A Taste of Nostalgia: Visiting the Original Bukchangdong Sundubu Restaurant in Seoul
I had some business to take care of near Seoul City Hall, and while pondering what to eat, I suddenly craved a spicy and savory bowl of sundubu (soft tofu stew). So, I decided to visit the original Bukchangdong Sundubu restaurant. When I was younger, I often frequented this place because the sundubu was to my liking, but I hadn't been in a while.
The original Bukchangdong Sundubu restaurant is located behind City Hall Station, where Seoul Subway Lines 1 and 2 intersect. Despite its name, which suggests it should be in Bukchangdong, it's technically located in Taepyeongno.
Located on the second floor, the restaurant is surprisingly spacious and pleasant.
On the table were raw eggs to add to the sundubu stew and the menu. When I was a kid, I used to add three or four eggs to my stew, trying to get a little extra, but once, the eggs didn't cook properly, which was quite embarrassing.
They've adopted a strategy of serving freshly cooked stone pot rice, 100% Korean kimchi, and grilled fish as a basic side dish. It seemed a little different from what I remembered, which made me wonder if this was part of a strategy for franchising.
They have set menus for one or two people, as well as individual sundubu dishes. The sundubu ranges in price from about ₩10,000 to ₩11,500.
I ordered the Mackerel and LA Galbi set menu.
Basic side dishes such as bean sprouts, kimchi, and seaweed are provided. I liked that they offered plain seaweed to dip in soy sauce, rather than seasoned seaweed.
When you order a set, you can choose your preferred sundubu. I usually prefer sundubu with pork, but since their basic sundubu is seafood-based, I went with the original.
It's served in a boiling hot earthenware pot, so it's quite hot.
Fried sandfish. They were on the smaller side.
LA Galbi (Korean BBQ Short Ribs).
I also ordered the Gochujang Bulgogi (pork in red pepper paste).
Grilled mackerel.
The freshly cooked rice in a stone pot is definitely a highlight.
Adding a raw egg to the bubbling sundubu is the best part.
There aren't that many places where you can enjoy delicious sundubu, so I'm glad I had a satisfying meal here. It didn't quite recapture the same excitement I felt before, and I wouldn't say the set menu was incredibly impressive, but it's worth visiting if you're looking for a Korean set meal nearby.
Maybe my taste has changed?
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