake udon, then added tonkatsu as a side. And of course, I also ordered a 300 ml draft beer.

A white-toned restaurant that felt easy for solo dining

When I walked in, the restaurant was decorated mainly in white tones, so it felt clean from the very first impression.

The space itself was clean and neatly kept, and its bright atmosphere made it a comfortable place to eat.

It especially felt like a no-pressure place to come for a solo meal. There was a bar table along one side, so if you visit alone, you can eat comfortably without feeling self-conscious around other people.

I came alone that day too, so I settled into a bar seat. There was a tablet at every seat, which made ordering easy.

It was convenient because I could take my time looking through the menu and choose exactly what I wanted.

Kake udon with a clean broth and springy noodles

After a short wait, my kake udon and tonkatsu arrived.

I started with the kake udon, and really, udon is best when you have the warm broth and noodles together.

The broth was clean and mild, making it easy to eat, while the noodles still had a springy bite that made them great for slurping with the broth. I think this kake udon would suit people who prefer a clean-tasting broth over heavily salty, strongly seasoned udon.

The items served alongside the udon were nice too: inari sushi and cabbage salad.

They came together with it, so the meal felt a little more complete than udon alone. The inari sushi had a touch of sweetness, which was nice to alternate with the mild udon, and the cabbage salad helped refresh my palate in between.

Having tonkatsu with sauce, salt, and wasabi

And then there was the tonkatsu I added as a side.

I ordered it because udon alone felt a little incomplete, and the udon-and-tonkatsu pairing turned out better than I expected.

Rather than having the tonkatsu only with tonkatsu sauce, I could also have it with salt and wasabi, so it was fun to try it in different ways. I first dipped it in the standard tonkatsu sauce, then lightly tried it with salt. With salt, the flavor and savory richness of the tonkatsu itself came through a little more clearly.

Personally, I also liked it with a little wasabi. The sharp kick of wasabi added something different to the nutty richness of the tonkatsu and made it feel less rich.

A bite of udon, then a bite of tonkatsu, with a sip of draft beer here and there—it was a pretty satisfying meal even though I was eating alone.

I ordered a 300 ml draft beer that day, and the cold beer paired better than expected with the warm udon and crispy tonkatsu. Overall, what I liked most about Kosi Isu Branch was that it was an udon restaurant with a clean atmosphere where solo dining felt easy.

With its clean white-toned interior and bar seating, it was a good place to eat alone, and the tablet at every seat made the ordering process convenient too.

The menu also seemed to offer good choices for days when you want to eat lightly and days when you want something more filling, since you can add sides like tonkatsu to a clean dish such as kake udon.

If you are looking for udon or a place for a solo meal near Isu Station, Kosi Isu Branch could be a nice stop for a comfortable meal in a clean setting. I had kake udon with added tonkatsu that day, but next time I would like to try another udon dish too.