4 Must-Try Restaurants Recommended by Hipjiro Commuters

All the Best Restaurants Are Here!

Working in a company in Euljiro (Hip + Euljiro) alley? That's me. When people hear the company is in Euljiro, they think I explore gourmet restaurants every day, but I actually end up going to the same places. However, I thoroughly went through the list of must-visit restaurants to introduce them. You can enjoy sushi, Japanese cuisine, and Western dishes, so come along!

The cafe is here, so check it out~!

Park Jihoo Sushi

Since waiting is a must, I went right at opening time and was able to enter immediately. I've never been disappointed by a restaurant that carries its name, so I had some expectations.

Maybe because I expected a lot, at first I didn't feel anything special enough to warrant waiting. But the more I ate, the more I understood why. Overall, I felt freshness and softness, and I tasted tuna that seemed to melt in my mouth.

I ordered the Sushi Set for Two and ate it with my teammate. It included salad, 20 pieces of sushi, soy sauce shrimp, tempura, and earthenware udon, all served in perfect timing.

Starting with the fresh salad appetizer, it continued with flatfish, salmon, bluefin tuna, red raw shrimp, egg, fried tofu, squid, cheese garlic shrimp, and swordfish spicy sushi. The udon tasted just like we expected?nothing special. But tempura can't be bad, right? It consisted of shrimp, aged pumpkin, and more. The seasoning was perfect even without dipping in soy sauce, and it was so crispy that I kept wanting more. If you want sushi topped with fresh and thick sashimi, I recommend Park Jihoo Sushi!

Meeting Room

The Meeting Room is a place I often went to for important meetings. The exterior looks hip, but the interior is decorated with antique furniture and accessories, making it perfect for SNS photo ops. When I visited after a long time, I was really disappointed that the tteokbokki, my favorite dish, was no longer available.

I ordered the Cloud Pasta, which looks fluffy like a cloud and naturally draws admiration, the egg-topped tomato sauce pasta Napolitan Pasta, and the luxurious kimchi fried rice white ragu Kimchi Risotto. The Cloud Pasta is eaten by mixing the soft cloud-shaped egg with the noodles; its soft taste and subtle pepper aroma make it not greasy at all. The Egg Napolitan Pasta was a bit disappointing because it lacked the tanginess typical of Napolitan pasta. My top favorite was the White Ragu Kimchi Risotto! The savory cheese combined with the spicy and salty flavor is a taste no Korean could dislike. If you want to enjoy a special day in a special way, I recommend the Meeting Room.

Namsan Dodam

If you like having a drink during lunch, you’ve probably already been here. They offer unlimited Makgeolli and rice bowls. Of course, you shouldn’t get drunk though.

The dishes I always order here are Kimchi Stew and Chive Pancake. The kimchi stew is special and impossible to imitate, so not just anyone can make that taste. There are various menu items, but everyone only eats these. It’s a dish made by boiling and steaming well-fermented aged kimchi with pork front leg meat?like homemade japchae! When you tear the chive pancake you ordered along with the aged kimchi and eat them together, you realize happiness is not far away. If you miss grandma’s cooking, you must visit Namsan Dodam.

Tokyo Gyudon

Eating with friends or colleagues is great, but sometimes you want to eat alone, right? In that case, go to Tokyo Gyudon. The turnover is high, so even during lunch you can start eating relatively quickly. Plus, the menu is diverse, so you might find yourself happily indecisive.

On cold days like these, ordering the Sukiyaki Nabe set warms both your heart and body. It feels like bulgogi udon but with more meat and even rice, so it’s very filling. Especially the side dishes are delicious, so on busy and hungry days, try this menu. My favorite is the Grilled Kimchi Fried Gyudon. It’s a spicy grilled kimchi and beef rice bowl, perfect for eating while reading a book or webtoon. It’s great for solo dining but also good for chatting with close colleagues, so I hope you visit on a nice day.

Photo by Editor Yoon Eun-ae