Though new, the place is often full on weekends with friends and customers who have quickly become regulars The alcohol on offer is a bit more diverse. Alongside the usual pocha drinks of beer and soju, there is also Okinawa soju and bottles of Jim Beam, Jameson and Hendricks. Plus Jim Beam high balls, gin and tonic, Jack and coke and Suntory whisky. One of the highlights of the limited food menu is malashangkwo (마리샹궈). Best shared between two people, the Chinese dish includes a smattering of stir-fried veggies along with mussels, shrimp and other
seafood. The dish is smothered in various spices, the most dominant being red pepper. Those with a weak tolerance for spicy food may struggle, but overall the dish has just enough kick for it to be enjoyable. Another popular dish according to the owners is chamgi naejang, or sea snails and tuna with cream cheese. The tuna and sea snails are best eaten dipped in the cream cheese – the cream offsets the saltiness of the seafood. It goes well with the wine on offer. But the shining glory of Horangi is its atmosphere. The owners often come around and sit down with the customers for a drink or two when there is nothing needing to be cooked or poured. It has the cozy vibe of a neighborhood pub with many customers comfortable enough to come in alone for a drink and a chat. Kim and Rah said they plan to start introducing live music sets, the first to take place on September 1. A local singer-songwriter who is a friend of the couple will play from 9 to 10 p.m. On November 11, a Japanese couple called Makim will play. The owners said there will be no set schedule for music – just whenever the opportunity arises.
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hose who have lived in Korea are no strangers to the ever-ubiquitous pochas or Korean-style pubs/restaurants. But Horangi is something a bit different. Part Chinese/Japanese fusion restaurant, part cozy pub, the hole-in-the-wall joint sits on a corner about a five-minute walk from Hapjeong Station. At first glance, one might think it a diner or burger joint. There’s no separate kitchen – just an open stove and hood with a metal bar surrounding it that fits about six. In the main part of the restaurant, there are two tables and an elevated platform where customers can choose to have a more Korean-style eating experience. The walls are exposed concrete with a variety of tunes playing, though the owners – newlyweds Kim Dong-hee and Rah Sun-do – often stick to reggae or old school Korean and American pop. However, if asked nicely, they’ll take requests or let the odd regular connect their smart device to the Bluetooth speaker and play DJ. Kim usually takes care of the food, chatting with customers as he cooks. His wife takes care of the floor in general. The two just opened Horangi – which means tiger in Korean – about two months ago. Though new, the place is often full on weekends with friends and customers who have quickly become regulars. It’s a chill joint. There are no printed menus. Instead there are hand-written signs on the wall listing food and drink options. The menu is small, but includes mostly Japanese and Chinese fare, including Okinawa odaeng.
Horangi is open Wednesday to Monday. Doors open at 6 p.m. and there is no set closing time – just whenever things wind down for the night. Note that seating is limited and by 9:30 p.m. on a weekend night, most seats are full. But even if you do pop in alone, you will most definitely leave with a new friend or two. ADD Sunggi 3gil 23, Mapo-gu, Seoul TEL 010-5567-1637 HOURS 6:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m., closed on Tuesday RECOMMENDED DISH Okinawa odaeng (fishcake) 18,000 KRW WEBSITE horang2.modoo.at