Hangwachae

Hangwachae is a vegetarian buffet restaurant in Insadong, which serves up dishes made with fresh organic vegetables. The owner of the restaurant first began cooking vegetarian dishes for her vegetarian husband. When her friends tasted her cooking, they encouraged her to open a vegetarian restaurant, which lead to the opening of Hangwachae. The owner prepares the food as if she were preparing it for her husband and friends, therefore the ingredients are all fresh and of high quality.

Soup, rice, rice porridge, and Korean pancakes are offered as the basic menu and are also included in the buffet. The rice served is made with 20 different Oriental herbs. The buffet offers some 20 to 30 different dishes. For protein supplements, the buffet offers walnuts, homemade tofu, and muk (nut jellies). It also offers rice cakes and bananas. One of Hangwachae’s most famous dishes is the green salad served with cheonggukjang (thick soybean paste) sauce made with choenggukjang, milk, and papaya. The kimchi is flavored with fruit instead of pickled fish. Hangwachae only uses grape oil in its cooking.