Somunnan Seongsu Gamjatang
Sommunnan Seongsu Gamjatang (Seongsu, Seoul) is a well-known spot in Seoul for delicious Gamjatang, or pork bone stew. It’s a local favorite in Seongsu, and every time I pass by, there’s almost always a long line outside. I’ve joined that queue myself a few times now, three visits in total!
On my first visit, even though it was a weekday, I remember waiting for over an hour. But on this particular Tuesday evening, I was pleasantly surprised to wait only around 30 minutes. The line was shorter than before, so I got in faster than expected.
All guests have to be present before you’re allowed to enter, but luckily, all four of my friends arrived just in time, so we could head in together.
Menu
Here’s the menu. As the restaurant name suggests, Gamjatang is the star of the show! There’s also a single-serving Gamja-guk served in a hot stone bowl, and if you're with a group, you can share the full Gamjatang. You can add toppings like extra bones, greens, hand-pulled dough flakes, ramen, rice, and later even finish with fried rice.
They also offer takeout, but it’s best to consume the gamjatang within two hours. Be sure not to store it at room temperature, keep it refrigerated if you’re not eating it right away.
Side dish
They serve the usual sides: dipping sauce, cabbage kimchi, fresh cucumber and chili with ssamjang, and crunchy radish kimchi.
Gamjatang (medium) 34,000 won
We ordered the medium-sized Gamjatang (34,000 won), and even that came with a seriously generous portion! Typically, a small serves two, medium for three, and large for four. Since my friends don’t eat that much, we went with the medium for our group of four.
It had been a while since I last visited, but the gamjatang here tasted just as I remembered. When I first came, I wondered if the long wait was really worth it, after all, it’s such a hyped place. But honestly, it lives up to the reputation.
I think I prefer gamjatang with a rich, deep-flavored broth. Many of the “famous” spots actually serve a much lighter and cleaner-tasting soup than I expected.
The broth here isn’t overly rich or spicy, it’s more on the mild and nutty side. But still, it’s absolutely delicious.
The gamjatang arrived bubbling hot and full of flavor. Even though we ordered a medium, the portion was huge and the bones were massive. Adding hand-torn dough flakes is a great option too, but we skipped it this time to save room for fried rice.
Personally, I really love the wilted napa cabbage and radish greens in gamjatang. They soak up the flavor so well and add a comforting touch.
I honestly think that no gamjatang meal is complete without finishing it off with fried rice. Even if there’s a lot of broth left, the staff will expertly scoop out just enough so they can fry the rice right at your table. We ordered two portions!
The fried rice isn’t overly seasoned, it’s mild, savory, and so satisfying. The seaweed flakes and perilla leaves give it a wonderful aroma, too.
They’ve even added an annex next door now, so the wait time has definitely improved compared to the past. I’ll admit I once wondered if it was really worth queuing for, yet here I am, back for my third visit. It’s safe to say this place serves some of the best gamjatang in Seoul. If you’re a fan of the dish, it’s definitely worth a try!
Address : 45 Yeonmujang-gil, Seongsu-dong 2(i)-ga, Seongdong-gu, Seoul
Phone : +82-2-465-6580
Operation Hours : Everyday 24hours
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Source : https://blog.naver.com/13275/223762085317
Writer : 13275
Special thanks to 13275
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