A Unique Culinary Experience at Hongbo Stone: Tangsuyuk and Coffee?
Written By GINGER
I took an umbrella out because of the rain forecast, but it turned out to be useless. It was a day for eating out, but we hadn't decided on a place, so after searching, we found a unique spot and decided to visit.
It's a bit of a distance to walk from Seoul Forest Station or Seongsu Station, so we transferred to a bus and arrived.
Hongbo Stone
I've been around Seongsu-dong quite a bit, but this is a place I've never seen before. I don't think I've even glimpsed it on social media. The name is familiar from childhood, and the exterior is eye-catching and unforgettable at first glance.
Even if we overlook the name 'Hongbo Stone,' the combination of Tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork) and coffee is...
Stepping inside, it was just after 5 PM, and two teams were already eating. No other customers came until we left. The music was mostly recent K-pop, but the speakers were in such bad shape that it was hard to tell what song was playing. Still, something is better than nothing... haha.
By the way, the tables are very antique. More like something you'd find in a deep mountain cabin serving wild greens or roasted duck than a Chinese restaurant. There's even a staircase leading to the basement, so I suspect it might get crowded during lunch hours.
The menu is surprisingly simple: Tangsuyuk and Japchae (stir-fried glass noodles). Jjambong Rice, Hongbo Special Rice, Japchae Rice, and Mushroom Rice are all they offer. And they sell coffee on one side. It's peculiar that they don't serve noodle dishes like Jajangmyeon (black bean noodles), but they have Jjambong Rice, so it's even more surprising that they don't offer Jjambong itself.
Soju is 5,000 won.
They offer a free Americano with every meal, and they ask you to let them know in advance if you don't want it. We thought about sharing one cup and telling them when we were done with our food... but alas! We were too late.
First, we ordered a medium-sized Tangsuyuk.
It's also unusual to be served kimchi. And what is that red sauce served with the soy sauce? Looking closely, it tasted like a mix of chili powder and vinegar. They prepare it in advance and pour it like water.
We would have preferred to mix it ourselves, but we just alternated between dipping in each sauce. Haha. Oh, and there's no onion or Chunjang (black bean sauce).
The sauce took a while to come out. It seems like it usually comes pre-sauced (poured over the Tangsuyuk), so we asked for it to be served separately for dipping. I don't really like sweet sauces. I only ate some of the solids and left most of it, which was a shame, but when I asked at another place, they said it was difficult to reduce the amount because they make it according to the recipe... so I just left it.
Meat Fritters
They're about the size of a finger, and the smell of fried chicken is definitely noticeable. It would have been nice if they were seasoned more, but they were a little bland. The batter was reasonably crispy, not so much that it scraped the roof of your mouth.
The oil didn't smell too strong, so it was delicious.
When there was a little left, I debated between the Hongbo Special Rice and the Japchae Rice. garlic (presumably the author's companion) was quite full, so I barely finished it.
The rice and Japchae are served separately, and that mound is all Japchae, so the portion is quite generous.
The smoky aroma is pleasing to the nose.
The proportion of vegetables (cabbage, mushrooms, bok choy, carrots, zucchini, chives, etc.), pork, and glass noodles was good, and the overall harmony was satisfactory.
The seasoning wasn't too salty or bland; it was just right~ just right~
Perfectly smooth and soft glass noodle Japchae.
The smoky flavor is less noticeable while eating.
We had some rice left over, but other customers were helping themselves to more rice.
But
When we had half a bottle of Soju left, they suddenly placed coffee on our table. Already? garlic was fuller than expected and emptied her coffee cup dutifully, but I barely drank half a cup, and I drank a little more than half. I wanted to take it with me, but I was planning to take the bus right away, so I couldn't take it with me.
It wasn't the most amazing menu composition or taste, but experiencing it once wasn't regrettable. It was a pleasant time.
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