Jon Dunbar is a copy editor at The Korea Times, as well as editor of the Foreign Community page and curator of the Korea Times Archive. If you have suggestions for possible articles, or wish to contribute articles yourself, contact jdunbar@koreatimes.co.kr.
RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK Don't forget about Fat Cat
Feline-themed art is always on display at Fat Cat in central Seoul's Haebangchon neighborhood, May 20. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar
By Jon Dunbar
It can be hard to keep up with the ever-changing turmoil of Haebangchon's restaurant scene, especially as old favorites disappear and flashy new places open up seemingly overnight. I've teased Bonny's Pizza about its reputation for people lining up out front, but these days the biggest queues are in front of Taco Stand.
On more than a couple occasions, I've been cruising along Sinheung-ro trying to decide where to get food, especially on a busy weekend afternoon when the multicultural neighborhood is bursting with people, and increasingly I come back to one dependable little place: Fat Cat Food & Drink, where there is never a line and not much of a wait.
Run by two "HBC Cat Guarians" (sic), Fat Cat is primarily a sandwich place. I've worked my way through five of the seven main sandwiches, usually going for the chicken pesto, tiger beef or roast beef. On my last visit, I finally had the pulled pork ahogada, and it was instantly my favorite. Served on a baguette, it features very pleasantly tangy pulled pork.
A pulled pork ahogada sandwich from Fat Cat in central Seoul's Haebangchon neighborhood is displayed shortly before being drenched in soup, May 20. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar
As "ahogada" means "drowned" in Spanish, this sandwich is intended to be dipped in soup or sauce. Fortunately, Fat Cat has soup on the menu, though on my last visit the only option was a tomato vegetable soup. It did the job, although the sandwich might have benefitted from something more flavorful, like minestrone, or even chili, which I've seen offered from time to time. If possible, visitors should try pairing Fat Cat's pulled pork ahogada with Hangry Plate's chili. Ultimately, the meat tasted great just on its own. The soup also came with its own bread, which made for an easier combination.
Fat Cat's menu offers more than sandwiches and soup, including three burrito bowls. The menu also includes a vegan sandwich and a vegan burrito bowl. There are also two wrap specials: a buffalo chicken wrap and a Caesar chicken wrap. Visitors can choose from espresso drinks and tea, as well as a few alcoholic drinks like wine and kombucha sangria. Most orders also come with potato chips.
Fat Cat has three tables and a counter for customers in central Seoul's Haebangchon neighborhood, May 20. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar
Over the years, the restaurant has been through multiple generations of owners, and the menu has also gone through many changes.
Previously, the space housed Indigo Fusion Restaurant, which was replaced briefly by deli/bakery/brunch place Good To Go and then Il Gattino, ultimately ending up as Fat Cat in 2015. For a time, Fat Cat occupied more of the building, including a nice patio out back, but it scaled down to its current space during the pandemic.
Fat Cat is located in central Seoul's Haebangchon neighborhood, May 20. It has, in the past, occupied both storefronts to the left and right. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar
Through all this time, this space has meant a lot to many people. While I'm grateful there's a restaurant I can duck in without having to wait in line, maybe it deserves more love from the community that has enjoyed it for the last decade.
Restaurants of the Week get selected for a lot of reasons: they offer something unique, the food is great, there's a creative spark or they hold an important community role — but they can also be affordable, dependable or long-lived. Fat Cat is a little of all the above.
Fat Cat also gets bonus points for one more very special reason: It's open on Mondays. Normal hours are from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. (9 p.m. on Sundays), and closed every Wednesday.