[FOOD COURT] The best places to eat near Seoul National University

Seoul National University isn’t only known for its hard-working students, but also for the trendy restaurants in the nearby Sharosu-gil area.

Seoul National University isn’t only known for its hard-working students, but also for the trendy restaurants in the nearby Sharosu-gil area.

Sharosu-gil, named because the shape of the university’s main gate resembles Korean letters for the word sha, started to become popular in the mid-2010s as one of Seoul’s vibrant food hubs. After many years, the streets are still known as a hot spot for foodies.

If you want to find something to eat in the area, here are some recommendations for good restaurants near Seoul National University, as recommended by students and graduates of the school.

Sumibi

Sumibi's hamburger steak rice bowl [SUMIBI]

The restaurant offers the sumibi rice bowl (13,900 won), referring to Hamburg steak in Japanese.

When ordering, you are given a bowl of rice topped with diced green onions, with slow-cooked eggs and a piece of Hamburg steak — for the uninitiated, it's sort of like a hamburger patty made from ground beef — in a separate dish.

The staff will give a detailed instruction about how to eat the dish for anyone new to the restaurant. According to Sumibi, its best to drizzle the tare sauce — a sweeter type of soy sauce — on the rice in a circular motion, with three circles leading to the ideal flavor. It also advises customers to dig a small hole in the middle of the rice and crack the egg there, ensuring the egg yolk can seep evenly into the rice.

Every dish comes with two pieces of the steak, but the restaurant initially serves it with only one piece. The owner grills the second piece right after you are given your order, serving it to you in the middle of the meal. The restaurant chooses to do so to ensure that customers always get them nice and hot.

There’s various condiments you can have with the meat for extra flavor. If you want something sweet and sour, the restaurant offers minced garlic marinated with lemon juice and there’s always the classic choice of wasabi. The Hamburg steak is much more tender than other restaurants, as the restaurant sous vides the meat and quickly grills the outside to give it the tasty-looking golden-brown crust.

@sumibi100431 Nambusunhwan-ro 230-gil, Gwanak District, southern SeoulBusiness hours: 11:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. (break time between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m., last order for lunch by 3:30 p.m. and dinner by 9 p.m.)Phone number: 02) 876-5004

Kissa Seoul

Butadon and shoyu ebi sake don sold at Kissa Seoul [KISSA SEOUL]

Kissa Seoul isn’t the most affordable restaurant near Seoul National University, but you will definitely get a satisfying meal. The restaurant has various Japanese-style rice bowl recipes that come with side dishes such as fried vegetables and warm soup. A piece of fruit, mostly orange or watermelon depending on the season, is always served as dessert.

One of the most popular dishes is shoyu ebi sake don, priced at 15,000 won. This rice bowl is topped with egg yolk, thickly cut salmon sashimi and shrimp marinated in shoyu sauce, or soy sauce that has a slightly sweeter taste. Flying fish roe is layered in the rice, which adds a bit of flavor and a slightly crunchy texture.

Another item on the menu that students go for is butadon, or pork belly rice bowl. The dish is priced at 12,000 won, and has hunks of pork belly slices that even stick out of the bowl. If you’re looking for a dish that will warm you up in the winter, try the sukiyaki, or Japanese hot pot, priced at 15,000 won.

The restaurant tends to have a lot of people waiting during busy lunch and dinner times. But peak inside rather than just deciding to wait in front of the restaurant. A waiting list is placed on top of a small table inside the restaurant, so write your name first and wait until the staff calls you. There’s also a long bench inside for people waiting, so you don’t have to wait outside in the cold.

@kissa.seoul31 Nambusunhwan-ro 226-gil, Gwanak District, southern SeoulBusiness hours: 11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. (break time between 3 p.m. – 5 p.m., last order 9 p.m.) Phone number: 02) 878-7444

Publico Taco

Publico Taco's carnitas tacos and guacamole fries [LEE TAE-HEE]

Publico Taco is located in the opposite end of Sharosu-gil and is a favorite for Seoul National University students looking for some Mexican food.

The restaurant offers five types of tacos – carne asada, carnitas, chorizo, chicken and shrimp – which range between 10,000 to 11,000 won for two tacos. All of them are soft tacos, with plenty of lettuce, tomato and sour cream with a side of fresh lime to give a bit of tang.

If you hesitate to eat tacos with someone else because its hard not to make a mess, Publico Taco has you covered. The restaurant gives you a paper wrap sealed at the bottom for each taco, allowing you to slip the taco inside and eat without spilling the ingredients.

Vegans are also covered, with the restaurant indicating vegan options such as the guacamole fries, avocado burrito and nachos with guacamole on its menu. All dishes are served with cilantro at Publico Taco, so don’t forget to ask them to take it out if you are someone that doesn’t enjoy the taste.

@publico_taco106 Gwanak-ro 14-gil, Gwanak District, southern SeoulBusiness hours: 11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. (break time between 3 p.m. – 5 p.m., last order 9:30 p.m.)Phone number: 02) 871-6282

Modamoda

Curry sold at Modamoda [MODAMODA]

Modamoda is a Japanese curry restaurant that allows you to make your own unique dish by choosing various toppings.

You can choose between three curries: the plain curry (7,000 won), spicy curry (7,000 won) or cream curry (7,500 won). From there, you can choose your toppings. There are a plenty of options to choose from, such as fried chicken, sausage, butter-grilled shrimp and hash browns. If you want to order something to drink, try ordering three or more toppings since the restaurant gives you a free can of coke or sprite.

The restaurant is relatively small, with only two tables that can seat two people each and a bar seat for five people. But the curry is served quickly, so it might be a good place to go if you’re in a rush and need something quick to eat.

@modamoda_curry36 Gwanak-ro 14-gil, Gwanak District, southern SeoulBusiness hours: 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. (break time between 3 p.m. – 5 p.m., last order 9 p.m.)Phone number: 0507-1425-3233

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