Hwaseong Korean restaurant for mung bean samgyetang: Dream Samgyetang

The weather has been hot, then cool, then hot again lately, and I was feeling oddly drained. So I thought, this is exactly when I need a proper chicken and hot broth meal! My husband and I went out for a restorative meal, haha. This time, we visited Dream Samgyetang, right near Dongtan Station.

They also ship nationwide, so I think it would make a nice gift to send to parents or friends!

What is Dream Samgyetang like inside?

When I went in, the space was bigger than expected, with a clean and comfortable atmosphere overall! When I think of a samgyetang restaurant, I tend to picture an older-style place specializing in restorative food, but this one was neatly maintained and easy to dine in comfortably.

The tables were spaced comfortably too, so it seemed good for a family meal, a work lunch, or a company dinner without feeling like too much.

There were visitors with children as well, and I heard they have high chairs and children's tableware, so it seemed like a good option for families. Best of all, it is close to Dongtan Station! Haha.

Herbal and mung bean samgyetang menu

Dream Samgyetang says it simmers Korean fresh chicken with 10 medicinal herbs and grains for a deep, rich broth. They use no preservatives or MSG to bring out the ingredients' natural flavors, which makes it feel especially fitting when you are craving restorative food like this! The menu was more varied than I expected too: alongside its signature Dream Samgyetang, there are perilla seed samgyetang, herbal samgyetang, mung bean samgyetang, and spicy abalone samgyetang, so you can choose based on your condition or taste, haha.

They also have pajeon (scallion pancake), chicken feet, and dishes that would go well with drinks!

• Restorative herbal samgyetang ₩20,000
• Restorative mung bean samgyetang ₩19,000

You can get a soft drink through the Naver receipt review event too, so do not miss that little perk, haha.

The basic side dishes were kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi), napa cabbage kimchi, pickled radish, and peppers. Both kimchis were crisp and delicious—approved!!

They also gave us a small glass of ginseng liquor, and it was wonderfully strong, haha. Once the salt was ready too, we were all set to eat!!

The herbal samgyetang broth

Herbal samgyetang, ₩20,000. First up was the herbal samgyetang I ordered! It arrived bubbling away in a ttukbaegi (earthenware bowl), and just looking at it made me feel like I was properly nourishing myself, haha.

I tried a spoonful of broth first, and it definitely had a deeper flavor than regular samgyetang. It did not have an obvious medicinal-herb scent, but there was a lingering aroma much like curry or turmeric, hehe. Combined with the chicken, it was savory and rich!

Nutty, smooth mung bean samgyetang

Mung bean samgyetang, ₩19,000. My husband ordered the mung bean samgyetang. Perhaps because of the mung beans, it had a different savory flavor from the herbal version. The broth was rich, with the mung beans adding their distinctive nutty, clean taste; every spoonful was subtly addictive!

They gave us a little ladle too, which was handy for serving it into our small plates. Such a thoughtful little detail, haha.

The mung beans had dissolved slightly into the broth, making it a little thick and smooth. After a spoonful, that nutty flavor gently lingered in your mouth, so I kept wanting just one more spoonful, lol.

Tender chicken in a truly filling bowl

Above all, the chicken at Dream Samgyetang was really tender. The meat came away from the bone with just the lightest touch of chopsticks.

At some samgyetang places these days, you get a chicken that feels like chick size(?) lol. But Dream Samgyetang's chicken was quite large, and it had glutinous rice inside, so eating it with the broth was incredibly filling!

The ttukbaegi stayed warm right through to the end, so I could enjoy it piping hot until the last bite. Samgyetang really does taste best when it is steaming hot, haha.

The drumstick was nice and plump too—so satisfying to eat. We each polished off a whole bowl, and afterward I felt genuinely full and properly restored! When the temperature swings are big like they have been lately, or you are just low on energy, a piping-hot bowl of restorative samgyetang really is the best, haha.

Isn't it only a proper restorative meal once you finish with a cup of instant mix coffee? Hahahaha. Dream Samgyetang is right near Dongtan Station, so it is easy to reach, and parking is convenient too. It seemed like a good choice for a family meal out, a meal with your parents, or a work lunch. Next time, I want to try the perilla seed samgyetang or spicy abalone samgyetang that I missed this time, haha.