Moms' group lunch at Paldam Sundae, a Gimpo sundae-guk restaurant

If you live in Gimpo, you've probably heard of a truly famous spot that people hesitate to visit because of the waiting line~ As someone serious about sundae-guk (blood sausage soup), I couldn't just skip it, so I rounded up my close Gimpo mom friends and off we went, excited!

How to book Paldam Sundae Gimpo Main Branch: CatchTable from 9:30am

You can book in advance on the CatchTable app from 9:30am, and I really recommend making a reservation before you visit! Thanks to booking ahead carefully on CatchTable, we skipped the long, long waiting line and got seated right away, eating as soon as we walked in :)

It turns out this is a verified restaurant featured on many TV shows and visited by famous celebrities! The walls are covered in autographs and commemorative photos from celebrities, which was fun to look at too~

What's on the unlimited organ meat self-bar at Paldam Sundae

But there was something that caught our eyes even more than the autographs — the Paldam Sundae buffet system, where the self-bar offers unlimited organ meat refills! WOW, if you love organ meat, you'll be thrilled to come here~

The self-bar is packed full of generous, warm organ meat you can help yourself to as much as you like! Don't assume self-bar organ meat means lower quality — it's a real misconception~ There was zero off smell, and the chewy, tender texture was so alive that it was truly impressive!

Clear sundae-guk for the whole table, chili paste added midway

The moment I tasted the broth, I understood right away why this Seokmo-ri spot became famous by word of mouth! They simmer Korean beef bones and pork bones for a full 14 hours, resulting in a clean, deep, and mild broth with no odor at all~ They say they make handmade sundae daily in-store using specialty ingredients from all over the country! It's a combination of a patented sundae and a patented broth, so you can only taste this special, distinctive depth of flavor at Paldam~

We all ordered the signature clear sundae-guk together with my friends! Apparently the spicy version is a lot spicier than you'd expect~ There's also a nicely prepared spicy chili paste at the self-bar, so my tip is to start eating the clear sundae-guk plain, then add the chili paste to taste partway through for a spicier kick!

I took my first sip of the bubbling, milky broth — and it was already perfectly seasoned, so much so that you don't even need to add salted shrimp or salt, and the savory flavor just stuck to my mouth~ The organ meat inside the broth had zero smell and was so tender it melted smoothly in my mouth, it was unbelievably delicious ㅠㅠ

Kimchi and kkakdugi are at the self-bar too

What completes a great restaurant if not the kimchi??!? The kimchi and kkakdugi (radish kimchi) neatly laid out next to the self-bar were seriously delicious — a fantastic pairing worth at least two heaping servings! The crisp, refreshingly ripened kkakdugi and the spicy, savory fresh kimchi placed right on top of the milky sundae-guk broth and tender suyuk (boiled pork) — that combination was faint-worthy perfect~ It felt like the kimchi alone could finish off a whole bowl of rice!

What comes in the 5,000-won omakase set?

If you come to Paldam Sundae, I highly recommend just adding ₩5,000 more to switch to the omakase set! What you get for that extra ₩5,000 is unbelievably generous and upscale~ You get to try a whole variety — the spicy, tingling chili sundae made with specialty ingredients from all over the country, the savory standout blood sundae, and the deeply fragrant ginseng sundae!

Alongside that comes suyuk carefully boiled sous vide with plenty of medicinal herbs~ Maybe because of the sous vide method, the meat was unbelievably moist and tender, melting away with no chewing needed! Thanks to the omakase set, I got to fully experience the true value of this handmade sundae restaurant in one go~

Paldam Sundae Gimpo Main Branch, the Jangi-dong restaurant where I felt firsthand why it's so famous! With deep, rich Korean beef and pork bone broth, sous vide suyuk, and a generous unlimited organ meat self-bar, this meal lacked nothing~ If you're looking for a great sundae-guk restaurant in Gimpo, be sure to book ahead on CatchTable and enjoy the full course, including the omakase set!