Nammi Plant Lab

Have you ever been to a restaurant where you can’t stop smiling when you leave? For me, eating at a restaurant isn’t just about the food, but rather my whole experience while dining there. Restaurants with great food can be ruined by terrible service. That being said, I left Nammi Plant Lab feeling happy and satisfied because both the food AND the service were exceptional.

Outside of Nammi Plant Lab
Inside of Nammi Plant Lab

My first experience at Nammi Plant Lab was shortly after it’s opening. I loved the food, but didn’t go back for quite some time simply because life got busy. So, when a friend asked me to join them for dinner there, I was really excited to go back! We were both so excited that we didn’t bother to check their hours….we went on a Monday….rookie mistake. Their hours on Instagram and Google clearly state that they’re closed on Mondays, but we ignored all signs and disappointed ourselves by showing up to a restaurant with locked doors and the lights off.

After learning our lesson, we decided to come back on a Tuesday afternoon for lunch. The restaurant was fairly quiet as it was the middle of an afternoon on a weekday. We were seated, served a complimentary appetizer (this time it was bread with pickles and olive tapenade), and we began to take in the menu. Memory may not serve me well, but it seemed like the menu has grown since the last time I had visited which is exciting!

Free Appetizer of Bread with Pickles and Olive Tapenade

After a lot of going back and forth, we settled on ordering the Faina, Rose Creamy Fettuccine, and a Calzone Burger. The first dish we were served was the Faina. To be honest, I had no idea what this was when we ordered it, but am always up for trying something new. It ended up being a kind of crepe topped with some veggies and vegan “cheese”. I ended up really enjoying this dish and found it similar to chickpea crepes I’ve made in the past.

The next dish up was the Calzone Burger. I had seen a lot of posts of this dish on Instagram from other vegans in Seoul, and was so excited to finally try it myself! The owner of the restaurant explained that we should cut the calzone in half completely, dip it in the sauce on the side, and then eat it with our hands like a regular burger.

The anticipation was too much, so I didn’t bother asking what the sauce on the side is; I just dug right in! Looking back, I wish I had asked because I couldn’t quite place it. It was thick like a spread and the flavor was very subtle. I would guess its a vegan “cheese” of sorts, but it was quite different from the cheese that was inside the calzone and on our previous dish. So, if anyone had more patience than me and knows what it is, please let me know!

A burger calzone is an ingenious idea itself and unlike anything else I’ve ever had in Seoul. The texture of the dish was spot on from the crispy, browned crust on the outside to the juicy patty and gooey cheese on in the inside.

Our last dish, and actually both my friend and I’s favorite of what we ordered, was the Rose Creamy Fettuccine. I’ll be honest, I was not particularly excited about ordering a pasta dish. Sadly, my idea of pasta has become generic brand dry spaghetti noodles and a jar of Ragu. Why order it at a restaurant when I can make it easily at home for a cheap price? This dish, however, restored my faith in great pasta. The noodles were thick and the sauce was nice and creamy. The dish was topped with a vegan parmesan which took it to the next level!

In addition to enjoying every dish we were served, the owners and staff at Nammi Plant Lab were especially kind. At the start of our meal, they served us fresh orange juice on the house made from Jeju’s famous tangerines. We really enjoyed the juice with our meal and were so touched that they went the extra mile to please their customers. They took the time to come to our table and make sure that we were enjoying our food, and when we were leaving they asked for feedback . If you are looking for a nice atmosphere to enjoy some delicious, homemade vegan food, Nammi Plant Lab is the place to go!

Harmang Bakery (하르망)

Pro tip: There is a vegan bakery nearby in the area called “Harmang Bakery (하르망)”. It is about a 5 minute walk from Nammi Plant Lab. We decided to check it out since we both had never been there before, and it was so close by!

Outside of the bakery
No Flour, No Egg, No Butter, No Sugar

This vegan bakery is unique because it’s not only free of dairy and egg, but everything is also made without wheat, oil, and sugar, so you can truly indulge guilt free!

We opted for a red velvet cookie, a carrot cake muffin, and a red bean pumpkin bread. I personally like my desserts full of sugar, so this was something totally new to me. They all tasted much healthier than usual desserts which is a given I suppose. My friend didn’t like what we got, I was on the fence, and my boyfriend LOVED everything and gobbled it right up. I would go back for the muffin and pumpkin bread, although the cookie wasn’t my favorite. Next time, I will try the chocolate banana muffin which seems like it would be more up my alley. Anyways, I LOVE seeing local vegan businesses like this and am always happy to have more vegan options around. Give it a try and let me know what you think of it!

Red Velvet Cookie, Pumpkin Red Bean Bread, and Carrot Muffin
Inside the Carrot Muffin

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Information

NAMMI PLANT LAB:
ADDRESS: 2nd Floor, 455-20, Bangbae-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul
TRANSPORTATION: Sadang Station (Line 2 and Line 4) Exit 11
PHONE:02-522-1276
HOURS: Tues-Sun 12PM-9PM (CLOSED: MONDAYS)

Harmang Bakery:
ADDRESS: Dongjak-daero 9-gil, Sadang 1(il)-dong, Dongjak-gu, Seoul
TRANSPORTATION: Sadang Station (Line 2 and Line 4) Exit 10
PHONE: 010-3386-4094
HOURS: Mon-Fri 12:30PM-6:00PM
Sat 12:30PM-3:00PM (CLOSED: SUNDAYS)

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