Charming Seochon: A Hanok Italian Dining Experience at Hanokdal
I visited Hanokdal, a charming Seochon restaurant located in an alley of the Sejong Village Food Culture Street, which is right outside Exit 2 of Gyeongbokgung Station.
Unlike Gwanghwamun or Bukchon, Seochon is a calm yet lively neighborhood that I really enjoy.
The Sejong Village Food Culture Street was beautifully decorated with traditional Korean lanterns called 'cheongsachorong'.
Hanokdal's sign with a moon illustration was easy to spot, making it simple to find.
It's a place where you can enjoy flavorful Italian cuisine in a beautiful hanok (traditional Korean house) setting.
Passing through the hanok door, there was a courtyard with Christmas lights shining brightly.
I think you could see the hanok courtyard in more detail during the bright daylight.
It was a little disappointing that it was nighttime.
Stepping inside, I saw antique cabinets that looked like they came straight out of a historical drama, blending perfectly with the hanok.
We passed the counter and settled down inside.
Looking up at the ceiling, I could see the hanok rafters, and the high ceiling made it feel more spacious.
The Hanokdal restaurant had a mother-of-pearl inlaid cabinet decorating one wall, which was fascinating.
There was also a retro-style typewriter on one side, so I took a picture of it.
The bathroom sink was also unique, so I took a picture of that too.
Upon closer inspection, I realized they had made a sink using an electric oven. Isn't that amazing?
The menu mainly consisted of pasta, spaghetti, risotto, side dishes, sparkling wine, red wine, white wine, soft drinks, coffee, tea, alcoholic beverages, and two kinds of snacks.
We ordered the Homemade Meatball Bolognese and the Pumpkin Chili Tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes).
Their signature pasta is Ttukbaegi Gochujang Pasta, but we decided to try a less spicy pasta since the chili tteokbokki seemed spicy as well. We also ordered a Coke Zero.
First, we were served Bushman Bread, which you can often find at Outback Steakhouse, along with olive oil drizzled with balsamic vinegar. We dipped the bread in it as an appetizer.
Soon after, the two dishes we ordered arrived, and the portions were generous, enough for two people to enjoy.
Homemade Meatball Bolognese - ₩23,000
This pasta dish featured homemade ragu sauce, homemade meatballs, and Reggiano cheese.
The pasta was made with short casarecce pasta.
I tried the pasta with the homemade meatballs and sauce, and it was truly delicious, perhaps because it was homemade.
I rediscovered how delicious ragu sauce can be that day.
The Pumpkin Chili Tteokbokki was priced at ₩39,000, and it immediately caught my eye when it arrived.
An entire butternut squash was cooked and served, filled with various seafood and tteokbokki rice cakes.
You know it tastes best when it's hot.
The cheese stretched out, and it made the spicy tteokbokki taste a bit milder and creamier.
It also included mussels, baby octopus, small shrimp, and large shrimp.
There were also red bell peppers and onions.
The seafood, vegetables, and tteokbokki rice cakes created a harmonious, spicy, and rich flavor.
I scooped some onto my plate, and the tteokbokki rice cakes were large. If it got a little too spicy, I could eat the butternut squash, which had a natural sweetness. The portion was generous, the taste was great, and you could even eat seafood, making it a cost-effective dish.
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