Update: Meatballism has either moved or shutdown. I miss their sub. 😦
Get your mind out of the gutter.
Okay, so after another search for Revolucion Bar in Gyeongridan (which for some reason is like trying to find a sober Irishman on St.Patricks day) we stumbled upon Meatballism. On a nice, cold afternoon in Seoul, some meatballs, pasta and an egg turned out to be a great decision.
How to get there: Meatballism is a little more of a hike as opposed to other establishments in Gyeongridan. The easiest way to get there is to take the subway to Noksapyeong station and depart from Exit 2. As always, to get to the cool stuff, venture down into the depths of the underpass and depart from the exit called “Financial Management Corps”. Now you are going to make a right and head up the hill. You will pass a large church and a building full of banks. You need to keep walking about 500 meters and you will see Meatballism on your right.
Service and Atmosphere: So Meatballism was absolutely packed when we first arrived, but there was a spot on the patio. Thankfully it was closed in and had a space heater going at full blast, so actually it was quite warm and cozy. Actually, a little too warm for some of us northerners. The Christmas spirit is still burning strong as wreaths were still up and a Christmas tree. The brick interior was nice and gave it that kind of old school pizza place vibe before they were bought out by the chains. The tables were quite packed together. In fact, as they opened the window into the restaurant, I noticed that we were quite close to the next table.
Service was okay. Our food was delivered in a quick manner, and considering we were on a time limit, it was essential. At the end of the meal, when things started to die down, the girls behind the counter were a little more personable and made some small talk. Their English was good, and there shouldn’t be any problems communicating.
There’s a basil shortage? Damn, time to stock up!
Food and Drink: Today we ordered traditional Spaghetti and Meatballs, a Meatball Sandwich, a Meatball Slider and 4 Naked Balls (of meat) with an egg. My companions from California, being the craft brew aficionados ordered a Meantime Chocolate Porter. Having to teach that day, a simple Coke was all I had to drink.
Meatball Sandwich (12,000KRW): I ordered the best item on the menu in my opinion. It definitely was the best value. A nice warm baguette with three big meatballs, with a flavourful tomato sauce and topped with provolone cheese was a delicious and filling experience. The meatballs were plump and juicy. It was a mess, but damn, it was a good mess that I was happy to clean up. A piece of garlic bread was an extra 1,000KRW and it was worth it. A perfect amount of garlic on a warm, crispy piece of bread complimented the sandwich nicely. For 13,000KRW, it was excellent value. I would go back and get the Meatball Sandwich in a heartbeat.
Meatball Slider (4,500KRW): Humm… I know it’s a slider, but for 4,500KRW, couldn’t we have made it a little bigger? Better yet, why not offer a set? Say, for example, two or three sliders to fill up the plate? One slider? There is just something strange about that. RH said it was pretty good, but needless to say he was eyeing my meatball sandwich with envy. I could hear his stomach growl across the table.
Spaghetti and Meatballs with Garlic Bread (16,000 + 1,000KRW): You got to try spaghetti and meatballs at a place called Meatballism. One thing that was a little disappointing was that if you want “fresh, handmade pasta” you are going to have to shell out an extra 3,000KRW. Now, come on Meatballism, shouldn’t the spaghetti come with fresh pasta? I mean, I’m shelling out 16,000KRW for some spaghetti and meatballs, the least you could do make fresh pasta. Well, I guess I have to credit their honesty. That said, the spaghetti was good. The tomato sauce had nice big chunks of tomato and was seasoned nicely. Again, the meatballs were plentiful and delicious.
Four Naked Balls Plus an Egg (14,000KRW + 1,000KRW): If this isn’t a sequence in an adult movie, I don’t know what is. The balls and eggs on this plate complimented each other nicely. The balls weren’t completely naked, as they were dressing in a chunky red topping with tomatoes. What a tease.
Value: Four mains, two Cokes, a Sprite and a Meantime Chocolate Porter came out to approximately 62,000KRW. That is a little much to spend on lunch, but that said, you could keep this under 15,000KRW if you really wanted to. My biggest problem was with the slider. That was an incredible ripoff at 4,500KRW. They really need to make that a set or something, add some garlic bread for free or a salad. Do something because that small burger just looks so pathetic on a huge white plate. Also, they need to stop nickel and diming on things such as the fresh pasta and the extra pesto. I mean it’s 2,000KRW, it’s not going to break the bank. I would go back to Meatballism for their meatball sandwich. It was great and was a good value for lunch. Everything else though, I’m going to put on the back burner for now.
Who Should Visit Meatballism: Those looking for a great meatball sandwich at a fair price should try this place out. Also, if you have a craving for spaghetti and meatballs and a little extra cash floating around, give it a shot!
Who Should Avoid Meatballism: They specialize in meatballs, so I would imagine people whom are not fans of meatballs should stay clear. On a budget? Humm.. I would try Casablanca Sandwicherie in HBC if you are looking for a great value at a low price.
Menu:
Derek Versus Lonely Planet 