Lunch for two with braised potato at Meokgol hanjeongsik Sanchaega

My friend and I were trying to decide on lunch and ended up craving hanjeongsik (Korean set meal), so we headed to Sanchaega Hanjeongsik Meokgol Main Branch.

Where is Sanchaega Hanjeongsik Meokgol Main Branch, and what are its hours?

Sanchaega Hanjeongsik Meokgol Main Branch is a hanjeongsik restaurant at 30 Dongil-ro157-gil, Jungnang-gu, Seoul — from Meokgol Station Exit 5, turn left at the Daiso and walk 70m. It's open 11:00–22:00 with a break time from 15:30–17:00.

• 30 Dongil-ro157-gil, Jungnang-gu, Seoul, South Korea (turn left at Daiso from Meokgol Station Exit 5, walk 70m)
• Hours 11:00–22:00
• Break time 15:30–17:00

Parking is available.. (though space for only about 2 cars beside the building, so public transit is probably better.)

What comes on the table with the Gondre Cauldron Special Set

What we ordered that day was the Gondre Cauldron Special Set. I generally like Korean food anyway, and a meal where you get a hearty spread of side dishes felt like a great choice for lunch.

The best thing about hanjeongsik really is getting to taste a variety of dishes at once. It was better than just eating one dish — being able to try a little of many banchan (side dishes) — and sharing this and that with my friend made it even more enjoyable.

As the name suggests, our Gondre Cauldron Special Set came with gondre rice and a whole table full of dishes, so it looked really generous. There was a fun rhythm to pairing warm rice with one banchan after another, and switching between them made me feel like I was properly taking care of a meal.

Gondre cauldron rice: staff scoop the rice and pour the water for you

I especially liked that the rice comes out of a cauldron, so it stays warm. The rice with gondre (Korean thistle) mixed in went great with the banchan, and it felt different from a regular bowl of rice. Pairing it with all the various Korean side dishes made for a filling lunch.

The staff scooped the hot gondre rice from the cauldron with real skill, and even poured the hot water in themselves — such a nice touch of hospitality.

How were the side dishes — grilled hwangtae, deodeok and jeyuk bokkeum?

Sometimes hanjeongsik has plenty of banchan but only a few you actually want to eat — this wasn't that. I could try a good variety of side dishes throughout the meal, and it was fun chatting with my friend about which ones we liked and sharing them.

When I go out for lunch, I usually end up centering the meal around one dish like meat or noodles, so eating this many Korean dishes at one table felt refreshing. It was also great for a slow chat with a friend, and being able to share so many dishes together really gave that signature hanjeongsik feeling of abundance.

Most of all, I liked that it wasn't a meal built around one heavily seasoned dish — instead you get rice with a well-rounded spread of banchan. If you like namul (seasoned vegetable side dishes) or Korean banchan in general, you'd probably enjoy this even more.

The banchan were so, so good. The grilled hwangtae and grilled deodeok that come with the special set were especially delicious, and the grilled fish was good too. The jeyuk bokkeum needs no explanation. The namul weren't too salty and were all tasty. They were great with the soy-based sauce.. though I'm a gochujang (red chili paste) person, so I was a bit sad there was no gochujang or sesame oil the whole time. Oh, and the ssam (wrap) greens were so fresh, clean and neatly arranged. There was even angelica leaf..

Is Sanchaega a good choice for just two people?

Hanjeongsik can feel like something you need a group for, but Sanchaega Hanjeongsik Meokgol Main Branch worked out fine for a two-person lunch with a friend. We each picked out our favorite banchan and also shared several dishes together for a relaxed lunch.

If you're trying to decide on lunch near Meokgol Station, or want a meal a bit different from usual, this could be worth a visit. It seems especially suited to days when you're craving Korean food while looking for Meokgol Station restaurants, or want to taste a bunch of dishes at once.

All the banchan were delicious, but my personal pick, oddly enough, was the braised potato. My friend gave the lotus root salad two thumbs up.

Lunch wait times and kiosk ordering at Sanchaega

Sanchaega Hanjeongsik Meokgol Main Branch was a great spot for chatting over a delicious Korean lunch with a friend. The generous spread was fun to look at, and being able to taste a bit of everything — gondre rice and all the banchan — made for a filling meal.

If you're looking for hanjeongsik in Jungnang-gu or a restaurant near Meokgol Station, or a place for a hearty lunch with a friend, this could be worth checking out. The Gondre Cauldron Special Set let us enjoy a whole table of Korean dishes at once — a satisfying lunch with a friend.

By the way, we were lucky with parking and had no wait, but the moment lunchtime hit, a line formed. There are chairs outside for waiting, and kiosk ordering was available too, which was really convenient.

Oh, I think the regular gondre set would've been fine too, but I'd probably order the special set again if I came back. The grilled hwangtae that only comes with the special set was really delicious.

On the way out, there was coffee and barley tea available as dessert.

Anyway.. it was such a satisfying meal. I'd recommend it for hanjeongsik in Jungnang-gu, Meokgol Station restaurants, meals with parents, meals with friends — all of it. It felt like a healthy meal after a while, so my stomach felt good and comfortable.