Giheung Chinese spot, jjamppong set & fried rice: Doseogwan Dwitjip

What kind of Chinese restaurant is Doseogwan Dwitjip in Giheung, Yongin?

Doseogwan Dwitjip (도서관뒷집) is a Chinese restaurant on Guseong 2-ro in Giheung-gu, Yongin, with a completely different vibe from the Chinese places you usually picture when you crave Chinese food. This was my second visit. After going once, I kept thinking about it and had to come back.

The first time, the name "Doseogwan Dwitjip" (literally "the house behind the library") gave me no clue what they served. A café? A brunch place? Then I opened the door and found a Chinese restaurant, which was a fun twist that made it even more memorable.

Above all, they reportedly use house-made noodles with no additives, to keep the noodle texture, and a jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup) broth stir-fried in vegetable stock only and then aged for 12 hours or more. That made the care they put into the food feel special.

You can sense the effort to make a healthy, comfortable meal rather than ordinary Chinese food, all over the place.

What is the interior of Doseogwan Dwitjip like?

The walls are filled with neatly shelved books, so it feels nothing like a typical Chinese restaurant. It really felt like stepping into a small library, and the soft lighting and clean interior made it quiet and relaxing.

It's a calming space even while eating, so I thought it would work for a family meal or a date, and it's easy to eat alone here too.

On top of that, the owner greeted every guest kindly and looked after us attentively, so I felt good the whole time we were there.

What did we order at Doseogwan Dwitjip?

On this return visit, I ordered the one-person set (aged smoky jjamppong + tangsuyuk) and the fried rice (jjajang and noodles included) + tangsuyuk.

• One-person set (aged smoky jjamppong + tangsuyuk)
• Fried rice (jjajang and noodles included) + tangsuyuk

How does the aged smoky jjamppong broth taste?

From the first spoonful, the aged smoky jjamppong at Doseogwan Dwitjip tasted clearly different from other jjamppong.

Maybe because the broth is stir-fried in vegetable stock only and aged for a long time, what I tasted first wasn't harsh spiciness but a deep, rich savoriness.

A subtle wok-fire aroma and a refreshing broth worked together, the finish was clean, and the more I drank, the more comfortable my stomach felt.

The house-made noodles use no additives, so they were soft yet springy, and they didn't turn mushy even after a while, so I enjoyed them down to the last bite.

How is the sticky rice tangsuyuk in the one-person set?

The glutinous rice tangsuyuk (sweet and sour fried pork) that came with the set lived up to its name: crispy outside, chewy and moist inside.

The thick pork was mild and the sweet-and-sour sauce wasn't overpowering, so I kept reaching for more. Alternating it with the jjamppong broth made a great combination.

What comes with the fried rice (jjajang and noodles included) + tangsuyuk?

The fried rice was nicely stir-fried and fluffy, with a subtle wok-fire aroma, and the more I chewed, the more the nutty flavor of the ingredients filled my mouth.

Mixing in the jjajang (black bean sauce) that comes alongside, the natural sweetness of onion and the deep flavor of chunjang (black bean paste) blended well, giving a rich old-style jjajang taste that wasn't harsh.

The tangsuyuk on the side kept its crunch too, so it paired really well with the fried rice.

Is Doseogwan Dwitjip worth a second visit?

The name alone is distinctive and eye-catching, but one visit is enough to tell this isn't a restaurant that's special only for its name.

This was my second visit. I came back because I remembered being satisfied the first time, and it didn't let me down. If anything, this time I could enjoy the deep flavors and the atmosphere more leisurely, so I was even more satisfied.

What impressed me most was that, rather than winning people over with harsh flavors like typical Chinese restaurants, they put a lot of effort into bringing out the natural taste of the ingredients.

The house-made noodles use no additives, so they were soft and easy on the stomach, and the jjamppong broth, stir-fried in vegetable stock only and aged for a long time, had a deep, rich savoriness with a clean finish.

The old-style jjajang also drew on the natural sweetness of onion and the flavor of chunjang, finishing as a mild taste that was easy to enjoy, and the glutinous rice tangsuyuk was satisfying, with crispness, chewiness and moisture all together.

The library-inspired, sentimental interior also made mealtime more special. The walls full of books and the calm atmosphere felt like eating in a book café, offering a comfort and ease you can't get at an ordinary Chinese restaurant.

Add the owner's warm, kind service and I had a good time from start to finish. These days there are plenty of good Chinese restaurants, but few that have flavor, atmosphere, healthiness and a distinctive concept all together. In that sense, I think Doseogwan Dwitjip is truly competitive.

My stomach felt comfortable while eating, and thanks to the deep but not harsh flavors, I enjoyed it to the last bite.

A place whose name you remember after one visit, and whose food you crave after two. That's what Doseogwan Dwitjip was for me.

On days when I crave jjamppong, fried rice or tangsuyuk, I think this will be the first place that comes to mind, and I can confidently recommend it, whether you go with family, friends or a partner.

If you want to taste carefully made Chinese food in an atmosphere unlike an ordinary Chinese restaurant, I recommend visiting Doseogwan Dwitjip in Giheung-gu, Yongin at least once.