Gimpo sundae omakase with unlimited organ meat bar: Paldam Sundae

A weekend lunch wait, entering on the last CatchTable slot

Paldam Sundae has been blowing up as a Gimpo food spot, a real line-up-and-wait sundae-guk (blood sausage soup) restaurant in the Seongmo-ri area. I finally got to go! This isn't your ordinary sundae — it's like sundae gone upscale?! They only do lunch service, but the wait is no joke...

I showed up at weekend lunchtime and there was already a huge line in front of the restaurant, no joke. Luckily I managed to squeeze in on the very last CatchTable slot. I get the feeling the wait was even longer because this is the place Jun Hyun-moo visited?!

Daily - 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM (lunch service only!!!) ☆ Closed every Thursday ☆

Menu — sundae-guk, single sundae, boiled pork, sundae omakase

The menu centers on the basic Gimpo-style sundae-guk, along with single-portion sundae and boiled pork, plus the signature sundae omakase you can only get here. The sundae omakase comes with sundae-guk in a stone pot, moist boiled pork, and three types of specialty sundae, all arranged together — even for one person, it's the best combination you can get in one go, so it's a much better deal.

The atmosphere and solo-dining seats

The moment you open the door, it's not the usual old-school gukbap (soup and rice) restaurant vibe — it's a modern, tidy space. The tables are spaced generously, so even after a long wait, you can eat comfortably without other tables bothering you.

And of course, gukbap is meant to be eaten solo. There are tables set up for solo dining too.

The self-bar is also spotlessly hygienic and kept pleasant. Very professional, the way a real Janggi-dong food spot should be, haha.

Unlimited organ meat self-bar

What really surprised me was the unlimited organ meat self-bar!! Honestly, when you go eat sundae, isn't it the lungs and liver and other organs that taste even better than the sundae itself?! And they're offering that precious cut unlimited like this... whoa. Jun Hyun-moo apparently said he was shocked too when he saw it, and yeah, the moment I saw it, I gasped, wow.

Our little one sat quietly nearby while mom and dad ate, haha. Okay, now let's get into the actual sundae omakase review from Paldam Sundae, the Gimpo sundae-guk spot~

Ordering the sundae omakase plus extra assorted sundae

Today's order was the signature sundae omakase, plus, since I'd heard so much buzz about how good the sundae here is, I added a full extra plate of assorted sundae. Served on a neat tray, the sundae omakase looked generous just by looking at it, haha.

The Gimpo sundae-guk broth and ingredients

First up, the classic Gimpo sundae-guk!! The broth in the steaming stone pot had zero off-smell — milky white, rich with that deep bone-broth flavor. That's the thing about sundae-guk, that heavy savoriness you get eating it without any spicy paste mixed in. The tender meat and chewy organs released a clean, rich juiciness the more I chewed. And the sundae itself came in generously, several kinds mixed in, so if you love sundae, the sundae-guk alone will fill you up plenty.

Comparing the boiled pork and three types of sundae

Next, the star of the show — today's signature sundae omakase!! Let's start with the soft, moist boiled pork. The fat and lean meat were in just the right ratio, so it practically melted the moment I bit into it. No off-smell at all, and the juices were still alive — dipped lightly in crunchy mung bean sprouts and vinegared chili paste, it's honestly the best combination.

The tingly, spicy cheongyang chili sundae. Cheongyang chili peppers are tucked into a densely packed sausage. Behind the chewy texture of the glutinous sundae comes that sharp, clean spiciness unique to cheongyang chili. Ahh~~~ you know how eating meaty dishes always brings on a bit of that greasy heaviness? This completely cuts through it.

Next, a rather unusual sundae packed with nutty, savory nuts. The crunchy texture of the nuts blends with the chewy glass noodles and vegetable filling. The more you chew, the nuttier it gets — I think this one would really suit adult palates that love a nutty flavor.

Last but not least, the classic blood sausage sundae. This is the real, traditional pisundae, isn't it? The casing is plump and springy, and the inside is packed full of blood, so the moment it hits your mouth it just melts away — zero off-smell at all, with that deep, distinctive flavor of blood coming right through. Dipping it lightly in salt is the classic way to eat pisundae, haha.

The Paldam Sundae omakase I'd only heard about... I'm really glad I pre-ordered the assorted sundae too. Since we were in the last seating, I was a little worried the kitchen might be closing up, so it really is true — you should order ahead before the flow stops, right? Yeah, a menu from a Jun Hyun-moo food spot is definitely worth trusting.

Overall thoughts

Paldam Sundae Gimpo Main Branch is a Gimpo food spot that reinvents sundae, a Korean soul food, into a top-tier dish. The rich broth of the Gimpo sundae-guk in particular still crosses my mind — next time I'm in Gimpo, I'll definitely go back for the Paldam Sundae omakase again.

Where to park?

For parking at this Janggi-dong food spot, you can park right next to the restaurant, but since there are so many customers, you'll likely have to double or triple park. That said, there's plenty of parking space overall, so keep that in mind~