Dongtan kalguksu for three with a self-serve porridge finish

Choosing a menu for eating out with kids is always a bit of a headache, right? You want something adults enjoy but that kids can eat without fuss. This time we went with the kids to Deungchon Shabu Kalguksu Gran Passage Branch.

We were looking for a lunch spot near Dongtan Lake Park and ended up here — and honestly, the kids ate way better than expected, so it was a satisfying trip.

Where is Deungchon Shabu Kalguksu Gran Passage Branch, and when is it open?

Deungchon Shabu Kalguksu Gran Passage Branch is located at 9 Dongtan-daero 5-gil, Hwaseong-gu, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, 2nd floor Gran Passage Green Zone, units 2004–2005. Hours are 11:00–21:00, with a break time from 15:00–17:00 and last orders at 14:00 and 20:00.

The place felt like it had recently opened — super clean and comfortable! Even though we visited a bit before dinner time, there were already quite a few people inside (we arrived just after 5pm).

How to eat the mushroom shabu-shabu and kalguksu in order

There's a clear guide laid out on the table so even first-timers know exactly how to eat it!

• Call a staff member if you want fried rice, haha
• We made porridge ourselves this time (kids seem to like porridge more)

The menu is simple, but the interesting thing is they have an algoni spicy kalguksu (fish roe spicy noodle soup)!! Ooh, that sounds good.

First, the dishes and condiments — soy sauce and wasabi — get set up. Mix the soy sauce and wasabi to your own taste.

The beef portion came out pretty generously, right? I also loved the heap of minari (water dropwort) and bean sprouts.

What comes with the clear mushroom kalguksu, and why kids like it

We ordered the clear mushroom kalguksu so we could eat together with the kids. There was a spicy option too, but since we were eating with kids, we went for the clear broth. When the pot first arrived, it wasn't just mushrooms — there was minari, dumplings, potatoes and more, so the spread felt pretty substantial.

There was especially a ton of minari in there, haha. When you think shabu-shabu, you usually just think of meat, but eating the fragrant minari and mushrooms together made the broth taste clean and not heavy at all.

Kalguksu (knife-cut noodles) and 3 dumplings (probably 3 because we ordered 3 servings).

We ate one serving of beef and then ordered another.

You can choose either fried rice or porridge to finish the meal yourself.

Kalguksu for three plus a serving of beef: what 40,000 won buys

Three servings plus one beef = ₩40,000 worth of happiness! Adding extra noodles or beef here makes it even more filling.

At first the broth seemed clear and light, but as the mushrooms, potatoes and dumplings kept simmering, the broth got richer and richer. So after eating the shabu-shabu for a while, we added the kalguksu noodles — and it was amazing!! Haha.

Adding more beef makes for an even more generous meal, so that's what we did. We went with the clear mushroom kalguksu since we were with the kids, but next time I'd love to try it spicy.

Visiting Deungchon Shabu-Shabu after a while, I thought this kind of course would be great for anyone looking for a family-friendly lunch spot near Dongtan Lake Park. You eat the vegetables and mushrooms first with the shabu-shabu, then finish with kalguksu and even porridge — plenty filling for a full meal, haha.

Once the noodles mixed into the richer broth, the kids ate them up happily too.

The noodles were so chewy — the broth got rich and it was genuinely delicious. Eating it today, I really felt Deungchon Shabu's clear broth is the standout. If you're stuck on where to eat with kids in Dongtan, how about shabu-shabu among the Gran Passage restaurants?

The self-serve porridge finish at Deungchon Shabu Kalguksu

But surprisingly, what our kids liked best was the porridge we made at the very end. Even after finishing the shabu-shabu and kalguksu, once we made porridge they wanted to eat more, haha.

My 7-year-old son in particular said even the kimchi was delicious, piled it onto his porridge, and gave me a thumbs up. 😂 He usually eats well, but that day he ate so heartily it made me proud as a mom.

Beyond the food, the staff were kind too, which made the meal comfortable. When we ran low on kimchi and asked for a refill, they brought it out quickly, which I appreciated — little things like that matter a lot when eating with kids.^^ Overall we were able to eat comfortably in the restaurant, and since the kids ate so well, I got to enjoy my meal at ease too.

Above all, I loved that one menu let us go from shabu-shabu to kalguksu to porridge in one sitting. If you're looking for somewhere to eat out with kids in Dongtan, or a lunch spot near Dongtan Lake Park, Deungchon Shabu Kalguksu Gran Passage Branch could be a solid choice. Since our kids ate so well, we're planning to come back next time we're around Dongtan Lake Park. 😊