Gangnam Chinese restaurant butter tangsuyuk course: Samsin Garosu-gil

Korean, Chinese, and Japanese fusion Chinese food in Garosu-gil

I visited Samsin Garosu-gil, a Chinese restaurant with course meals in Garosu-gil. I thought the name was unusual from the start, but when I actually went, I found that it fuses three cuisines: Korean, Chinese, and Japanese. Valet parking is available and there are rooms, so it seemed well suited to gatherings—and above all, the reasonably priced course-meal lineup felt like great value.

Samsin Garosu-gil location and parking

About a five-minute walk from Sinsa Station? It is also close to Apgujeong Station. I had something to do nearby that day, then made the most of a nearby café too.

Valet parking is available, so driving is fine too. Nearby parking lots are surprisingly pricey, so I used the Jamwon Hangang Park parking lot.

The entrance is up on the second floor, where there was also a comfortably arranged waiting area.

A two-floor interior and atmosphere

The restaurant spans two floors. The lower floor has four tables and two private rooms, while the upper floor has more seating and separate restrooms for men and women—so good, so good!

Overall, the teal and wood-toned interior felt distinctive from the Chinese restaurants I had usually encountered. Even the gently playing music seemed made with Samsin as its backdrop; its mysterious lyrics made the atmosphere even more memorable.

There was also an information sheet explaining how Samsin came to be, which made it feel like an especially unique experience.

Chinese courses starting at ₩25,000

There are various course meals, ranging from ₩25,000 to ₩125,000 per person, so if you have a gathering, the advantage is that you can choose according to the budget.

A great-value ₩25,000 course meal

It starts with crab soup. It was smooth with just the right thickness, and the occasional bites of crab meat were good, good.

Next came two dim sum dumplings per person. I dipped them in ginger soy sauce.

Tokyo tangsuyuk with melted butter

Next came Tokyo tangsuyuk (Korean sweet-and-sour fried pork), and how interesting is it that there is a pat of butter on top? With tangsuyuk, whether you dip it in sauce or pour sauce over it usually makes the style of a Chinese restaurant feel different. Personally, I am on team dip-it, you know? I want that crispy texture! But the Tokyo tangsuyuk in this Garosu-gil Chinese course is made by pouring on the sauce, melting the butter, and tossing everything together. It was my first time seeing a visual like this, so I was surprised.

You pour in the sauce and stir it well until the butter melts. I used a spoon or chopsticks to melt it, and because the bowl was so hot, it sizzled as everything was tossed together.

The tangsuyuk arrived very crisp and the vegetables were barely cooked, but as you add the sauce and toss it, the fried coating softens before you know it and the vegetables wilt too. One bite brought a rich buttery flavor, and the meat inside was thick, so personally, I thought it was the most impressive item in the course.

Choose jjajangmyeon or jjamppong for the meal

For the meal course, there are two noodle options: jjajangmyeon (noodles in black bean sauce) or jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup). The portions were small, perhaps because this was a course meal, but the flavors were not bad at all and were just right for filling you up.

The jjamppong I chose was loaded with broth and vegetables! Personally, I think jjamppong needs that wok-fired flavor to taste right, and I loved that the broth had it from the very first sip.

The noodles were springy and well seasoned—salty and spicy. Luckily, even I, someone who is weak with spice, could eat it because it was not too hot.

The jjajangmyeon was full of onions too! Interestingly, there were bites of potato throughout. It seemed to be a special menu with Korean flavor and character added in.

Finishing with tangerine syrup pudding

And even though this Garosu-gil Chinese course was only ₩25,000, the dessert played a big part in why I was satisfied. It was pudding with tangerine syrup. Sweet and soft, the pudding did a wonderful job of finishing off the meal. This was what left the deepest impression of Samsin as a restaurant for me: they put a lot of care into dessert, so I left satisfied right through to the end.

For a gathering or date that needs a room and valet

If you are deciding on lunch or Chinese food in Garosu-gil, Samsin has the advantage of offering course meals at various price points, so you can choose by budget. With its interior, atmosphere, and kind service, it was a place that left me feeling at ease after visiting, so I think I can recommend Samsin. It has been hard lately to find a restaurant near Sinsa Station or Apgujeong Station that really hits the spot, but if valet, rooms, and friendly service are priorities, it could be worth considering for a gathering or date.