Hongdae gomtang restaurant for two with makgeolli: Baengni Gomtang

Why two gomtang lovers chose Baengni Gomtang in Hongdae

Do you like gomtang (Korean beef bone soup)? I grew up eating so much of it that it's not an exaggeration to say I was born into it. My grandfather always ordered my grandmother to keep gomtang stocked at home (back then there was no such thing as asking nicely), and my grandmother followed through faithfully. Raised at my grandmother's house, I think I ate a lifetime's worth of gomtang before I even hit my teens.

So do I hate gomtang now? Not at all — I still love it. It's just that I love noodles slightly more, so I end up reaching for ramen more often, while my girlfriend loves rice more, so we ended up at a gomtang restaurant. Yes, I'm a devoted boyfriend.

Free photo booth at the entrance and the salinity posted daily

The owner of Baengni Gomtang seems to have a romantic side too — there's a free receipt-style photo booth right at the entrance. Going to one of those instant photo booths can feel like a lot, but this is a simple way to leave a little memory behind.

The effort of measuring and logging the salinity every single day... a notice that clearly considers both health and hygiene. It would be wonderful if every restaurant operated this way.

Getting a little tipsy on Jangsu makgeolli, a little tipsy on ginseng — the kind of day that makes you want to go back to work with new energy after a daytime drink.

What the name Baengni Gomtang means, and why the soup arrives at 75 degrees

Here's the meaning of the name Baengni Gomtang. No matter how much I love noodles, when it comes to being truly filling, nothing beats rice. Nothing compares to rice. As for the serving temperature — sure, some people like it piping hot, but you won't say that once you've scalded the roof of your mouth. I'll remember this: a drinkable 75 degrees.

The interior is clean and pleasant. The individually wrapped utensils show real care too — something a diner might not notice much, but from the preparation side it takes far more time and money, and that touched me.

A retro mini fan and notice for a review event. If you leave a review, they'll give you tteokgalbi (grilled short rib patties) or a drink, so I'd definitely recommend joining in.

Three side dishes at Baengni Gomtang: kkakdugi, potato salad, salted squid

The basic side dishes are simple but have real impact, and all three are ones you can't help reaching for: kkakdugi (radish kimchi), potato salad, and salted squid! Clearly someone here really understands gomtang.

Baengni Gomtang menu: special gomtang at 15,000 won

Here's the menu lineup and pricing. Now I'm curious about the yukhoe, suyuk, mandu and jeongol too.

We both ordered the special gomtang. It's ₩15,000 and the portion is generous.

Beef, sprout ginseng and salted squid in one bite

Here are photos of the meat and ginseng. The meat is very tender, and the ginseng truly smells like the mountainside.

Eaten together with the salted squid, it just keeps going down. Salted squid and gomtang really are a great combination. And the pepper — plain ground pepper, that is. Whole peppercorns suit Western food or grilled meat, but gomtang is always about the yellow-capped plain pepper!

I like a lot of pepper. It's my chance to act like the rich people of a thousand years ago, roughly speaking... and it makes me wonder whether, a thousand years from now, everyone will be able to live the way today's rich people do.

Meat still left after the rice was gone: the special gomtang portion

Even eating meat and rice together bite by bite like this, the meat doesn't disappear first. There was still meat holding out when the rice was all finished — that's exactly what makes it a special gomtang!

We cleaned our bowls completely. A day that made me miss my grandfather who loved gomtang, and my grandmother who cooked it so well.