01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
Arriving at the table steaming hot, sundubu-jjigae (soft tofu stew) serves as a reliable main dish for neighborhood workers in Hibiya, whether for a quick lunch or an evening meal. The stew selection at Podo Hibiya is diverse: choices range from offal sundubu-jjigae with its meltingly sweet fat, to botan shrimp sundubu-jjigae pairing rich prawn sweetness with a clam-stock base, to a kimchi stew combining tart, aged kimchi with brand-name Bimei pork, giving each soup broth its own distinctive profile. The braised beef rib and tofu stew, simmered patiently for three hours until meltingly tender, offers another hearty option where rich meat flavors permeate the broth.
If a group prefers to build their meal around grilled meats, the samgyeopsal made with branded Bimei pork stands out. Diners can opt for wrap sets complete with ssam lettuce, kimchi, house-made namul, and scallion salad, or book an all-you-can-drink course centered around samgyeopsal cooked on an iron griddle for larger gatherings. A two-hour budae-jjigae course simmering sausage, Spam, and Korean noodles is another practical choice when multiple people want to share a single pot.
The à la carte offerings feature careful preparations as well, including whole red prawns marinated in special seasoning (saeujang) that can be eaten down to the heads, and pyeonchae, a cold dish of domestic beef cheek made from a cut sourced in tiny quantities per head of cattle, both tailored to accompany drinks. Crispy fried chicken coated in a sweet and spicy sauce (Korean yangnyeom chicken) and classic seafood chijimi pancakes are also on hand, making it easy to spread out an assortment of shared small plates.
The drinks span standard draft beer and large bottles of Sapporo Lager, alongside Korean spirits such as Chamisul and Jinro is back, whole-fruit lemon sours, and tea highballs. Situated in the basement of the Hibiya Kokusai Building near Uchisaiwaicho Station, the dining room provides an open layout with table service, offering an easygoing setting to enjoy authentic Korean dishes over a round of drinks.
