Gangseo Seoul restaurant lunch after boxing: Hekbap Kkachisan

I came out after learning boxing in the morning. My girlfriend and I were both hungry. So we walked to Hekbap Kkachisan Branch (핵밥 까치산점), a good spot near Kkachisan Station.

Where Hekbap Kkachisan Branch is near Kkachisan Station

It is on the second floor of the building at 35 Gangseo-ro. You can spot the sign right away from the main road. It lists rice bowls, ramen, soba, and katsu side by side. It specializes in home-style rice bowls and ramen.

The entrance has the same wording. It says Hekbap Kkachisan Main Branch.

Dining room seating and wait

The dining room is spacious once you step inside. It was Saturday afternoon, but there was no wait. There are four-person tables and window seats.

Menu and ordering

The menu is posted on the wall. There are more than eight kinds of rice bowl alone. There is also ramen, soba, udon, curry, and katsu. The menu says it is a restaurant that stays true to the essence of rice.

The opening hours are posted alongside it. They take a break from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Orders are accepted until 8 p.m. It is best to check the time before you go.

You order on the tablet at the table. The screen is divided into rice bowls, ramen, curry and katsu, and soba and udon. Rice bowls come either à la carte or as a set meal. Upgrading to a set costs an extra ₩3,000.

Pork rib seasoned rice bowl set

This is the pork rib seasoned rice bowl. Cheongyang chili pepper and cherry tomatoes sit on top of the meat. We ordered it as a set, so it came with soup and side dishes. The rice is served as a mini portion.

The soy sauce seasoning is rich. It is just right when scooped up with rice. Bite into the pepper too, and the heat comes through.

The karaage (Japanese fried chicken) does not have a thick coating. The meat is tender, so it is crisp outside and moist inside. This was my favorite thing we ate that day.

How the Western-style king pork cutlet tasted

This is the Western-style king pork cutlet. It comes on one plate with rice and sauce.

The sauce tastes like the kind I used to have at old-school Korean Western restaurants. The pork cutlet also comes with several side dishes.

Set meal sides and cheese rice cakes

The side dishes come separately in small bowls: danmuji (yellow pickled radish), kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi), and cabbage salad. There are two rice cakes too. Everything is neatly portioned into its own little bowl.

It also comes with clear soup. It feels like a Japanese home-style meal setting.

Rice cakes also come on the side. They are chewy and have cheese inside. There was one cheese rice cake too, with cheese inside. It was one of the unexpected things at this Kkachisan Station spot.

How to eat each menu item

Instructions for eating are posted on the wall. For the rice bowls, it says not to mix them and to eat them by scooping with a spoon.

There are separate instructions for ramen and soba too. The steps are divided by menu item.

For katsu, there are separate instructions for pouring on the sauce and dipping into it. It was fun to read them and try it exactly that way.

How it was for lunch after exercise

If you are looking for a good place near Kkachisan Station, I recommend Hekbap. The Western-style king pork cutlet has a rich sauce, so it goes well with rice. If you order the rice bowl as a set, it comes with soup and side dishes. It is a good Kkachisan Station spot to stop by for lunch after working out.