Weekend lunch with a baby at a Gwanghwamun Korean restaurant: Modam

We got a great opportunity to have lunch at Modam Dining, so it was a rare Gwanghwamun outing for our family of three. Gwanghwamun is always lovely whenever you go...✨ With perfect weather for a weekend lunch too, here's our review of Modam Dining Gwanghwamun, let's go!

A Gwanghwamun hanjeongsik spot for matchmaking meetings / Modam Dining Gwanghwamun

Where is Modam Dining Gwanghwamun? Hours and parking

Modam Dining Gwanghwamun is located at 10 Saemunan-ro 2-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, in B102 and B103 on the basement level of Deoksugung D Palace. Hours are 11:00–22:00, with a break time from 15:00–17:00.

• 📍10 Saemunan-ro 2-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Deoksugung D Palace B1, B102 & B103, South Korea
• 📌11:00–22:00 (break time 15:00–17:00)
• 📌Parking available (free 2 hours at B3); when full, parking support at Concordian Building
• 📌Baby chairs and tableware available

Parking at Deoksugung D Palace B3 comes with two free hours. There are so many cars that it seems to fill up often?! But if it's full, they also support parking fees at the Concordian Building across the street — so I'd honestly recommend just parking there to save the hassle!

It's only about a 1-minute walk from the Concordian parking, so no burden at all. Ta-da~ when we arrived, the sleek facade made me even happier > _<❤️ So classy, so classy, loved it.

Lobby and seating: open tables and private rooms

Modam Dining Gwanghwamun operates both open seating and private rooms. The lobby even has a paid massage chair, so it seems nice to rest there for a bit if you're waiting!

With both open seating and private rooms, it's more than fitting for matchmaking meetings, family gatherings, or important appointments. Good, good.

What we ordered: the abalone tteokgalbi set at 40,000 won per person

We debated between the Korean beef (1++) bulgogi set and the abalone tteokgalbi set, and went with the abalone one since our little one loves abalone! Hot pot dishes need 2 or more people, but the rest of the sets can just be ordered one portion at a time.

They set out the basic tableware plus baby tableware in advance, which put me at ease. The baby dishware was so cute >_<

Abalone tteokgalbi (grilled short rib patty), ₩40,000 per person

-Side dishes-

• Seasonal porridge (mung bean porridge)
• Cheongyang chili water kimchi
• Seasonal salad with yuzu dressing
• Mustard vegetables with pine nut sauce
• Seasonal raw fish and pickle ceviche
• Modam-style fritters
• Perilla oil capellini

-Main dish/meal-

• Abalone tteokgalbi
• White rice / soup / 4 side dishes / dessert

All the sides at once: mung bean porridge and perilla oil capellini

Before the main comes out, all the shareable common side dishes arrive at once! Nice touch — they even give separate chopsticks for each dish!

The mung bean porridge came as the seasonal porridge! They even prepared one for the baby. So many feelings......(❤ ω ❤) Served in such a pretty bowl, the starter porridge made for a soft, gentle start.

And the dish all three of us loved the most: the perilla oil capellini. I already love capellini for being thinner and less prone to clumping than other pasta shapes, and this one was topped with perilla powder and sweet shrimp for an extra luxurious cold pasta. It was so good I wanted to order more as a separate dish (✿◕‿◕✿)

The spicy, refreshing cheongyang chili water kimchi! The chef here clearly has real skill too........👍

The seasonal salad with yuzu dressing and the mustard vegetables with pine nut sauce were both so appetite-whetting that I got even more curious about the main course >_<❤️

The shiitake mushroom fritters that came as the Modam-style fritters were super chewy. Felt more like a candied gangjeong (Korean sweet fritter) than a regular fritter?! Not greasy at all and really delicious.

The seasonal raw fish and pickle ceviche came with engawa (flounder fin) from aged flounder sashimi — bam!! The attention to detail really shows! It's this kind of one-notch difference that decides whether you'll come back.

The main abalone tteokgalbi, and a baby who finished her rice

Hehe, here comes the star of the show! Abalone & tteokgalbi. The seasoning wasn't overdone and felt just right, which made the dish feel higher quality! Both the abalone and the tteokgalbi were so tender. Even the baby polished off a whole bowl of rice with the tteokgalbi 👍 When the baby finishes her rice, that says it all!!!

The abalone and tteokgalbi combo was delicious on its own, but tteokgalbi with wasabi is absolutely killer........👍👍 Make sure to add wasabi ahead of time!

With 4 side dishes plus rice and soup coming together, we got so full..... The side dishes had that clean Seoul-style flavor, but things like the mushroom stir-fry and anchovy stir-fry used a little chili for a spicy kick that was just right for whetting the appetite! The clear radish soup was quite spicy too!! (Don't give that soup to the baby!!!)

And for dessert, a very refreshing plum tea o(≧▽≦)o They even prepared one for the baby, so touched again.... Thank you❤️ I become extra fond of people who take good care of the baby, that's me >_<

The free Korean beef (1++) seaweed soup rice set from the Naver coupon

Oh, and! Don't forget the Modam Dining Naver coupon chance either. It got us a free Korean beef (1++) seaweed soup rice set — free, of all things, unbelievable.

It came with pollack roe, doraji namul (bellflower root salad), and kimchi as the 3 side dishes, plus rice and seaweed soup — such a neat, tidy rice set that our baby ate it up happily. Everyone was very satisfied.

Is Modam Dining Gwanghwamun a good spot for a family gathering?

A go-to hanjeongsik gathering spot in Gwanghwamun. Great taste and a great atmosphere too. If you're on the fence, I'd say don't even think twice — Modam Dining Gwanghwamun comes highly recommended👏👏