Songdo Korean restaurant for family dinner: Eonyang Dak Kalguksu

When the weather suddenly turned chilly, I started craving a steaming bowl of broth, so I visited Eonyang Dak Kalguksu Incheon Songdo Branch, located in the Songdo 1-gonggu academy district. Its bright, tidy exterior caught my eye right away. Every time I passed by, it seemed busy, so I had been wanting to try it.

Eonyang Dak Kalguksu Incheon Songdo Branch is at Units 129–132 on the first floor, 160-15 Haedoji-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, South Korea, across from old Songdo Mart (now Jinro Mart). It is open daily from 11:00 to 21:00.

I want chicken kalguksu today!

As it happened, the whole family unanimously agreed, so we finally visited! Even though it was a little late for dinner, the dining room was already almost full, and delivery and takeout customers kept coming in. I guess there is a reason this is such a popular Songdo restaurant.

Having Korean food with kids in Songdo 1-gonggu

Eonyang Dak Kalguksu Incheon Songdo Branch is near the Songdo 1-gonggu academy district, so it is fairly easy to reach for a meal with children who attend nearby academies.

Although we visited rather late in the evening, there were still quite a few people inside. Not only were customers seated and eating, but people picking up delivery and takeout orders kept coming in too. Seeing that, it felt like a Songdo spot that local people visit steadily.

Signature chicken kalguksu with half a chicken

Since it was our first visit, we ordered the signature dak kalguksu (chicken noodle soup). The first thing that caught my eye when it arrived was, of course, the generous chicken! A whole half chicken came in the bowl, so it looked very substantial from the start. With chicken as well as kalguksu noodles in one bowl, it made for a satisfying full meal.

I also learned something while we waited. Rather than boiling the noodles in advance, they cook them as soon as an order comes in. So the food did not arrive instantly, but the noodles were worth the wait. They were soft yet pleasantly chewy, perfect for slurping up with the broth.

Kimchi in two heat levels and pickled radish

Kimchi is important with kalguksu too, right? Here, there were two kinds: spicy and less spicy, so we could choose according to our tastes. There was also danmuji (yellow pickled radish) for the kids.

When families eat together, adults and children often have different tastes. Having these choices made it easy to visit with kids. Most of all, my children do not usually love noodle dishes, but that day they said the noodles were delicious and polished off a bowl each. As a mom, seeing them eat so well was satisfying all by itself.

Adjusting the broth with perilla powder and dadaegi

Another thing I liked about the dak kalguksu was the broth. Perhaps because of the chicken, it tasted rich and savory. It was plenty tasty as it was, but the self-service bar had perilla seed powder and dadaegi (spicy seasoning paste), so we could add as much as we wanted.

My daughter loves perilla, so of course she did not pass it by and added some perilla powder! The nutty flavor gave the soup a different feel. Dadaegi was available too, so anyone wanting a warmer, spicier kick can add it to suit their taste.

A warm meal in Songdo on a chilly day

When the weather suddenly turns cool like it has lately, I start thinking about a steaming bowl of broth. The generous chicken and chewy kalguksu noodles made this a nice option for a family meal out too.

I especially thought it would be a good place to visit when looking for somewhere to eat with a child attending an academy around Songdo 1-gonggu, or when you want a simple but filling meal.

If you are visiting for the first time like we were, I think starting with the signature dak kalguksu would be a good idea. After filling up on warm broth and noodles, I felt warmed through despite the chilly weather. If you are looking for a Songdo, Incheon lunch spot, Korean food around Songdo 1-gonggu, or a family-friendly restaurant in Songdo, Incheon, stop by Eonyang Dak Kalguksu Incheon Songdo Branch.