Delight Square shabu-shabu with egg-dipped chuck flat: Shabu in Seoul

It's getting a little chilly in the mornings and evenings these days, so I've been craving warm food. I happened to have a lunch appointment in Hapjeong, so I went to Shabu in Seoul Hapjeong Branch for shabu-shabu, where you can have warm broth and meat together.

I already like shabu-shabu in general, but this place lets you pick premium cuts of meat, so I was excited to see what we'd end up ordering.

Where is Shabu in Seoul Hapjeong Branch, and what are the hours?

• Shabu in Seoul Hapjeong Branch, basement level 2, Delight Square, 14 World Cup-ro 1-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours daily 11:00–22:00 / break time weekdays 15:00–17:00 / last order 21:00
• Group seating, reservations, wifi, separate men's/women's restrooms, high chair

Shabu in Seoul Hapjeong Branch is in Delight Square, which connects directly to Hapjeong Station, so it was easy to find. It's on basement level 2, and heading from Hapjeong Station toward Mecenatpolis made it easy to spot.

Once you're inside the building, the restaurant is on basement level 2, so it seemed like a fine spot to visit regardless of the weather.

What does the dining room at Shabu in Seoul Hapjeong Branch feel like?

Walking in, the whole place had a calm feel.

The lighting was soft and the tables were spaced out generously, making it easy to chat over the meal — the atmosphere was a bit cleaner and more put-together than a typical shabu-shabu place.

I thought it would work well for lunch, a date, or a group gathering.

Ordering the Prime Angus chuck flat lunch set for two with sukiyaki broth

Here's the menu at Shabu in Seoul Hapjeong Branch, a shabu-shabu restaurant in Hapjeong :) The system is you pick your meat first, then choose your broth. There was a wide range of meat, from hanwoo (Korean beef) to Prime Angus, Black Nine wagyu, and first-grade black pork.

That day we ordered the Prime Angus chuck flat shabu-shabu lunch set for two.

For broth, we could choose from clear mushroom, spicy mushroom, blue crab doenjang (soybean paste), sukiyaki, and beef tomato. We went with the sukiyaki broth.

The sauces and the dipping egg served with the set

They also prepared sauces to go with the meat.

There were three: yuzu soy sauce, chili, and sesame sauce, along with

chili peppers and minced garlic.

Since we chose the sukiyaki broth, an egg came with it too.

Shortly after, the vegetables to go in the shabu-shabu arrived along with the meat.

The color of the meat was really good. The red was vibrant and the marbling was even, which had me excited before I'd even taken a bite.

The vegetables came out in a really generous amount too.

How to eat the Prime Angus chuck flat: swirl, then dip in egg

A staff member poured the sukiyaki broth into the pan in the middle, and once the broth started boiling, we added the prepared vegetables.

As the vegetables were cooking, we added the meat one slice at a time and cooked it through.

Dipping the chuck flat in the egg added a nutty richness to the beef's soft texture — they went really well together. It also paired nicely with the sukiyaki broth.

Finishing the meal with yakisoba and omija tea

Once we were full, we asked for the finishing dish. The staff made us yakisoba, and after all the meat and vegetables, eating noodles too made for a really filling meal.

At the end, they also brought out omija (schisandra berry) tea, which gave the meal a refreshing finish.

If you're looking for a clean, well-kept shabu-shabu restaurant in Hapjeong, I'd recommend Shabu in Seoul Hapjeong Branch. Being able to choose your meat, whether Prime Angus or hanwoo, and pick your broth to your taste, made this a shabu-shabu meal that felt a bit different from the usual.