Gyodae Station Korean restaurant: pancake platter and spicy octopus

A place to mix spicy octopus stir-fry into barley rice and dig into a hearty assorted pancake platter

I visited Daseon Kalguksu with a friend for dinner near Gyodae Station. It's technically a kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) specialist, but it also has plenty of Korean dishes worth sharing, like spicy octopus stir-fry and assorted pancakes, so it looked like a solid pick for a meal or even a drink or two.

Where is Daseon Kalguksu, and what are its hours?

Daseon Kalguksu is at 69 Banpo-daero 26-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul (1st and 2nd floor), about 180m from Exit 14 of Gyodae Station. It's open Mon–Fri 11:00–23:00 (last order 22:30) and Sat–Sun 11:30–22:00 (last order 21:30), with takeout, delivery, reservations, and group bookings available.

Daseon Kalguksu is just a short walk from Exit 14 of Gyodae Station. A big blue sign made it easy to spot even at night.

The restaurant runs across the 1st and 2nd floors, and inside there were plenty of tables for groups to sit together.

The comfortable, homey Korean-restaurant vibe made it seem like a good spot for an office dinner or a night out near Gyodae Station. The place has apparently been featured on SBS's Live Today, and they say they've been making kalguksu for 25 years.

What two people ordered at Daseon Kalguksu, and what it cost

At Daseon Kalguksu, we ordered spicy octopus stir-fry for ₩34,000, assorted pancakes for ₩26,000, and kalguksu for ₩10,000, coming to ₩70,000 total. We checked the menu on a tablet at the table before ordering.

• Spicy octopus stir-fry — ₩34,000
• Assorted pancakes — ₩26,000
• Kalguksu — ₩10,000
• Total — ₩70,000

My friend and I shared one bowl of kalguksu. With the spicy octopus stir-fry and assorted pancakes added on top, the table was packed.

Free barley rice at Daseon Kalguksu, and why we refilled it

While we waited for our order at Daseon Kalguksu, barley rice was served for free. It tasted so good we got a refill.

We mixed in the spicy radish salad that came with the barley rice — it was mild but the radish salad's kick perked up our appetite.

Even though it's free, the barley rice was good enough that we got one refill. It was tasty just mixed with the radish salad, but later we spooned the octopus stir-fry sauce and octopus on top, which made it even more filling. We polished off a whole bowl of barley rice before the main dishes even arrived at this Gyodae Station restaurant.

How does the spicy stir-fried octopus taste?

The ₩34,000 spicy octopus stir-fry arrived on a large plate piled high with octopus, cabbage, onion, and green onion. The glossy red sauce coated everything evenly, and just the sight of it gave off a spicy aroma.

The octopus was plump and chewy, and there were plenty of vegetables too. Adding the bean sprouts served alongside gave it a crunchier texture and made the spiciness easier to handle.

Mixing barley rice with radish salad, octopus, and sauce on top worked really well together. There was plenty of sauce to go with the rice, and if you're looking for a bar near Gyodae Station, this would make a great drinking snack too.

Can two people share one bowl of kalguksu?

Daseon Kalguksu's ₩10,000 bowl of kalguksu comes in a big bowl, generous enough that splitting one bowl between two people with side plates still left us satisfied. It came topped with dried seaweed flakes and sesame seeds.

We shared one bowl between us, and even after splitting it onto side plates, there was still plenty.

The thick, soft noodles paired well with the warm broth. After the spicy octopus stir-fry, a spoonful of kalguksu broth was soothing. They say the broth is made from eight ingredients plus anchovies, seafood, and vegetables, simmered fresh every morning. It was mild and savory rather than intense, which made it a good match with the other dishes.

What's in the pancake platter: beef, shrimp and zucchini

The ₩26,000 assorted pancake platter came piled high in one basket with three kinds — beef pancake, shrimp pancake, and zucchini pancake. We dipped the golden, freshly fried pancakes lightly in soy sauce while they were still warm.

The zucchini pancake was thick and soft, and the shrimp pancake let the plump shrimp's springy texture come through.

The beef pancake was savory and filling too, and it was fun switching between the three kinds. Great for when you can't decide on just one type of pancake and want to try a few together.

Is Daseon Kalguksu near Gyodae Station worth a visit?

From the free barley rice to the spicy octopus stir-fry, kalguksu, and assorted pancakes, Daseon Kalguksu gave us a lot to try. The barley rice was good enough for a refill, and the spicy octopus stir-fry had generous octopus and vegetables that went well with rice or drinks.

The kalguksu was easy to share with a friend, warm broth included, and the assorted pancakes came generously with three kinds, making for a filling meal. Worth a visit if you're after a Gyodae Station restaurant or a Seocho Korean restaurant serving a variety of dishes together.