Gangneung Korean restaurant with braised pollock: Jeong Eunsuk

When you think of Gangneung, Chodang sundubu (soft tofu) is the first thing that comes to mind, right?

There are so many famous places that I debated where to go, but after looking through visitor reviews, I went to Jeong Eunsuk Chodang Sundubu (정은숙초당순두부), a spot that Gangneung locals visit too.

I went for soft tofu and thoroughly tackled the tofu samhap too, haha. Let me share whether this is worth considering as a Gangneung local recommendation after trying it myself! ❗️

Jeong Eunsuk Chodang Sundubu: location and parking

It is at 200 Nanseolheon-ro, Gangneung-si, Gangwon State, South Korea.

You can find it on the way through Chodang-dong toward the Heo Nanseolheon birthplace site, and it is in a good location to pair with nearby attractions. If you are planning to look around Chodang-dong or the Gyeongpo area while traveling in Gangneung, it seemed like a good place to add to your meal itinerary.

Using the dedicated parking lot

There is a dedicated parking lot in front of the restaurant, so it was convenient to visit by car. If it is full, the restaurant directs you to the free Heo Nanseolheon parking lot about 50 m away, so parking felt less worrying.

How does waiting work?

Both Tableing remote queueing and walk-in waiting are available, and the restaurant has waiting seats too. It is convenient to check the queue status on Tableing before you go.

A spacious, clean interior

Once inside, the restaurant was more spacious than I expected. With several tables, it felt better suited to a family or group meal than dining alone, and visitor feedback also showed plenty of family meals and visits with children.

Rather than feeling crowded or cramped, the layout was comfortable for several people to sit and eat together. So if you are visiting Gangneung with your parents or looking for somewhere for a family meal, that felt like a real plus.

What comes with the Chodang Premium Table Set

The menu was simpler than expected, so it was not difficult to choose.

The signature Chodang Premium Table Set (₩25,000) includes soft tofu hot pot, tofu samhap, and seasoned grilled dried pollock, with a minimum order of two servings. Since it lets you try the soft tofu hot pot, tofu samhap, and pollock all at once, it is a good choice if you want to taste a variety on your first visit.

I also saw an explanation that the Chodang Tofu Table Set (₩20,000) had been selected as a Gangneung City special dish.

Ordering the Chodang Premium Table Set and tofu samhap

• Chodang Premium Table Set ₩25,000 × 2 servings
• Tofu samhap ₩31,000

That is what we ordered. Even with just the Chodang Premium Table Set, you can try the soft tofu hot pot, tofu samhap, and pollock together, but we added one more tofu samhap because we really wanted to try it properly. Once each dish arrived, the table was filled with such a generous spread.

Pillowy-soft tofu hot pot

First, I tried the hot pot, which you could call the main dish.

The soft tofu had a pillowy, tender texture, and its distinctive nutty flavor came through nicely.

The hot pot also had blue crab and vegetables in it, so the broth had savory seafood depth. Since it was so soft, it was the kind of dish that went down easily when spooned up with the broth.

Personally, I prefer clean, nutty flavors to anything overly intense, and this soft tofu was close to that style. A spoonful of rice with the tofu and broth felt like a properly satisfying meal. I came thinking that, since I was in Gangneung, I had to eat Chodang soft tofu—and I think I got the basics right.

The seasoned grilled dried pollock was better than expected

I also tried the seasoned grilled dried pollock that comes with the Chodang Premium Table Set.

To be honest, when I go to a soft tofu restaurant, I think the tofu is what matters most, so I did not expect much from the pollock. But it was more of a specialty than I expected. The seasoning went well with rice, and having a bite of pollock along the way brought a different flavor.

I had seen several visitor reviews saying they enjoyed the pollock dish, and after trying it, I understood why people mentioned it separately. Some reviews even rated the pollock as more impressive than the soft tofu.

Tofu samhap was more memorable than the soft tofu

And my favorite dish that day was the tofu samhap. Tofu samhap is a combination of house-made hand tofu, boiled pork, and gajami sikhae, fermented flounder from the East Sea. The restaurant introduces this combination as a signature menu item too.

The tofu was mild and nutty, which made it great with the boiled pork. I first put pork on top of the tofu, then added a little salted shrimp and Cheongyang chili pepper. This combination was exactly as it sounds—mild but nutty—and the salted shrimp seasoned it perfectly, making it clean and easy to eat.

This time, tofu with kimchi. Tofu plus kimchi is, of course, a foolproof combination.

But the way I enjoyed most was wrapping the boiled pork with gajami sikhae. The distinctively tangy, seasoned flavor of the fermented flounder went so well with the pork. Pork can start to feel a little rich if you keep eating it on its own, but adding the gajami sikhae changed the flavor completely, and I kept reaching for more.

This is how samhap tastes best

Rather than eating samhap only one way, it was fun to mix and match different combinations.

• Tofu + boiled pork + salted shrimp: The most basic combination—mild tofu with tender boiled pork and salted shrimp on top.
• Tofu + kimchi: The easiest way to appreciate the tofu's own nutty flavor.
• Boiled pork + gajami sikhae: Personally, this was my favorite combination.

As I changed up the combinations, one plate of tofu samhap disappeared in no time. So that day, the samhap was actually more memorable than the soft tofu. I recommend adding tofu samhap to the Chodang Tofu Table Set.

Korea's master chef Jeong Eunsuk

If you are deciding on a soft tofu restaurant in Gangneung, I recommend this place, which Gangneung locals visit too! ❗️♥️