Gangnam solo Chinese lunch with Harbin beer: Namsogwan

Namsogwan U Yuk Dosakmyeon near Gangnam Station: Visit Details

• Address: 1F and 2F, 19 Teheran-ro 1-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
• Hours: Daily 11:00–22:20
• Last order: 22:00
• Location: About 169 m from Exit 11 of Gangnam Station
• Order: Beef shaved noodles ₩11,000 / Harbin beer
• Visit time: Around 1 PM on Monday
• Visit style: Dining alone

I love shaved noodles, so whenever I spot them, I tend to give them a try. I heard there was a place in Gangnam famous for beef shaved noodles, so I went to Namsogwan U Yuk Dosakmyeon. The noodles here were exactly my kind of style, so I was completely satisfied! I’d also recommend it to anyone looking for a Gangnam Chinese restaurant that’s good for dining alone.

I Still Had to Wait at 1 PM on Monday

I visited at around 1 PM on a Monday. Since lunch was nearly over, I naturally assumed there would be seats. But when I went in, it was almost full, which really surprised me. Even though I was by myself, there wasn’t a seat right away, so I waited about 10 minutes before getting in. It seemed like lots of office workers around Gangnam Station come here for lunch.

From around 1:30 PM, though, quite a few seats started opening up. If you want to avoid waiting, visiting after that time on weekdays might be a good idea. Namsogwan U Yuk Dosakmyeon is a Gangnam Chinese restaurant spread across the first and second floors.

Centered on Taiwanese-style Chinese cooking, the menu has much more than beef shaved noodles, including guobaorou (sweet-and-sour crispy pork) and shumai dumplings. It is especially well known as a dim sum spot, too. I had originally planned to eat dim sum as well, but since I was alone, I knew I’d leave food if I ordered both noodles and dim sum, so I held backㅠㅠ Next time, I’m definitely coming with at least one other person and ordering several kinds of dim sum.

Beef Shaved Noodles with Thick Noodles and Rich Broth

I ordered the signature beef shaved noodles.

First, the noodles themselves were exactly my favorite style. Shaved noodles are made by shaving dough with a knife, so each noodle differs slightly in thickness and shape—that’s part of their charm. These noodles felt particularly thick, even compared with other places I’ve tried. Rather than thin, smooth noodles, they really make their presence known in your mouth. Their distinctively chewy yet rustic texture came through beautifully when I bit into them, so I think shaved-noodle fans would be quite pleased.

And the broth was totally my taste! It looked so dark that I expected it to be oily or heavy, but it was rich without being as greasy as I thought. There was plenty of deep meaty flavor and savoriness, yet it never felt overwhelming, so I kept spooning up the broth. The combination of the thick shaved noodles coated in that rich broth was especially good. It wasn’t just that the noodles were tasty or the broth was tasty—I loved the balance between the two.

The beef was tender, too. It wasn’t dry or tough, but soft and easy to eat with the thick noodles, and the portion of meat didn’t feel insufficient for a meal. At ₩11,000, it felt like a solid, filling option right in the middle of Gangnam.

Harbin Beer with a Weekday Solo Lunch

And my little happiness that day was the Harbin beer, haha. Eating delicious shaved noodles alone on a weekday afternoon with a cold bottle of Harbin beer—isn’t that exactly one of life’s small joys?

A bite of rich beef shaved noodles followed by a sip of cold beer was such a good combination. If you enjoy a daytime drink, this is one pairing I’d quietly recommend :)

Would Dining Alone near Gangnam Station Feel Awkward?

More than anything, Namsogwan U Yuk Dosakmyeon is a really easy place to dine alone. Many Gangnam restaurants can feel like places you need to visit in a group, but perhaps because there are so many offices nearby, there were lots of office workers eating by themselves here. I even properly enjoyed a beer alone, and it didn’t feel awkward at all.

If you’re looking for a filling solo lunch near Gangnam Station, I think this is a pretty good choice. Once I tasted it, I understood why it was busy enough to require a wait even at 1 PM, after the lunch rush. Thick shaved noodles, rich but not greasy broth, and tender beef—it had all the things I like.

This time, I sadly gave up on dim sum because I was alone, but on my next visit I’m definitely trying the dim sum and guobaorou too. If you love shaved noodles, Namsogwan U Yuk Dosakmyeon is a Gangnam Chinese restaurant worth visiting. Next time, I’m planning to order Harbin beer again too, haha.