Mapo Korean beef course lunch in private rooms: Usu

How do you find Usu from Gongdeok Station?

I visited Usu (우수) for a relaxed lunch. It is on the second basement level of the Lotte Castle President building, directly in front of Exit 2 of Gongdeok Station, so it was convenient to reach by public transport and not difficult to find.

Can you have a quiet meal in a private room?

What I liked most was that every table is in a private room. I could eat without worrying about neighboring tables. There is also group seating, so I thought it could work for gatherings such as family meals, formal family meetings, or company dinners.

What comes with the Lunch C course?

That day, I had the Lunch C course, which included 80g of grilled Korean beef. Barley tea was served when I sat down, and there was also time to introduce the ingredients used in the course.

The first dish was ugyejin-yuk, made with a Korean beef bone and chicken stock base. Served warm, it was easy to enjoy as a gentle start to the course.

Next came three bite-sized dishes: a bulgogi sandwich, grilled scallop, and sweet shrimp gim-bugak (crispy deep-fried seaweed). I especially remembered the bulgogi sandwich, which paired Korean beef bulgogi and truffle cream cheese on brioche. The scallop was tender, while the sweet shrimp gim-bugak was crisp, offering different textures.

Next was shrimp with shiitake mushrooms and zucchini. Eating the shrimp with the mushrooms and zucchini felt different from the earlier bite-sized dishes.

Jeonbok osaek chija-myeon was a dish of abalone and various vegetables with gardenia noodles. With gamtae dressing and mustard-garlic sauce, it felt like a clean palate reset midway through the course.

How is the Korean beef grilled, and how does the meal end?

The main course was 1++ Korean beef grill with a bansang (set meal tray). I grilled it myself over a personal brazier, so I could cook it to my preferred doneness. The striploin was tender and savory.

After the Korean beef, I finished the meal with a bansang centered on Korean beef miyeok-guk (seaweed soup). Corn ice cream followed, making it a fairly filling lunch. Along with the course itself, the chance to eat quietly in a private room stayed with me.

What were the parking and corkage terms?

At the time of my visit, I was told there was a large parking lot, three hours of free parking, and no limit on the number of vehicles. Corkage-free service and year-round opening were also listed. These may be useful conditions to note for family gatherings or company dinners using several cars.