Udon with inari sushi and bottled tsuyu in Gwanak, Seoul: Kosi

I have fond memories of eating really well at Kosi in Sadang once, so when I heard they'd opened a new branch near Seoul National University Entrance Station, my husband and I went on a weekday evening~ We love udon, so this time too it was udon plus pork cutlet!~ we ended up ordering katsu as well. Haha.

Where Kosi Seoul National University Entrance Branch is, and can you park?

Kosi Seoul National University Entrance Branch is a little over a minute's walk from Exit 5 of Seoul National University Entrance Station, so it'd be easy to get to by subway too. We drove and parked along the main road near the restaurant before walking in~ On-site parking is difficult, and even on weekends or holidays it's only possible when there's space available. If you're driving, it'd be good to check available parking zones or nearby public parking lots in advance.

Solo bar seats by the window, plus baby chairs at Kosi

The Kosi Seoul National University Entrance Branch space is done up cleanly in white and wood tones. Maybe because it just opened, the tables, chairs and even the dishware were all sparkling~ The baby chair looked brand new too. Haha.

When you're looking for a place to eat with a baby, this kind of detail catches your eye. There was a bar table by the window, and quite a few people were actually eating alone there. We came as a couple, but it'd be a fine spot to eat solo too~

There were various condiments too, so you could season your dish to your own taste.

House-made noodles seen on TV: what we ordered at Kosi

On the wall was a photo and nameplate of the owner, who had appeared on a Korean TV show about master craftsmen. According to the store's signage, they use fresh self-made noodles, hand-kneaded and cut in the 800-year-old sanuki tradition. They were also running an event where Naver receipt reviewers get a sweet potato korokke or a drink~

What we ordered was

• Ten butsukake udon
• Tori butsukake udon
• Half-and-half katsu udon

We couldn't give up on pork cutlet, so that's how we ordered. Haha.

By the time we'd finished chatting, the place had filled up completely, but the food came out fast, which was nice~

Even a single udon order comes with inari sushi

At Kosi Seoul National University Entrance Branch, we ordered the udon on its own rather than as a set meal, but it still came with a tray of fried tofu rice pouch (yubu-chobap), salad, kimchi and pickled radish?

The fried tofu rice pouch in particular was bigger than I expected. It was packed full inside too, so even the plain order felt satisfying~ We also had the half-and-half katsu on the side, but the accompaniments that came with the udon were more substantial than I'd expected.

Tori ten bukkake udon: the chicken thigh tempura was the highlight

The tori butsukake udon came piled with generous chunks of fried chicken thigh. The assorted tempura on the ten butsukake udon was tasty too, but I'm voting for the chicken thigh tempura. Haha. Crispy outside and moist inside, it suited my taste better, and there was a generous amount of it too~

I also liked that the tsuyu came separately. Instead of being pre-poured into the bowl, it came in a bottle so you could add as much as you wanted. Pouring it in little by little made it easy to adjust to our taste, and the seasoning ended up just right and easy to eat

The noodles were springy yet chewy the more you chewed them~~ There was elasticity even at the center of the noodle, so it felt a bit like eating chewy rice cake. Haha. If you like that kind of noodle, you'll probably be satisfied.

Half-and-half katsu udon: pork loin katsu and cheese katsu in one order

The half-and-half katsu came with loin cutlet and cheese cutlet, plus rice and cabbage salad. When we lifted the cheese cutlet, the mozzarella stretched long without breaking. Haha. The savory cheese flavor was great too. They say the loin cutlet is made by pounding fresh loin meat in-house. Trying it myself, the batter was crispy and the meat was juicy and really tender. Alternating between udon and cutlet, my husband and I finished everything without leaving a scrap~

Questions to settle before visiting Kosi in Gwanak

Ten bukkake udon or tori ten bukkake udon: which was better?

I preferred the tori butsukake udon, topped with chicken thigh tempura that was crispy outside and moist inside. The assorted tempura was good too, but tori tempura suited my taste better~

Can you season bukkake udon yourself at Kosi?

Yes! The butsukake udon we ordered came with tsuyu in a separate bottle. We could add it little by little as we ate, which made it easy to enjoy at just the right seasoning for us.

Is Kosi comfortable for solo diners or families with a baby?

There was a bar table by the window, and quite a few people were actually eating solo there. A baby chair was also available, so if you're visiting with a baby, keep that in mind~

Final verdict on Kosi Seoul National University Entrance Branch

• Close to Exit 5 of Seoul National University Entrance Station
• Newly opened, so the space, dishware and baby chair were all clean
• Food came out fast even though the place was fully booked
• Even the plain udon order came with a generous fried tofu rice pouch
• Easy to adjust seasoning by pouring the tsuyu little by little
• Chewy, springy noodles, and the cutlets were tender too

If you're looking for a restaurant near Seoul National University Entrance Station and want chewy udon along with pork cutlet, check out Kosi Seoul National University Entrance Branch~ I especially liked the chicken thigh tempura and the springy noodles. I visited because of my fond memories from Sadang, and once again, my husband and I had a solid, filling dinner. Haha.