Sokcho beach restaurant, 8am octopus hangover fix: Deungdae Gotgan

Deungdae Gotgan (등대곳간) near Sokcho's Deungdae Beach has a great view, great atmosphere and great food, and you can eat there from 8am. You know I take travel seriously, right? I don't want to miss out on view, atmosphere, taste or service!!! Just trust me and go. It's above average for sure. From now on, my Sokcho octopus place is Deungdae Gotgan!

What time can you eat breakfast at Deungdae Gotgan in Sokcho?

Deungdae Gotgan serves meals from 8am, so it works well for breakfast on a Sokcho trip. I'm in Sokcho right now, and this is the restaurant I just went to this morning and fell in love with for its view. Eating in a view this pretty from 8am? Pure bliss.

The signature dishes are jjageul nakji (braised spicy octopus), nakji haejangguk (octopus hangover soup), pork cutlet and jeyuk bokkeum (spicy stir-fried pork)! There are plenty of other dishes too, but you've got to try the signatures.

How were the 1st and 2nd floors and the wait at Deungdae Gotgan?

The ground floor is the waiting area, and you eat on the 2nd floor. There was nobody on the ground floor and I thought, huh? Turns out it's just for waiting. People eat upstairs!! When we went up it was already full, and people were waiting behind us.

That view.. no joke, right? Deungdae Beach spreads right out in front of you. I finally found a great restaurant on Deungdae Beach!!!! Honestly, whenever I came here I only went to the pocha, so I had no idea a place like this existed.

See the customers? Full this early!!!! Even a wait. My expectations were already rising before I ate.

Ugh.. if I weren't hungover I'd totally want a drink here..? The atmosphere is exactly my taste. Sitting somewhere like this, what wouldn't taste good? They say the cutlet here is the cutlet of a lifetime.. I should have eaten it even though I was full?

What did we order for a hangover breakfast? Jjageul nakji and nakji haejangguk prices

I ordered the signatures: jjageul nakji for ₩28,000 and nakji haejangguk for ₩13,000 per person 👍🏻👍🏻 This combo is the real deal 😀 If you drank the night before, this combo is the perfect Sokcho breakfast.

I wanted the pork cutlet too, but that's for next time. Every other table ordered one cutlet each. I'm writing this right after getting back and I already want to go to Deungdae Gotgan again? Should I go back? I think I need to eat the cutlet...

If you go to Deungdae Beach, you have to eat this jjageul nakji!! Why did I only find out about this now?

The broth of the octopus soup at Deungdae Gotgan

The octopus soup has radish, bean sprouts and octopus in a cool, clear broth, and I drank every last drop. This place is a hangover-soup winner.. I'm leaving for another region today, so maybe I'll take some to go.

I just ate and I'm already craving it again? The broth is the ultimate in refreshing. And the radish, bean sprout and octopus combo, need I say more? Wow.. perfect hangover cure.. A hangover meal in a view like this, I came for a Sokcho breakfast and now I want to start drinking again..

Side dishes and the self-bar at Deungdae Gotgan

The side dishes are decent, nothing special. There's a self-bar where you can grab more. Why is it fine that the sides are just okay? Because the main dishes are so good.

Is the jjageul nakji at Deungdae Gotgan very spicy?

The jjageul nakji wasn't harshly hot like capsaicin, just pleasantly spicy. The octopus was tender, plump and chewy, so delicious. Please, please eat this together with the soup. Good!

Wow, now I get why jjageul nakji is the signature. It's not that overly spicy, stinging capsaicin kind of heat. It's a moderate kick that makes you crave it again, and your stomach feels comfortable afterward. I'd dare to give this place first prize on Deungdae Beach.

Wrapping it in gim (seaweed) is the golden rule, isn't it? Nom nom. One bite of jjageul nakji, one sip of the soup broth, and your stomach just unwinds. Honestly I regret all those days I only went to the pocha at Sokcho's Deungdae Beach,

Stir-frying the leftover sauce and adding udon

You can add cheese or udon noodles to the jjageul nakji, but the sauce itself was so good that I stir-fried the leftover sauce once, cleaning the pan. Ugh.. should I add cheese? I thought, but the sauce was so good I just stir-fried it. You can add udon too, so try it together.

Please eat this. A drizzle of sesame oil and it's heavenly. I came for a Sokcho breakfast and left with a proper hangover cure.

A frequent Sokcho visitor's verdict: would I go back to Deungdae Gotgan?

It was so crowded that I couldn't properly photograph the interior.. a shame..? Photos can't capture it all anyway, so please go see for yourself. I took this one right after the staff quickly cleared up. I'm a huge Baekchon fan... but whenever I come to Gangwon, I'll have to stop by Deungdae Gotgan from now on. Deungdae Gotgan, the great spot at Sokcho's Deungdae Beach, remember it!!

Seriously delicious. I come to Sokcho really often, so I'm so glad I found it now 👍🏻 The owner has golden hands. If you're looking for a quiet, atmospheric restaurant in Sokcho, Deungdae Gotgan is well worth a visit. On a day you want both taste and atmosphere, I recommend dropping by. Thank you for the great meal! I'll definitely come back for the pork cutlet. I'm picky about food, but this was delicious 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻