Konkuk rice bowl restaurant, katsu curry and fried chicken: Hekbap

With the cool autumn breeze blowing lately, I've been craving good food like crazy. So I headed out to Konkuk for the first time in a while, on the hunt for a good restaurant. After looking around, I found Hekbap, a rice bowl and ramen specialist.

Something about the phrase 'home-style rice bowl and ramen specialist' just pulled me in. The delicious smell wafting out made me think I had to go in right away.

Inside Hekbap Konkuk Main Branch: room and seating

Hekbap Konkuk Main Branch is on the 2nd floor of 127 Neungdong-ro, and the moment I stepped through the door, a big menu board caught my eye. There were so many options — rice bowls, ramen, soba, katsu. Having photos next to each menu item really helped with choosing.

Even though it was well past lunch hour, the place still looked pretty crowded.

The inside of Hekbap was much bigger and more pleasant than I expected. The tables were spaced out generously, making it a comfortable place to eat. The window seats in particular were set up as a bar, which looked great for solo dining. Green trees outside the window were nice to look at too. The core values of Hekbap posted on the wall also left an impression.

Hekbap menu and how the table order works

The phrase 'a restaurant that keeps the core of rice' really resonated with me. The commitment to skip the flourish and protect the essentials raised my expectations for the food even more.

Next to the menu board, there were detailed instructions on how to enjoy each dish. For the rice bowls, it said not to mix everything together but to scoop up the topping and rice with a spoon. For ramen, take a sip of the hot broth first, then stir the various toppings and noodles evenly into the broth. I read through the instructions for soba and katsu carefully too.

I liked that they kindly explain how to enjoy each menu item at its best. Orders are placed through a table-order tablet.

Order complete.

The napkin holder on each table had info about a Naver receipt review event and the Wi-Fi password. Little touches like that made me feel like they really care about their customers. I wondered if I'd need an apron before the food arrived, and sure enough, they thoughtfully had disposable aprons ready.

The self-serve corner had plenty of diced radish kimchi, pickled radish, and wasabi. Being able to freely take as much as I wanted was really nice. As someone who loves side dishes, I found this very satisfying.

Pork cutlet, katsu curry rice bowl and fried chicken 5pcs: honest review

Finally, my order arrived. Western-style pork cutlet, pork katsu curry rice bowl, and 5 pieces of fried chicken! It was such a hearty spread. Seeing everything laid out neatly on a wooden tray made me feel like I was being treated well.

The crispy fried pork katsu was topped generously with a deep, rich curry sauce.

The moment I took a bite, the combination of the crispy katsu and the smooth curry was fantastic. The cutlet was thick, so it had a satisfying chew, and the curry had a spicy-sweet flavor that never got tiring. Eating it with rice made for a hearty, delicious meal.

The fried chicken I ordered as a side was the textbook definition of crispy outside, juicy inside. I was impressed by how juicy the chicken was inside that crunchy coating. Dipping it in the mayo sauce that came with it made it even more savory.

The Western-style pork cutlet came in a pretty generous portion, so I ate my fill.

Is Hekbap Konkuk Main Branch worth a return for lunch?

Visiting Hekbap after a while, this Konkuk restaurant exceeded my expectations. Neat, delicious food, a clean and pleasant space, and thoughtful service — nothing was lacking. The window bar seats great for solo dining and the disposable aprons really stood out to me. Thanks to the varied menu and friendly service, I had an enjoyable meal. Next time, I definitely want to try the ramen or soba. If you're looking for a hearty, delicious meal near Konkuk, I highly recommend Hekbap!