Cream Curry Udon, a recent trend in the South Korean food scene. Covered with a thick layer of whipped cream, this dessert-looking curry udon is considered the trendiest food in Seoul. It is in fact, curry udon topped with whipped cream. Do not give me the judging eye yet — it may sound quirky, but it is absolutely delicious. This interesting dish from Tokkijung (토끼정), together with its comparatively budget-friendly pricing, made the place a new Gangnam hotspot.
The restaurant opens at 11 am. But we found ourselves on the waiting list with 10++ groups ahead when we were there at 11:10 am. The approximate waiting time was an hour – now you know how popular this place is. However, the restaurant is located right at the Gangnam Cafe street, it wasn’t a problem finding a place to kill our time before enjoying the meal.
The interior just feels like any Japanese family restaurant one would see in Japan. White tiles with dark grout, wooden stairs, and vintage furniture. The warm and cosy atmosphere remind me about my recent trip to Japan. Like any family restaurants in Japan, the place serves curry, fritters and beef stews, pairing with a wide variety of Whisky cocktails (Highball), Japanese beer, and other alcoholic drinks.
The Honey Yuza Highball and Cream de Cafeball. Highball is a kind of Japanese Whisky based cocktail with soda. Our Honey Yuza Highball cocktail was a refreshing citrus infused drink perfect for summer. Cream de Cafeball, a combination of whisky and coffee, albeit sounded a little risky, it was surprisingly tasty. I would recommend Honey Yuza if you want something refreshing. If you love coffee, perhaps you should try out the Cafeball!
Cream Curry Udon (크림 카레 우동), the signature dish from Tokkijung. I remember when I told one of my friends about how delicious the dish is, she wasn’t quite convinced. I guess many of you cannot relate whipped cream with curry. It certainly doesn’t look as appetising. However, do not judge the food by its cover.
This is just how it looks like when it was served — Thick and creamy bowl of whipped cream without any trace of udon noodles. The curry udon and vegetables are underneath. Just stir the dish well and eat tuck in. I was taken aback as I didn’t know what to expect before eating the noodles.
I took one bite and … it was good! To my surprise, the cream didn’t taste sweet at all. It was quite bland, indeed, with minimal seasoning. However, the soft and creamy texture of the whipped cream created a harmonious balance with the fragrance of the spices, and the distinctive sweetness of Japanese curry. It was like eating creamy carbonara pasta with Japanese curry sauce – something unfamiliar, yet somewhat familiar. But it tastes great! The udon noodles were in the perfect al-dente texture, which certainly scored some extra points.
The Charcoal Grilled Beef (숯불구이). It was good, but not impressive — the beef was nicely marinated, perhaps a little too sweet for my palette, but not outrageous. Not something to rave about though. You can easily get to eat any BBQ beef of the same standard at any popular BBQ restaurants in Seoul.
The beef comes with a huge bowl of refillable salad. Rice is not included. You can order plain rice from the Ala-carte menu to complete your meal if you like.
Writer’s Note: The food and overall atmosphere feels like dining at a good friend’s place. The food is generally good, but not really impressive. Their Cream Curry Udon is definitely worth trying. However, if you aren’t too adventurous about food, then it is better to share it with someone. Decent food and beer, friendly service perfect for gathering.
Contact Details:
Tokkijung 토끼정
617-3, Yeoksam Dong, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul.
서울 강남구 역삼동 617-3
Operating Hours: Mon-Sat: 11am -2am, Sun: 11am-12am.
Directions:
1. Coming out from Gangnam Station (Line 2) exit 11, go straight until you see movie theatre CGV.
2. Turn into the junction right before CGV, go down about 200M you’ll see the building.
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