Hakoya @ Sangnamdong

Hakoya Entrance

Ramen is readily available at any time in Korea. You can go to the your local super market and buy instant ramen for under 2000원. However, Hakoya is one ramen place that is worth checking out. Located in Sangnamdong right next to Kraze Burger, this is a unique ramen experience in Changwon.

Wall Menu

One of the biggest draws of Hakoya is that their ramen is made Japanese style. The menu is in Korean, but the wall menu has Japanese, English, and Korean. The names of the dishes in Korean are all transliterated from Japanese. So instead of reading the menu and finding things translated into Korean or something similar, the items that you can order will all be Japanese names of food. Additionally, the service at this restaurant was outstanding. There were constantly three to four waitresses readily available. The food came out quickly and not overly hot. Another thing worth mentioning is that Hakoya has beer on draft. You can get a 300cc glass of Hite for 2500원 which is a bit cheaper than a bar.

Table Seating

Hakoya is set up like a small deli. The kitchen is located in the back and tables of four are all spread out in the room. There is a place to sit where you can face out the window and people watch. There are three chairs and a single counter that are attached to a window. This would be the best place to sit if you are going to come to this restaurant alone.

Booths

To the right of the entrance is the seating area that is 1/2 of a booth. If you prefer booths over sitting in the middle at a table, then make sure you head over to this area for whatever suits your dining personality. The booths are arranged against the right wall and can seat around 14 or 16 people.

Kimchi

Surprisingly, one of the best parts of the restaurant was its Kimchi. Kimchi is one of the staples of a meal in Korea. It is everywhere. However, finding the kind of Kimchi that suits your taste buds can be somewhat challenging. There are a huge variety of Kimchi flavors in Korea. Some Kimchi can taste absolutely putrid while some can be completely refreshing. The Kimchi at Hakoya is set in little bowls on the side of your table. You can choose however much you want and put it in the dish they provide. I was wary at first because I am not a huge fan of Kimchi, however after eating their Kimchi I immediately wanted some more. My friend and I were really shocked that the Kimchi could be this good. We ate half of a jar together. If you come to Hakoya, and get the smallest thing on their menu, but you have their Kimchi, you will leave satisfied. This was the best Kimchi I have had in Korea so far.

Asikawa Ramen

For this outing, one of my more carnivorous friends joined me. We both got Asikawa Ramen(7000원) and ordered the spiciest version that we could. Hakoya is unique in a way that you can customize their dishes a little. They give you a choice of one, two, or three red peppers on the menu to indicate the levels of spiciness that you can choose. Having ordered the spiciest ramen that we could we started to eat. This ramen is extremely delicious and as my friend pointed out, one of the main reasons is that they use thicker noodles than most ramens. Instead of the normal noodle, these noodles are more similar to the 짬뽕 noodles that you can get at Chinese restaurants. As we continued through our meal we enjoyed the slices of meat, eggs, bean sprouts, and peppers in our ramen. When we finished our noodles, we decided to drink the soup. It was extremely spicy but very tasty. Towards the end of our meal, we were a little worn out from the spiciness, because it tends to be of the throat variety. So we both asked for a bowl of rice. Rice at Hakoya is completely free. Free is always good.

Good

-The ramen was delicious.

-The broth was even more delicious.

-The lighting and design made for a comfortable dining experience.

-The Kimchi was out of this world. Seriously, go there now and try it.

-Easy to find.

Bad

-The menu was limited. This is strictly a ramen place. There are very few dishes on the menu that do not include ramen noodles in some way.

-It is a bit expensive for Ramen. A kimbap place would only charge around 3000원 for a bowl of ramen, but it all depends on your style of meal. For quantity over quality, stick with the kimbap place. For quality noodles, go to Hakoya.

Prices

-Ramen-5000-12,000원

-Cold Noodles 5000-8000원

-Draft Beer-2500원

-Rice Dishes and Combos-8000-12,000원

Location

This place is super easy to find. Either go straight(towards sangnamdong) after crossing the road into Sangnamdong from Jungangdong and then follow the sidewalk until you see it on your left, or you can go to the fountain in Sangnam and you will see the Kraze Burger sign on the building adjacent to it. This building also has a Hakoya sign in red that is easy to see.

Address

경상남도 창원시 상남동 23-6호 에이스타워 1층 TEL 055-284-5449
GyeongsangNamDo Changwon-Si Sangnamdong 23-6 Ho Ace Tower 1st Floor

Hours

AM 11:00 ~ PM 10:00

Taj Mahal @ Jungangdong

When you think about Indian food in Changwon, there are usually two places that come to mind: Bombay and Maya. A lesser known venue is the Taj Mahal Restauraunt in Jungangdong. This quietly tucked away eatery is a small gem. Personalized orders without any hassle, friendly service, and battle axes. Yes, battle axes.

Battle Axes

These axes are actually on the wall of the private area. Within the restaurant there are basically two main areas. When you walk in you see the main seating area, which is a row of chairs and tables. To the right of this seating area is the Kitchen, and if you walk a little further inside you will see the private seating area, which has couches on both sides instead of chairs.

Main Seating Area

The private area is divided from the rest of the restaurant by two walls. This area is wonderful if you are going to be eating with more than four people. There are two tables and four couches in this section.

Private Seating Area

When we ordered dinner my friend requested that his food be cooked in low oil, and he also made sure that there was no milk, eggs, or butter in his Naan. He is some silly thing called a vegetarian. Normally, this would be a hassle but the woman who was serving us was extremely courteous and reassured him that his food would be personalized in anyway he wanted. I prefer to eat spicy foods, so I ordered some curry and asked for it to be as spicy as possible. To our delights our food was made exactly the way we wanted it to be. Also, the food here is unbelievably good. This restaurant has the best Naan in Changwon that I have had so far. I ordered the Garlic Naan(4000원) and the Butter Naan (4000원). The first time I tried their Butter Naan I was amazed. It was one of the best things I had ever tasted at an Indian restaurant in Korea. Their curry is pretty standard, but it can be customized anyway that you would like. Typical prices for curry were anywhere from 12,000원 to 28,000원. They also have a vegetarian menu, and from the few bites I tried from my friends meal, it was especially tasty.

Naan and Curry

Probably my favorite thing that this restaurant has that I haven't found in other places is that they have Turkish Kebabs (Chicken- 5000원 Lamb-6000원) on their menu. While they are a little pricier than the street version, these kebabs are loaded. Make sure to try one if you are a kebab enthusiast like myself.

The restaurant is actually run by a Pakistani man named "왕 창원" which means "King Changwon." Be sure to talk with him, he usually wears a green turban and a white outfit. If he isn't around though, his sister who will most likely be serving you is a great hostess.

Good

-The food is excellent, especially the Naan.

-The private area is great for bigger parties or a quieter atmosphere.

-Personalized orders with no hassle.

-Battle axes. Seriously. Awesome.

Bad

-It is somewhat difficult to find.

-The music that they play can sometimes be a little bit loud.

-Somewhat expensive.

Prices

Naan-2000원-4000원

Curry-12,000-28,000원

Kebab-5000원(Chicken) 6000원(Lamb)

Various Drinks and Lassi-2000원-6000원

Location:

The location is a little bit tricky. Taj Mahal is located in Jungangdong on the same street as O'briens and For Foreigner but on the IP side of the street. If you enter the building straight across from For Foreigner, it's called Canberra Hotel, take the elevator to the fourth floor turn right and go to the end of the hallway. The doorway is heavily decorated so you can't miss it.

Address
Changwon City ,Jung Ang Dong 97-6, Canberra Hotel 4th Floor ,South Korea Tel: 268-5342

Hours

12:00-11:00