Top 3 Beef Bone Soup Restaurants Discovered in Gangdong-gu

Published 22 Aug.2022 17:00(KST)

Let's Boost Our Health at the End of Summer!

Top 3 Beef Bone Soup Restaurants Discovered in Gangdong-gu

Let's have a warm and hearty meal! The deeply simmered milky beef bone broth is today's main feature. The scent of the beef bone broth alone gives a sense of fullness with its savory and rich aroma. Sagol (四骨) refers to four leg bones of a cow, and there are eight in one cow. It is a highly nutritious food rich in quality collagen, protein, and minerals such as calcium, making it an excellent food to beat the summer heat.

Although Ipchu (the beginning of autumn) has passed, it seems that the cool autumn has not yet arrived. There is little summer left to use as an excuse to eat nourishing food. How about bidding farewell to the passing summer with some food? Today, we introduce three sagol specialty restaurants found in Gangdong-gu, Seoul.

Ggulggul Jinsundae (70 Yangjaedaero 103-gil, 1st floor, Units 101 & 102, Gangdong-gu, Seoul)

This place, headquartered in Gangdong, can be found nationwide, so be sure to search for it. If you cannot eat offal, pay extra attention! This restaurant is recommended even for those who find the smell or floating oil burdensome. Many people have tasted beef bone broth before. The broth, simmered for a long time with Korean beef bones, contains plenty of delicious meat. It is served with seasoning paste (dadegi), but to fully enjoy the deep beef bone broth flavor, it is best to taste it first without the dadegi. The milky appearance boasts no unpleasant odor and a very clean aftertaste.

Especially, try ordering the sundae gukbap (blood sausage soup with rice) along with the ojeot suyuk (premium boiled pork slices). The premium silk pork belly suyuk has a perfect balance of fat and lean meat, making it very tender. The accompanying red shrimp sauce is made from fresh shrimp caught in May, and its taste will make you exclaim, "How can this be so delicious!" It is not just salty but also carries the full aroma of the sea. If you eat the bossam (boiled pork) with shrimp sauce, ssamjang (wrap sauce), chili, or garlic, you might wonder, "Is this a sundae gukbap restaurant or a suyuk specialty place?"

Mukjjang Key Point : Be sure to request extra kimchi besides the spicy and sour well-fermented kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi).

Somunnan Kalguksu (Ilsung Heights Officetel, 1121 Cheonho-daero, Gangdong-gu, Seoul)

From the left, Sagol Kalguksu, Spicy Jang Kalguksu.

This is a beef bone broth kalguksu (hand-cut noodle soup) restaurant boasting 30 years of tradition. After simmering the beef bones for a long time, noodles and toppings are added to the broth, creating a visually comforting dish. The noodles themselves have almost no flour smell or taste. Although you are definitely eating wheat noodles, the rich broth makes you forget it is flour, which is the charm of this place. Above all, the portion is large enough for an adult male. When you slurp the soft noodles, you naturally think, "If the portion were just a bit smaller, I would want to add rice to the soup." Personally, I recommend the basic kalguksu over the spicy jang kalguksu, as the seasoning sauce's flavor can overpower the deep beef bone broth taste.

What goes better with kalguksu than kimchi? Although I personally think aged kimchi pairs well with beef bone broth, this place serves fresh kimchi (geotjeori) that perfectly complements the kalguksu. The umami flavor spreads in your mouth, making it the best match with the beef bone broth kalguksu.

Mukjjang Key Point : Adding the prepared pepper and green onions will make the kalguksu even more perfect.

Hwajinpo Makguksu (12 Seongnae-ro 10-gil, 1st floor, Gangdong-gu, Seoul)

From the left, Memil Gomtang Noodles, Pollack Sikhae Bibim Makguksu.

As the name suggests, makguksu (buckwheat noodles) is the main dish here, but you cannot talk about this place without mentioning memil gomguksi (buckwheat noodle soup). All noodles here are made from 100% pure buckwheat dough prepared in-house. The memil gomguksi is very similar to the beef bone broth kalguksu tasted above, but the nutty flavor of buckwheat swims in your mouth. The myeongtae sikhae bibim makguksu (spicy mixed noodles with fermented pollock) is a taste that can bring back even a lost appetite. You can enjoy a variety of flavors including spicy, sweet, and umami. If it feels a bit dry, adding two or three spoons of dongchimi (radish water kimchi) broth and mixing it will help you cool off during summer.

Hangjeong Bossam Medium.

Having makguksu with bossam (boiled pork slices) is truly the perfect combination. You can enjoy various options such as plate suyuk, myeongtae sikhae bossam, and pork jowl bossam, but the recommended menu is the pork jowl bossam. Although it may be a common taste, the pork jowl is especially tender. This place prides itself on a clean flavor without any off-putting smell. Sliced onions, chives, and meat are served with myeongtae sikhae and salted baby oysters, allowing you to enjoy a variety of tastes. For wraps, pickled napa cabbage cut into bite-sized pieces and myeongnamul (wild garlic leaves) are placed on the table.