Hanwoo beef stew for two and beef tartare in Indong, Gumi: Hanjaechon

I feel like I almost never eat home-cooked food on weekends. I like tracking down real hidden-gem restaurants as my own kind of healing, and when I heard there was a beef stew place near my house that opens early, I couldn't resist checking it out!

My husband used to work rotating shifts until recently, and if I'd known about this place back then, we could have come here for a soju after his night shifts sometimes. I wish I'd found out sooner!

Even from far away, the exterior was pretty enough that I could tell right away it was Hanjaechon (한재촌). I finally made it to Hanjaechon, a Korean restaurant in Indong, Gumi!

Hanjaechon Gumi Main Branch: weekend opening hours and parking

Hanjaechon Gumi Main Branch opens at 11am on weekends, later than on weekdays. I showed up right at 11 on the dot. The whole place looked really clean and tidy, and it was well organized, which I liked.

I've been to plenty of Korean restaurants around Indong, Gumi, but personally the idea of a beef stew menu really appealed to me. Parking on the roadside wasn't a problem at all, so : ) just take a look around and grab a spot.

What we ordered: hanwoo beef stew for two plus beef tartare

I ordered the hanwoo so-jjigae (beef stew) for two at Hanjaechon, and rice needs to be ordered separately. I'd seen reviews saying the beef tartare was amazing, so I added that too. I also saw reviews raving about Hanjaechon's mung bean pancake, and I actually debated between the pancake and the tartare — went with tartare in the end. Next time I'll have to try the pancake too.

The basics that come out are seaweed, bean sprouts, and chili peppers, but the self-bar has more variety, so just take as much as you'll actually eat. My husband even got some bean sprout soup : ) and ate very well.

How much beef is in Hanjaechon's hanwoo so-jjigae, and the hanjae water parsley

I genuinely wondered if the visual was insane — turns out there's a real reason it's called 'beef stew.' Is that amount of beef for real?

They use top-grade 1+ Korean beef. It really felt like they packed it in without holding back. On top of that, there's a generous amount of Cheongdo hanjae water parsley, which adds a fragrance that cuts any gaminess while giving the stew a fresh, clean scent.

I'd read that adding glass noodles was essential, so I remembered just in time : ) and ordered them right away. It really, truly was essential!

How was the hanwoo beef tartare?

This is the tartare I ordered. The portion and the visual were both insane : ) They use carefully selected 1+ grade Korean beef. The distinctive seasoning went so well with it and tasted great. It had that texture that clings to your mouth, and the more I chewed, the richer the flavor got — I loved it.

Eating it together with the strongly fragrant hanjae water parsley made it even better. Personally I'm not someone who loves beef tartare wildly, more like I'll eat it if it's there, but my husband was completely won over and kept raving about it : ) It was good enough to be in my top three tartares ever.

Eaten with warm white rice, it's a proper rice thief : ) The seasoning was so good on its own that it was delicious with rice too! If you love beef tartare, you have to try this. You can also order a smaller tasting portion!

How long should you simmer the beef stew?

The staff told us to simmer it on the burner for about 7 minutes before eating. Since there's brisket and water parsley in there, eating the meat and parsley right as it comes to a boil is probably the tip for the best flavor.

But personal preference aside, I liked it much better after simmering longer, once the flavor had deepened. The broth I ate near the very end was properly rich and delicious!

Adding the glass noodles made it so, so good. Glass noodles are an absolute must. Every time you scoop the stew into a bowl, a huge amount of beef comes with it, which made it really satisfying to eat. You know how at some places you have to dig around forever just to find a decent piece of beef in the stew? This is clearly different — the beef is generous, no holding back.

Is Hanjaechon good for a family meal with kids?

Hanjaechon's beef stew comes in a spicy option too, but we went with the mild one. There was no spiciness at all, so I think even upper-elementary kids who can handle spice would eat it fine. This seems like a good place to bring your child for a meal.

It had that spicy-savory yet clean, refreshing flavor, and every dish we ordered was satisfying. If you're looking for a Korean restaurant in Indong, Gumi, I'd recommend this one without hesitation!