방이 칼국수 Bangi Kalguksu

This place is freaking tasty and it's always busy.

We assumed that as it's in Bangi Dong (방이동), and it's called Bangi Kalguksu (방이 칼국수) that it was an independent restaurant. However, after some extensive research (a naver search) we found out that it's a decent sized chain with branches mostly around Songpa-gu (Bangi and Jamsil station) but spread as far as Gangnam, Gangdong and Seongbuk. It may have more branches but seeing as their website (www.bangi.co.kr) doesn't work we can't be sure!

Here're the ones we found:

서울특별시 송파구 방이1동 213-8 
서울특별시 송파구 송파동 29
서울특별시 강남구 대치동 1019-12
서울특별시 성북구 동선동1가 123
서울특별시 강동구 암사동 447-27

We forgot to take a picture of the menu, but this will do for now:

전주비빔밥 - Jeonju bibimbap 6000

돌솥비빔밥 - dolsot bibimbap 7000

버섯칼국수 - mushroom kalguksu 6500

칼국순굥샤브샤브 - beef shabu shabu 6500

국수 - noodles 1000

볶음밥추가 - fried rice 2000

We'd never had DIY Kalguksu and had no flipping idea what we were doing. So we boshed together an order of 2 mushroom kalguksu and 2 shabu shabu, which gives you soup, a crap ton of meat, noodles and fried rice at the end. Turns out this is way too much for two people. 1 shabu shabu is enough.

So you get your pot with soupiness and mushrooms etc. You let that cook a little  then put in some meat, which is sliced reeeaaaallly thin so cooks very quickly. So eat the meat and vegetables and then when you want, put the noodles in, cook for a while and eat! TIP: vegetable refills are free. Then at the end they put all that glorious tasty soup in a separate bowl and make the fried rice for you.

Our meal came to a pricey 13000 KRW each, but if you don't order an excessive amount of shabu shabu it should only be around 9750 KRW per person. The next day we were considering going back, so definitely felt that it was worth it.