Jongno Korean restaurant for abalone shrimp butter rice: Modam Dining

Let me introduce Modam Dining Gwanghwamun, a great Gwanghwamun spot in Seoul for neat, thoughtfully prepared Korean set meals 🎤 The food at Modam Dining Gwanghwamun is so cleanly presented that it would be lovely for a formal family meeting. It is also great for special occasions with a group, a company dinner, or a family meal.

Modam Dining Gwanghwamun location and visitor information

• Address: B1, Units B102 and B103, Deoksugung D Palace, 10 Saemunan-ro 2-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours: Daily 11:00–22:00 (break time 15:00–17:00); last order 20:10
• Parking: 2 hours free on B3 of the D Palace building
• Reservations, group visits, Wi-Fi, and separate restrooms for men and women

I walked about 777 m from Exit 3 of City Hall Station~ If you are driving, parking is available, so just follow the directions. The exterior is upscale and pretty from the start, which puts me in a good mood too.

There were guests, so I could not photograph everything; I only took a few shots here and there~ The sophisticated look really stands out, so it would be wonderful for a formal family meeting, a date, or any kind of gathering on a special day, right?

How do lunch and dinner prices differ?

🔮 Lunch menu

🔮 Dinner menu

➡️ ➡️ ➡️ Even when the menu is the same, lunch and dinner prices differ a little, so check before you come.

✏️ Abalone tteokgalbi set, dinner ₩40,000 / abalone soy-marinated shrimp and butter rice set, dinner ₩40,000

A Korean set meal beginning with seasonal porridge

I really liked the neat touch of the Modam logo on the wet-wipe, spoon, and chopstick cases. The cups and plates were already set, and a staff member came over with the menu.

Seasonal porridge and flatfish ceviche

🥣 Seasonal porridge: First, the seasonal porridge arrived. I think it was mung bean porridge, and apparently the porridge changes with the season. It was warm and not sweet, with a flavor a bit like the bean powder filling in baramtteok (wind rice cakes)—very mild and nutty~!!!

🐠 Flatfish sashimi and pickled-vegetable ceviche: Two pieces of flatfish sashimi appeared!! It was chopped with cucumber, bell pepper, and red onion, and the sweet-tangy sauce made it so refreshing~ The flatfish was nicely aged too, soft with no fishiness~

🍋 Seasonal salad with yuzu dressing: The yuzu salad woke up the appetite with its freshness, even decorated with radish sprouts~ You can feel the care in those little details that take an extra touch~

Looking at Modam’s Korean set-meal dishes, you can tell they thought about everything—the colors, textures, and flavors~ How is every single dish prepared so beautifully and neatly? I thought it would be so good for hosting guests too~

🥒 Mustard vegetable salad with pine-nut sauce: Unlike the yuzu salad, this was another distinctive salad~ It had chicken breast and cucumber, topped with pine-nut sauce and nuts. The nuts made it even nuttier. I liked having two salads for two different experiences~

Crispy shiitake mushroom fritters and perilla-oil capellini

🍄 What is this shiitake mushroom fritter flavor? So, so crispy, while the shiitake itself was soft—seriously delicious~ I want to eat this again~ So good!!!

The spicy sauce cut through what could have been a rich flavor in the shiitake fritters, making them nicely light. I think it would be great to order this again as an individual dish~!!!

🪔 Perilla-oil capellini: You absolutely nailed the visuals. There were four toppings and several sauces, making for a mysterious variety of flavors~

The perilla-oil flavor was not too intense, so even people who do not like perilla oil can enjoy it without feeling overwhelmed. Nothing was excessive; the perilla-oil capellini came together beautifully. And every bite had whole sesame seeds to add an even nuttier aroma. The tender shrimp were delicious with it too.

🍐 The refreshing water kimchi was crisp and cool, clearing the palate. 🌶 With Cheongyang chili peppers in it, the slightly spicy broth was cool and delicious 👍

Before the main meal dishes arrived, the table was already set like this~ I liked that each pair of chopsticks was placed on its own dish, so hygiene had been considered too~

Just when you are getting full after eating everything? The meal dishes arrive.^^ A staff member comes over to see whether you have finished eating, and once you are mostly done, they leave the remaining food and clear only the empty dishes~

Abalone tteokgalbi and abalone shrimp butter rice sets

🏵 Abalone tteokgalbi: Rice, radish soup, and four side dishes arrived~ I felt like I had already eaten so much delicious food, but there was still a separate main course~🤣

Doesn’t it look so appetizing? It was glistening away, so my eyes 👀 had a delicious taste before I even ate it 🎵 The dish is black, and I think it makes the food stand out even more... or is that just the feeling I get?^^

The four side dishes seem to change by season. Nothing was overly seasoned, and they were just right as banchan (side dishes)~

🍚 The rice had a little black rice mixed in, and it was my favorite firm-textured rice, so I loved it^^ It seems they use good rice. Each grain was plump and glossy~

The abalone was unbelievably tender, and eating it with wasabi was the perfect finishing touch 👍 It is so tasty that four-character idioms are just spilling out of me, aren’t they? 🤣

The tteokgalbi (seasoned grilled beef patty) was not heavily seasoned, so I could taste the beef itself. My family likes tteokgalbi too, and I think Modam would be great for a family meal.

🦐 Abalone soy-marinated shrimp and butter rice set: Red shrimp, garlic scapes, abalone, beef shank, octopus, mushrooms, and egg—so many different ingredients made it generous and a feast for the eyes too~ 🌼

Because you have to mix it with butter, it came in a rather large bowl~ Mix the butter into the rice, add the soy-seasoned sauce, and eat it—yes, this is the flavor~!!!

The nuttiness of butter, and the shrimp and abalone soaked through with soy seasoning! What am I going to do with all this nutty savoriness and umami~ I cannot even tell you how delicious it is~

I recommend ordering both the abalone tteokgalbi set and the abalone soy-marinated shrimp butter rice set!! Ordering both lets you enjoy a wider range of flavors~

The beef shank was also delicious, thoroughly seasoned with the soy sauce. Top the rice with soy-marinated shrimp and garlic scapes, and the sweet-tangy garlic scapes are such a treat~

The soup was radish soup. Ending the meal like this left me feeling satisfyingly full~ Where did the person who said they were full earlier go?^^

🍵 Plum tea: They serve plum tea for dessert, and its sweet-tangy flavor refreshes the mouth as a finish~

An atmosphere suited to formal family meetings or special days

I recommend Modam Dining’s Korean set meals, a great Gwanghwamun restaurant in Seoul! Modam Dining Gwanghwamun is in central Seoul, making it good for a formal family meeting, and the food is cleanliness itself~ If you are looking for a Gwanghwamun restaurant for a special day, go~ 🚶♀️

More about Modam Dining Gwanghwamun

• Reservations: Available through Naver Reservation
• Parking: 2 hours free on B3 of the D Palace building
• Private-room time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Atmosphere: Sophisticated interior with a calm ambience
• Unlimited corkage coupon