Gangseo Korean restaurant solo tofu kimchi stir-fry: Maetdolroman

A Korean restaurant near Yangcheon Hyanggyo Station for tofu dishes

I love tofu so much that even when we eat doenjang-jjigae (soybean paste stew), my boyfriend picks out all the tofu and gives it to me. There was this old-school-style local favorite specializing in tofu dishes near Yangcheon Hyanggyo Station, so I went to Maetdolroman Deungchon Branch (맷돌로만 등촌점)🤤

‘Maetdolroman Deungchon Branch’ 🪨Location: Units 113, 114, 115, Building 203, 166 Gangseo-ro 56ga-gil, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, South Korea 🪨Hours: 06:00–21:00 🪨Parking: Available

Maetdolroman Deungchon Branch is close to Yangcheon Hyanggyo Station—just come out of Exit 6 and walk a little, and you’ll spot it right away!

They say they grind soybeans on that huge millstone every morning, then cook them in a cauldron to make tofu and sundubu (soft tofu)😳 Hearing that got this tofu lover’s mouth watering and heart thumping...

Tofu kimchi duruchigi for my solo-meal pick

There were so many dishes perfectly suited to this tofu lover’s taste. I came for another solo meal today 👉👈 and after much, much deliberation, I chose tofu kimchi duruchigi (spicy braised pork, kimchi, and tofu)🤤

The dining-room walls were covered in signatures from famous people, too!! Another great Korean restaurant near Yangcheon Hyanggyo that apparently only I was late to discover...🥺

And as soon as I ordered, they brought out these banchan (Korean side dishes). As you’d expect from a great Korean restaurant, they make even the basic side dishes in-house every day, and the selection changes daily!!

Unlimited soft tofu is not to be missed

And everyone~~ as befits a tofu gem, the soft tofu has unlimited refills!!!😳😳

When you open this rice cooker, it’s full to the brim with soft tofu🫢 I ladled out some soft tofu and sauce, and I plated it so prettily, right? >_< At that point, I had no idea.... that the tofu kimchi duruchigi would be such an enormous portion.... I was happily eating my soft tofu when I spotted a massive plate coming from way over there.

Could that be mine..? Could it..? Then this enormous serving of tofu kimchi duruchigi landed on my table.

For one woman eating alone, they gave me this much? Can I finish it all................ I can. Thank you, boss🩷

Korea really is the land of kimchi!!! Even though I was eating tofu kimchi duruchigi, I also had to eat it with the kimchi that came as a side dish~

The pieces of meat were huge, the portion was huge, and people who live near Yangcheon Hyanggyo are so lucky to have a place like this in their neighborhood....

Everyone, this really is a tofu gem. Maybe because they make their tofu every day, it’s on a completely different level from store-bought tofu🥹🥹🥹 The tofu is so satisfyingly firm and substantial!! Firm and substantial!! It has that fully packed tofu feeling..?!?!

As I was eating the tofu and kimchi like this, people at a nearby table were having drinks with their meal. A little drink with a dish like this would be just... perfect, so I thought I should come back with my boyfriend >_< It’s also close to Seoul Botanic Park, so it would be a great place to come when you’re craving Korean food after visiting the park🤤

On the way out, they were selling tofu snacks, too—they’re true tofu specialists, tofu authorities...,

They also give away biji (soybean pulp) for free, so anyone who needs some should feel free to take it🤭

So that’s how I polished off another solo meal at this great Korean restaurant near Yangcheon Hyanggyo Station~~ Next time, I think I’ll come back for tofu hot pot >_<