Icheon restaurant seen on KBS: octopus kodari and siraegi, Seonghone

What is Seonghone Wang Kodari Dongtaetang, Icheon Seolseong Branch like?

Seonghone Wang Kodari Dongtaetang, Icheon Seolseong Branch (성호네왕코다리동태탕 이천설성점) is a restaurant in Seolseong-myeon, Icheon, Gyeonggi, serving braised kodari (semi-dried pollock) and dongtae (pollock) stew. Today I'm introducing a place where the huge spread made my mouth very happy.

Attention, kodari braise lovers! This is no ordinary kodari braise. It's a flower octopus kodari braise with a whole octopus on top, plus refreshing Daegu jiri (clear cod soup) and a bomb steamed egg, and my jaw dropped at the table setting alone. It's been on TV, so my expectations were high. It's a great pick for a day you crave a hearty Korean meal, so here it is for anyone looking for somewhere to eat around Icheon.

• Hours: 11:00–21:00
• Break time: 15:00–17:00
• Last order: 20:30
• Reservations and takeout available
• Parking: 30+ spaces, including large vehicles
• Closed every Monday

Finding Seonghone Icheon Seolseong and its exterior

The big signboard catches your eye right from the outside. The yellow sign reads "Wang Kodari Dongtaetang" in huge letters, and the name stands out even from a distance, so it's not hard to find.

There are menu photos and a notice board out front, so you can see what they serve before going in.

An Icheon Seolseong restaurant featured on KBS Saengsaeng Jeongbo

What caught my eye most were the TV appearance photos near the entrance. Seonghone has been featured on KBS's Saengsaeng Jeongbo (a food and lifestyle info show), which made me extra happy, haha. I'm a loyal viewer, you see, haha. When you hunt for tasty food, a restaurant that's been on TV always gets a second look, right?

If you're looking for a place to eat around Icheon National Cemetery (Icheon Hoguk-won) or want a filling meal near Seolseong-myeon, it's worth saving.

Interior and seating

Inside, there are plenty of tables, so it looked fine for eating in a group. Each table has a gas burner for cooking, which suits hot soups and braises.

The walls are covered with menu notices and TV-related photos, which were fun to look at.

It's a restaurant built around Korean dishes, so it looked good for a family meal out or a day you want a solid meal.

What comes in the flower octopus kodari braise set?

The flower octopus kodari braise set consists of flower octopus, Yanggu siraegi (dried radish greens) kodari braise, Daegu jiri, and a bomb steamed egg. The photo is the Seonghone menu. Today's star is the flower octopus kodari braise! I wondered what it would look like even before it came out, and the moment the food was set down, all eyes went to one spot.

• Flower octopus
• Yanggu siraegi kodari braise
• Daegu jiri (clear cod soup)
• Bomb steamed egg

Quite a spread, right? Daebak, haha.

Add the side dishes and healthy rice and it's a proper full table, haha. It doesn't feel like eating just one main dish; you get to enjoy lots of different foods, which was even more satisfying.

The Daegu jiri was generously packed with roe

At Seonghone, the owner brings the Daegu jiri out first. The broth is amazing, haha. It has a different charm from the red, seasoned kodari braise. Cod and vegetables in a clear, refreshing broth, great for a spoonful between bites of the rich, spicy braise.

Best of all, there was really plenty of roe in the Daegu jiri too.

Every spoonful feels generous. The mild taste of the cod and the nutty richness of the roe blend into the broth for a cool, refreshing bowl. After the intensely seasoned kodari braise, a sip of the Daegu jiri broth leaves your mouth feeling much fresher. I loved being able to have spicy food and a mild, cooling soup together. This combo deserves praise.

The bomb steamed egg puffed up over the pot

Then came the bomb steamed egg, so abundant it made me laugh on sight. The owner lifted the lid and the fluffy egg had risen up over the top of the pot, a true bomb steamed egg.

The soft, crumbly steamed egg goes well with the kodari braise. Take a bite of soft egg after the kodari and it soothes the seasoning so you can eat comfortably. Kids and adults alike would like it, which I was glad about.

Flower octopus, Daegu jiri and bomb steamed egg! A table properly stocked from the main dish to the sides.

How did the flower octopus kodari braise taste?

And finally the flower octopus kodari braise arrives, overwhelming from the looks alone.

An octopus sits appetizingly on a big plate, and its size is truly enormous. It isn't just flower octopus in name; the look alone has real presence.

Under the octopus there were also Yanggu siraegi, radish and tteokbokki rice cakes. Is this combo for real?

Octopus, kodari, siraegi, radish, rice cakes: pick your texture

Chewy octopus, tender kodari, siraegi and radish soaked in sauce! Every ingredient in the flower octopus kodari braise has a different texture, so picking and choosing was a lot of fun.

Cut into bite-size pieces, the octopus was charmingly chewy. The sweet-spicy seasoning typical of kodari braise goes well with rice too. The radish that had soaked up the sauce was cooked soft and tender, and the siraegi added a nutty flavor that kept me reaching for more. With the rice cakes in there, the chewy texture was great too, haha. Octopus, kodari, siraegi, then a rice cake in one bite! My chopsticks never got a rest.

Even better wrapped in seaweed

The best way to enjoy the flower octopus kodari braise is wrapped in gim (seaweed). Put kodari and siraegi on the seaweed, add some sauce, and pop it in your mouth in one go~ The nutty seaweed and the spicy braise sauce together are a real treat. Add the chewy octopus and the texture is outstanding.

A flavor that has you preparing the next bite right after one. Wait, am I about to finish a whole bowl of rice at this rate? The chewiness of the octopus, the savory depth of the kodari, the nutty siraegi! All those generous ingredients together made it even tastier.

Kodari braise with multigrain rice

When the food is good, even the rice tastes good. The rice served at Seonghone was a healthy multigrain mix, which I liked even more.

It has a nutty flavor different from plain white rice and went well with the kodari braise sauce. Rice with the sauce, kodari and siraegi wrapped in seaweed, and a spoonful of Daegu jiri broth now and then! Eat like this and your rice bowl may be empty before you know it. With the hearty main dish, the soup and the steamed egg all together, the meal felt even more filling.

Verdict: a hearty Korean meal near Icheon National Cemetery?

Seonghone Wang Kodari Dongtaetang, Icheon Seolseong Branch served a generous spread, from kodari braise topped with a whole flower octopus to refreshing Daegu jiri and a bomb steamed egg.

I especially liked the kodari braise with the big flower octopus, Yanggu siraegi, radish and tteokbokki rice cakes, since you get several textures at once. Wrapped in seaweed, the braise gained a nutty note and was a treat. With the roe-filled Daegu jiri, its cool broth and the soft bomb steamed egg, the table felt even richer.

Seonghone caught my eye because it's been on TV. If you're looking for a filling meal near Icheon National Cemetery or want a hearty Korean meal in Seolseong-myeon, save this one. Kodari braise fans should check out the special menu with flower octopus too. In front of a spread like this, the diet takes a little break. Eating well and happiness recharged again today!