Department Store Gathering All the 'Queue-Worthy' Restaurants... Perfect for Time-Pressed Office Workers [Kim Yuri's Hipple Hot Item]

Popular Restaurants in Department Stores... Enjoy Nationwide Famous Dishes Without Hours of Waiting
Lotte Department Store Main Branch Songhwa Sansi Dosakmyeon with 'Tingling Spicy Flavor' Intact
Japanese Nagasaki Basin's 'Crispy Outside, Tender Inside' Tonkatsu
Fun to Try Department Store Exclusive Menus
Saves Time and Energy, but Lacks Local Restaurant Aura

[Asia Economy Reporter Yuri Kim] Famous restaurants from across the country are gathering in department stores. Even popular overseas eateries with long lines have opened branches in domestic department stores. Visiting these popular restaurants in department stores is attractive because you can enjoy their signature dishes without having to visit places like 'Songridan-gil' or 'Mangridan-gil' in person or wait for hours.

Last weekend, I visited the main branch of Lotte Department Store, which recently renovated its basement level 1 deli corner and introduced a total of 12 popular restaurants from social media (SNS). What stood out was that each restaurant was not stuck to the walls but arranged with a unified open kitchen design scattered throughout the deli corner. While looking around, I stopped in front of Songhwasan Sidosakmyeon, a well-known restaurant in Konkuk University area famous for its 'tingling spiciness.' I chose the signature knife-cut noodles and a side dish of three shrimp asparagus dim sum pieces. The total came to 18,000 won, with 13,000 won for the noodles and 5,000 won for the dim sum, and I received a notification bell. Due to the nature of the deli corner, customers usually have to find a seat, order, pick up their food when ready, and then return the dishes after eating, which can be inconvenient. However, this place uses a 'half self-service' system where you place the notification bell on the designated spot on the table after ordering, and staff serve the food to you. Table clearing after the meal is also handled by the staff, making the experience much more convenient.

Lotte Department Store Songhwasan Sidosakmyeon, Sidosakmyeon and Shrimp Asparagus.

The knife-cut noodles were exactly as expected. When the spiciness became too intense, I refreshed my palate with the shrimp and asparagus dim sum. Although the prices were not cheap, considering that many places now charge over 10,000 won for a single dish, I would visit again. However, despite the convenience of not having to go back and forth to pick up food, the deli corner on weekends is crowded with shoppers passing by in addition to diners and staff, making it harder to focus on the meal compared to a regular restaurant, which was a bit disappointing.

On another day, I visited Bunjiro, a Japanese Nagasaki tonkatsu restaurant located on the 13th floor restaurant area of Lotte Department Store’s main branch. Unlike the deli corner, this place felt like a separate, independent restaurant. It had been open less than a month, but there was already a long wait during weekday lunch hours from customers specifically coming here. Although the pork loin cutlet (rosu katsu) was the signature dish, I ordered the Bunjiro special assorted platter to try all the main dishes at once. It is said to be the 'life-changing tonkatsu' for some, and indeed, the crispy exterior and juicy, tender meat texture were a great combination. The tenderloin cutlet melted in the mouth after just a bite or two. However, the portions were large, and I left some rice and shrimp cutlet uneaten. Next time, I plan to try the individual dishes.

Who would benefit from visiting these 'famous restaurants in department stores'? I recommend them to office workers who want to taste representative dishes from famous eateries nationwide but are limited by time and energy. Some places even offer exclusive menu items to celebrate their department store openings, which can be a unique experience. However, there is none of the aura you get from waiting three hours to finally enter and taste the 'original place, original restaurant.' If you seek that kind of experience, you might feel a bit disappointed.

Lotte Department Store Bunjiro, Bunjiro Special Assortment.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.