This post was written in 2011. Shop details and prices may have changed since then.
Hongdae has plenty of great places to eat, but finding somewhere to just grab a simple meal is surprisingly hard, and it always leaves me scratching my head. If I’m drinking there’s my regular 2chef, there’s Miro Sikdang, and loads of others besides, but a place where I can have a light meal without queuing? Nothing really springs to mind. Maybe it’s because you can’t keep a business going on meals alone. In the middle of all that, Choma has lately become my default choice. Two people ordering a jjamppong and a tangsuyuk is just right, and the prices are reasonable too. Cheung Kee Noodle House is another place for a quick, simple meal like this, but for some reason I rarely get the chance to go. Maybe it’s because egg noodles feel more like a snack..
The basics
Well, Chinese restaurants never have much in the way of side dishes.
Jjamppong
Spicy, with a wok-fired smokiness that’s – just slightly – there. Maybe because I’m under the weather so often, I really love a clean, refreshing broth like this.
Japchae rice
When I’ve had so much jjamppong that I’m sick of wheat noodles, I can order the japchae rice instead, and it has that wok-fired smokiness too.
Egg drop soup
When I ordered the japchae rice I asked if I could get some jjamppong broth.. but apparently Choma makes its jjamppong broth to order, so they can’t give it away for free. What a shame.. Had I known, I’d have ordered the jjamppong even though I was sick of noodles.
Tangsuyuk
Nicely fried, not too much. It’s not some mind-blowing destination, just a good place to eat in Hongdae. I’ll be heading to Hongdae an awful lot from now on, so I expect I’ll be going here often.