As fall slowly fades into winter, the changing seasons bring a certain charm. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to take our usual autumn foliage trip this year due to my husband’s business trip and the many weddings I was invited to attend. With the weather quickly turning colder, we decided to take a quick weekend getaway to Seoul before winter set in.

During our visit, we stopped by Cheong-wa-ok (Jamsil, Seoul), one of the city’s top three Sundae-guk restaurants. To be honest, I hadn’t planned on visiting Cheong-wa-ok, but since Sundae-guk is my husband’s all-time favorite dish, we decided to make it part of our trip.

On his last trip to Seoul, my husband dined at another famous Sundae-guk restaurant called Nongmin-baekam-sundae, after a friend recommended it as one of Seoul's top three spots for this dish. Inspired by that experience, he searched the other two notable Sundae-guk restaurants in Seoul and learned about Cheong-wa-ok.

Conveniently, our hotel was located near Olympic Park, close to the main branch of Cheong-wa-ok, which is just a short walk from Exit 3 of Hanseong-Baekje Subway Station. My husband had been determined to visit this restaurant for breakfast from the start of our trip.

We arrived at the restaurant around 9:30 a.m., only to find a line of about 15 groups ahead of us. The chilly weather seemed to have drawn people to this warm and hearty dish. (It took roughly 40 minutes for our turn to be seated.)

​The menu features three main options: Regular Sundae-guk, Pyeon-baek Jeongsik (a set meal that includes soup and suyuk; a boiled pork), and Spicy Sundae-guk. Initially, my husband wanted to order the set meal to try both the soup and the suyuk, but we eventually agreed it was too heavy for breakfast.

We had planned to order the regular Sundae-guk, but while waiting, we noticed Yoo Jae-seok on the show Hangout with Yoo, which was playing near the entrance, enjoying the spicy version. Inspired, we decided to try the same, opting for the mildest level of spiciness.

For side dishes, they served chives, kkakdugi (radish kimchi), and mu-saengchae (sliced radish kimchi). The kkakdugi was perfectly ripe and delicious, though the pieces were a bit too large to eat in one bite and had to be sliced.

Sundae-guk  9,000 won

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To enjoy the soup, we added rice and chives to the bowl. As expected from the spicy Sundae-guk, the broth was thick and full of bold, spicy flavors. While my husband loved the intense seasoning, I personally found it a bit too strong for my taste. I probably should have gone with the regular version.

The sundae itself was excellent. It was chewy without being tough, and the meat filling was tender and flavorful. Typically, when I have pork soup in Busan, I only eat the lean meat and avoid the intestines, but the sundae at Cheong-wa-ok was so good that I ate every last bit.

​He thoroughly enjoyed the meal and said he now understands why Cheong-wa-ok is considered one of the best Sundae-guk restaurants in Seoul. 

​By the time we finished, I noticed that 34 groups were still waiting outside. If we hadn’t arrived so early, we likely would have missed the chance to enjoy breakfast here.

Next time, I’d love to try the regular Sundaeguk or even the set meal. Cheong-wa-ok is undoubtedly worth a visit for any Sundae-guk lover!

Address : 48 Wiryeseong-daero, Bangi-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul OPEN GOOGLE MAP

Phone : +82-0507-1365-3488

Operation Hours : Monday-Sunday: 08:00 - 22:00

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Source : https://blog.naver.com/bboms0108/222922792200

Writer : bboms0108

Special thanks to bboms0108

cheongwaok seoul jamsil sundaeguk