30-9 Guan Hoon Dong, Jong Ro gu, Insadong, Seoul, South Korea
Name is an abbreviation for "rice with herbal medicine, fruit and vegetables." Vegan buffet style food prepared in a traditional, Korean (temple food) spirit. The basic menu is composed of porridge, a soy-base soup, variety of cooked season greens, acorn jelly, tofu, and different sides. Organic fruit and seasonable tea served. Directions: Take Seoul subway line 1 to Jonggak Station, take exit 3, walk straight toward Geumgang Jehwa, turn left at intersection of Geumgang Jehwa, turn right at Sudo Pharmacy located centrally on Insadong St, walk 100m and on the left is Han Gwa Chae. Also nearby is Anguk Station on the Seoul subway line 3. 한과채'란 "과일과 채소, 치유력 있는 나물들이 곁들여진 한식"이란 뜻입니다. 사찰음식을 포함한 한식 뷔페이며, 기본메뉴로 밥과 죽, 다양한 계절 야채와 나물, 두부 및 각종 밑반찬 등이 제공됩니다. 유기농 과일과 차가 제공되며 모든 재료는 국내산을 사용합니다. 가격은 1인 당 13,000원 입니다(2017년 4월 기준). 영업시간은 매일 점심11:30~14:30, 저녁 17:00~20:30 이며, 일요일은 휴무입니다. Open Mon-Sat 11:30am-3:00pm, Mon-Sat 5:00pm-8:30pm.
Category: Vegan, Buffet, Korean
Reviews (30)
First Review by tohho
Contributions +34
So good and really friendly staff!! - Edit
Really nice vegan buffet with tons of choices! The price is good for what you get - 13000. Definitely worth a visit!
Contributions +13
simple healthy meal - Edit
simple setting in a side street basement off Insa-dong. Black sesame rice, lots of vegetables, tofu, soup, kimchi and more. very reasonable price. all vegan.
Contributions +38
Simple and delicious food at an affordable price! - Edit
Finding Han Gwa Chae was very easy thanks to the billboard that was put outside. By the time we found a place to sit in there, the couple (who are the owners of the restaurant) immediately served us tea, a rice porridge, a spicy stew and some scrumptious savory pancake. The pancake had some sort of green thing that may be from the scrub, but we just let it pass since it's so good!
The place feels much like a cafeteria, and as much as we were delighted with the wide array of options to choose from, we were unsettled with the fact that there were no music playing in the background. To add, we were the only ones who ate in that restaurant throughout the whole hour, so the atmosphere really felt awkward. The couple knows basic English and were friendly enough. They introduced to us various vegetables that were unknown to us - such as the apple mint and the peanut sprouts.
Their food variety is very simple and reminds me a lot of simple home cooking. It did not take long for us to get full due to the abundance of vegetables offered!
I am disheartened about the fact that we were the only ones who ate during dinner, and I hope it doesn't close down because there's too few vegan and vegetarian restaurants already! Furthermore, from the previous comments/researches, this restaurant also supports small local organic farms by buying their produce and make simple dishes out of them.
With all of these in mind, despite the unsettling atmosphere and the weird scrub in the pancake, I would go back to South Korea one day just to eat their simple, homely food!
Pros: Wide variety of foods, Reasonably priced, Supports small, local organic farms
Cons: No background music, Cafeteria atmosphere, Weird scrub found in the pancake
Contributions +26
Last visit 27 Aug 16 - Edit
Walked in and the place was empty. We wanted to sit at a certain table. One of the staff members raised her voice and said" no go sit over near the corner." Again the place was empty. While eating we found a hair in the potato dish. We nicely confronted the staff about the hair and all they could say was sorry. Business may be dropping because no one came the entire time we were there. I will not visit there again. Respect your customers are you'll lose them.
Updated from previous review on 2016-09-07
Pros: Ok food
Cons: Pricey, Rude staff, Hair in food (no hair net)
Contributions +167
Traditional Korean food at a very good price - Edit
For just 13000 won, you get a buffet spread of mostly traditional Korean dishes. Considering that a bowl of bibimbap would set you back by 8000won at most places, this is really great value.
We were first served with a tea, a vegetable stew and sesame/multi grain porridge, as well as a full pan cake fresh from the frying pan -- I really like the pan cake.
What I like is that I get to try various Korean dishes. Most are quite tasty, and there were a few interesting dishes -- like peanut sprouts. The kimchi was a bit of a disappointment though.
The restaurant closes quite early though. We came at 8pm on the first night and they were not open to guests any more. Came back on the 2nd night at 7:30pm. By 8pm, they were starting to clear the buffet spread.
Pros: good value, traditional food
Cons: Close early
Contributions +99
Vegan Buffet - Edit
13K won for the lunch buffet. Lots of locals in the place. I had to ask to find it, because they didn't have their sign in English out yet. I regret I didn't try more things, to be honest. I liked a zucchini dish and the noodles best. Some of the green stuff dishes were a bit too chewy for my taste, but I guess I was just not used to that type of veggie at the time.
Pros: Lots of buffet choices
Cons: staff didn't appear to speak English
Contributions +108
13,000won buffet - Edit
Came in, and was seated down with black bean porridge, soybean soup and cuppa hot tea. Help yourself to the food, one plate. Interesting dishes, very healthy with lots of different green veg.
Contributions +53
Very nice place - Edit
As I walked in I was seated right away with soup, water, and tea served very fast. Grab your own plate and scoop you item food style buffet. This place felt nice and relaxing and had some decent options. Fresh cut fruit, tofu, rice, soup, sprouts, all in multiple varieties. Tasty place and well priced at 13,000 won. around 11USD.
Pros: 100% Vegan, Cheap, Best staff
Contributions +55
Delicious, quick, great ambience - Edit
I went here with a friend last weekend had stuffed myself – three very solid passes at the buffet. When you sit down, they serve you a pair of little soups; one green-veg and one sort of sesame porridge. Both are very nice. Then it's time to fill your plate. They have both 'five grain rice' and brown rice with chickpeas. Sooooo many dishes to try. I thought going in it was a Chinese style place but I think now it's Korean vegetarian/temple food. I loved the little pancake slices, the tofu with spicy vinegar(?), and several veg dishes I can't name. The lady also presented us with some lotus root. There is some fruit for dessert. It's 13,000w each, so more expensive than a couple of nearby options. I loved it, though. If you're hungry, definitely come here. In fact, just come here. As a vegetarian or vegan or veg-curious you can't lose. It's delicious and healthy. They also sell some veggie supplies, like flax seeds, beans, etc.
Pros: Delicious, Choice, Lot of food
Cons: A bit pricey
Contributions +20
Vegetable Artistry - Edit
Yeah these are traditional Korean dishes made without fish or meat. But it's much more than that. The dishes each have their own signature. You'll leave feeling full yet energized.
Contributions +199
Delicious - Edit
The dishes are all delicious and there are a lot of them. The staff are very friendly and happy to chat about the food (in Korean).
My favourite were the peanut sprouts, which the owner assured me were an expensive delicacy. I also really like the marinated Chinese pepper (Sancho) but they don't have it every time.
Pros: Good price, Good food
Contributions +58
Very nice temple food - Edit
Temple food buffet. The lady was very nice, we were offered tea, rice porridge and pumpkin, and there were lots of options available.
Pros: nice staff, vegan food, tasty
Contributions +48
very tasty food and a lot of options - Edit
The price was 13 000 won per person for the buffet. There was a very large variety of food to choose from and overall it was delicious!!! Yummy! The only con would be that it is in a basement. I think I saw no windows and even if it is clean, we can't say it is a charming setting. But the food? Wow! And my korean boyfriend told me it tastes like real korean food cooked by his mother and he loved it. :-)
Contributions +28
Traditional Korean Food - Vegan Style - Edit
Everything here was delicious and my Korean friend assured me that was all true to traditional Korean cuisine which I was worried about not being able to try.
Contributions +103
Good food, questionable hygiene practices - Edit
We really enjoyed the meal and we were the first to arrive for dinner service. However, when we went to get seconds, they asked us to use the same plates which did not seem sufficiently sanitary. Otherwise, the place was clean, but if it was crowded, we probably would have stopped eating at that point.
Pros: Flavorful food, Lots of veggies, Freshly prepared
Cons: Reusing plate for seconds
Contributions +4
Fantastic place to eat, feel just like home. - Edit
My friends & I like everything they served. We were looking for a restaurant that doesn't serve any meat at all it was quite difficult to find a halal restaurant near our hostel in Insadong. The halal choices in Itaewon are pretty over the budget for us.
Glad that we found this restaurant from this site. I would gladly recommend this restaurant to my friends who will be going to Seoul. Warmth welcome from both the owners was sufficient enough to make us feel like having meal at home. And Eomoni (lady boss) gave us a bag full with guguma (swet potatoes) when we're about to leave. Too sweet of her!
Will definitely go back here when I come down to Seoul again.
Pros: Reasonable price, Easy to locate
Contributions +17
A Must-Go!! Fantastic!! - Edit
Besides its super delicious and fresh food from local farms, Han Gwa Chae's a lo-fi and warm place that makes me feel like home. My vegan partner (who has been a vegan for 10 yrs)and I call it the "mama place" because it has a warm chef mama and a cute goofy daddy as staffs. The next day, we couldn't find our way to a nearby famous (but overrated, won't go there again) restaurant called Sanchon. Out of stupid desperation I went to Han Gwa Chae for help. They were sooooo kind that they called Sanchon for me for directions and asked their own customers who just finished their meal to lead me there! OMZ...
Our favorite dish was called Tarae SSuk. The mama chef told us that it's a very special Korean vegetable. It looked like spinach but deserved a category of its own because it didn't taste like vegetables! The overall experience was mouth-and-soul-orgasmic.
Updated from previous review on Sunday August 11, 2013
Updated from previous review on Sunday August 11, 2013
Pros: impressive food, good value, friendly staff
Contributions +3467
Vegan Buffet for a Very Reasonable Price - Edit
I was there a couple of weeks ago on a weekday during lunch time.
There was a good variety of food: salads, soups, fruits, main dishes, etc.
The staff was friendly but they only appear to know basic phrases in English.
The buffet is 13000 Won (lunch or dinner), which is a very good deal, I think.
Food do not have labels, but most of the times you can guess what's in there just by looking at it.
The place is a little bit hard to find, given that it's in the basement. So I think you can get pretty close if you go towards the "Kyung-In Museum of Fine Art".
Then, you will see the building right on Insadong 10-gil street.
Pros: good variety of food, very reasonable price, friendly staff
Cons: food do not have labels
Contributions +54
Delicious food. - Edit
We came here for an early dinner and loved the food. The buffet is small enough to not get panicked and big enough to have a wide selection of fresh korean vegetables. The taste was on a really high level, they definitely know how to cook.
What we liked most was that it all tasted so natural, it's about the true ingredients in this restaurants. Especially good are the sort of pancakes made of rise with different herbs inside. The staff is very friendly and warm.
Pros: mostly organic and regional, delicious food , buffet for a reasonable price
Contributions +14
so good!! - Edit
if you expect a large scale buffet you will be disappointed. however, if you don't mind a cozy atmosphere, great service and fresh food for only 12000 won this is the place to go. i loved the soups, the buffet food (had seconds) and the oven roasted sweet potatoes we were given for dessert. plus the owner and wife were so warm to us - we would definitely go again!
Pros: good value, great food, friendly atmosphere
Contributions +43
Great buffet choice in Insadong - Edit
Buffet style restaurant in the heart of Insadong. It can be hard to find in the evening, so look for the Korean spelling of the restaurant's name or count your foot steps ;) Restaurant is below the ground floor and buffet price was 12000 Won (all you can eat). The staff spoke English to a limited extend. Good choice of food. Hangwachae is to the north of Seoul what New Start Restaurant is to the south.
Pros: Good price, Great choice of food
Cons: Can be hard to find in the evening
Ouf enfin manger sain a Seoul ! - Edit
je me permets de faire une review en french pour changer, smile. Ce resto n'est pas facile à trouver dans ce quartier tres touristique, d'autant qu'il est dans un sous-sol ! le mieux est de passer avec l'adresse au centre d'info touristique, car il est en plein dans le quartier touristique. Et là , d'un coup : le calme, la tranquilité, un petit buffet simple, deux riz complet, un brouet de céréale, de nombreux crudités, champignons, kimchi (chou fermenté). Ca a l'avantage d'être bon, simple, varié et pas trop épicé ! Personne ne parle anglais, mais on fait des signes et des sourires, le prix du buffet est passé à 12000 K, on paie en sortant. C'est une oasis dans l'agitation des rues marchandes, une aubaine pour les touristes de passage.
Pros: unexpensive, variety of crudities, organic
Cons: only one hot vegetable
Contributions +13
Good food - Edit
Great family atmosphere in this place with very friendly staff who can speak English. Food was as described in above reviews, I would have preferred more hot dishes. My fav dish were shallow fried, crum covered vegetables.
Great site BTW, has helped me a lot during my travels in the far east!
Contributions +11
Fantastic! - Edit
This is a wondeful place to taste a variety of "real" Korean food. It's a bargain, the staff is wonderful, the atmosphere peaceful although you are at the center of Insadong.
The soups are great, as is the rice combined with spicy sauces and the variety f tastes (from bitter to spicy to... unexplainable) in the vegetable is amazing. I would not really know about Korean food had I not come here. A sincere, good place!
Pros: originality of taste, variety of vegetables, roots, excellent value
Contributions +89
Good value, great taste - Edit
For 10000 won, it's hard to beat this place! It's located in Insadong, which is an interesting part of town itself, and pretty easy to find.
The food was delicious - particularly the tempura type veges, the hearty soup and the rice.
Staff were friendly and helpful.
Pros: Great food, Friendly, Good value
Contributions +11
Hanguachae - Excellent ! - Edit
I know several vegan places back here in Canada and abroad, but this has been a wonderful experience. The food is surprising, the caring service, the tastes of prepared vegetables and pickles, all has been a wonderful experience. Their rice tastes like no other. No need to be a vegetarian to enjoy this, as my non-vegetarian friend was delighted too. The menu in English gives some information about the dishes. I truely recommend this place to everyone.
Fantastic ! - Edit
I have tried many vegetarian places in Seoul, also pricy ones, but this one beats them. 8 or so freshly prepared dishes, ranging from bitter to spicy, deliciously hot kimch-tofu stew, rice cake (rated by my Korean friend as one of the most delicious she ever tried), fresh raw vegetables with soybean paste... Various soups served, in a calm, honest atmosphere. Mainly Korean people eat here, although their smile welcomed me. According to my friend, this is REAL Korean traditional food. The owner was eager to let me try some "secret" specialities (pickled zuccini, fermented seaweed...). I only can recommend this haven, though the outside may not be inviting. ;)
Pros: tastes unlike anything, healthy and fresh, try all you want
Cons: unappealing entrance
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