[FOOD COURT] The best places to eat near Konkuk University

If you're looking for something to eat near Konkuk University, it's best to make like a student and head for the restaurants around the side and back of the university.

Meat noodles sold at Mr. Cho's Meat Noodles [LEE TAE-HEE]

The neighborhood near Konkuk University isn't only home to its students, but is also frequently visited by people going to the nearby shopping malls and movie theater. But if you're looking for something to eat, it's best to make like a student and head for the restaurants around the side and back of the university.

Away from the obvious choice of restaurants around Konkuk University Station and the school's front gate, the quiet area around the side and back gates offers various tasty dishes, ranging from traditional Korean meals to Japanese and western food.

For people who are curious to know more, here are some recommendations for those who want a hearty meal near Konkuk University, as recommended by the local students.

Mr. Cho’s Meat Noodles

Mr. Cho's Meat Noodles is a small restaurant that opened in 2014 near the side gate of the university, close to the school's Art & Design Building.

The restaurant offers a variety of affordable noodles for students looking for a hot steaming dish that will warm them up in the cold winter. Its meat noodles are priced at 8,000 won ($6.30) and uses noodles made from rice, similar to Vietnamese Pho, but are thinner.

The dish is topped with chives and red pepper. The dish also comes with a generous portion of pork belly, which is one reason students love the restaurant so much. It pre-roasts its pork in the morning and then grills it once more right before the noodles are served, adding a smoky flavor.

Those who want extra spice can order the red meat noodles, priced at 8,500 won. The garlic meat noodles, basically the simple meat noodles topped with extra garlic, are also priced at 8,500 won. If you want both, you can go for the red garlic noodles, which is 9,000 won.

For hungry students that are craving more, you can order an extra portion of pork belly for 2,500 won.

The restaurant is small with only bar seats and suitable for students eating alone or with a small group of friends.

An employee grills pork belly before serving it with the meat noodles. [LEE TAE-HEE]

23, Gunja-ro 3-gil, Gwangjin District, eastern SeoulBusiness hours: 11:20 a.m. - 9 p.m. (break time from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m.)Phone number: 0507) 1404-9501

Gaemijib

Jjukkumi bulgogi, a stir-fried dish with marinated beef and baby octopus, sold at Gaemijib. [LEE TAE-HEE]

Gaemijib is a place that many Konkuk University students will know, regardless of when they studied and graduated, as the restaurant has been open near the university's back gate since 1994.

The only item on its menu is the jjukkumi bulgogi, a stir-fried dish with marinated beef and baby octopus. The beef and octopus is marinated with spice but slightly sweet sauce, which almost tastes like the sauce you would get when you order dakbokkeumtang, or spicy chicken stew. The dish is also topped with rice cakes and vegetables such as mushrooms and squash to help numb the spice.

Ordering is easy, as you only have to choose the size of your dish. A small-sized dish, priced at 25,000 won, will be very filling for two and ideal for three. The large-size is priced at 38,000 won and extra-large is priced at 53,000 won.

Toward the end of your meal, try ordering extra stir-fried rice, priced at 2,000 won, to enjoy the full experience. The restaurant owners will use the leftover sauce from the jjukkumi bulgogi and add sesame oil, chopped up perilla leaves, carrots and dried seaweed and whip up fried rice for you.

With students visiting often and needing more space to accommodate them, Gaemijib has three venues open near the university's back gate. The three branches are located within 50 to 100 meters of each other and are easily noticeable as they are named Gaemijib, Gaemijib2 and Gaemijib3. So if one branch seems a bit packed, try going across the road.

Gaemijib's fried rice [LEE TAE-HEE]

12, Gwangnaru-ro 24-gil, Gwangjin District, eastern SeoulBusiness hours: 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. (Closed on every first and third Sundays)Phone number: 02) 444-2167

Mensyo

Spicy tsukemen, Japanese noodles dipped in soup that is in another bowl, sold at Mensyo. [LEE TAE-HEE]

Mensyo is another popular pick for students, selling Japanese tsukemen at a restaurant located between the university's side and back gate.

Although you may think all noodles come in a bowl with hot soup, tsukemen noodles come separately. The noodles are slightly chilled and thus more chewy, and are dipped in soup that is in another bowl. The soup is topped with green onions and has large pieces of pork for meat lovers.

Tsukemen noodles are supposed to be dipped in the soup for a short period of time and the soup has a stronger and saltier taste than normal noodles. But if you are someone that enjoys having a sip of the flavorful broth, you can always request a free side of wari soup. The additional broth is much lighter than the original one you get, and mixing them together makes a drinkable warm broth.

The tsukemen noodles are priced at 9,000 won, but if you're in for the spicy flavor, you can order the spicy tsukemen for 10,000 won.

2, Gunja-ro 2-gil, Gwangjin District, eastern SeoulBusiness hours: 11:30 a.m. – 9 p.m. (break time from 2:30 p.m. – 5 p.m., closed Sundays) Phone number: 02) 499-8788

Rabbithole Burger Company

A classic burger sold at Rabbit Hole Burger Company. [RABBIT HOLE BURGER COMPANY]

If you're craving juicy burgers, Rabbit Hole Burger Company is the place to go. The restaurant is located near the back gate of the university and has a warm and cozy atmosphere, making it a nice place to go if you want something a bit fancy among the small and affordable restaurants.

All burgers are made with fresh handmade patties and come with either a chewy and sweet brioche bun or whole wheat buns based on what goes best with the ingredients.

It provides customers with a wide range of choices, offering ten burgers on the menu. Its classic burger (9,800 won) comes with the simple meat patty, bacon, cheddar cheese, onions, tomato, pickles and romaine lettuce. There are other options such as the blue cheese burger (9,800 won) that comes with caramelized onions, gorgonzola cheese pesto and rucola. People who find cheese too heavy can go for the hot pepper burger (9,800 won) that has additional chili pepper and spicy pepper sauce.

Rabbit Hole Burger Company offers classic French fries (5,000 won), but also sells sweet potato fries (7,000 won) for people who enjoy a little bit more sweetness.

@rabbithole_burger424, Gwangnaru-ro, Gwangjin District, eastern SeoulBusiness hours: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. (break time from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m., closed Sundays)Phone number: 0507) 1304-0424

BY LEE TAE-HEE [lee.taehee2@joongang.co.kr]