Doganitang beef knee soup with 12 herbs, Hwaseong: Haga Naju Gomtang

A rainy autumn day that called for warm-you-up comfort food

Address 8 Maehyangseokcheon-ro, Woojeong-eup, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, 1F

With the news calling it an autumn monsoon these days, it's been raining so much that I've felt a bit stiff and unrefreshed lately. Looking for something warm and satisfying to restore my energy, I had the perfect chance to eat beef simmered with good herbal ingredients!

The place we visited is a well-known Hwaseong gomtang (bone broth soup) restaurant, Haga Naju Gomtang Hwaseong Woojeong branch.

Here's a restaurant that can wash away a whole day's fatigue! A Hwaseong gomtang spot that's fun no matter who you go with — family, friends, or a partner. It was so rich and deep I wanted to eat every last drop, yours and mine both. A flavor everyone can enjoy, regardless of age. The kind of taste you'll find yourself craving at least once a week. Even thinking back on it now, I wanted another bowl — that's how deeply satisfying it was. Not just the soup — even the chive salad was delicious. That was Haga Naju Gomtang.

Parking and the restaurant's atmosphere

There was plenty of parking space right in front of the restaurant (even I, a parking novice, managed just fine), so we parked comfortably and went in.

We visited around 2pm on a weekday, a bit past the lunch rush. I was surprised to find so many tables already filled inside.

The restaurant is divided into two sections, and both felt really open and spacious, without any stuffy feeling. There are tables with table-order kiosks, but you can also just tell the staff your order, which seemed convenient for anyone not comfortable using machines.

Menu and prices

There's a huge menu, and the incredible value stands out — a rice soup with Korean beef for under ₩10,000! On top of that, the broth is simmered for 24 hours with 12 herbal ingredients, so I couldn't not try it!

I also liked that you can conveniently grab extra banchan (side dishes) yourself whenever you want more. So here's what we ended up ordering:

• Doganitang (beef knee cartilage soup) ₩16,000
• Boiled pork with chive salad ₩16,000

Doganitang ₩16,000 — chewy cartilage, no gamey smell

My mom (whom I call "Ms. Eunhasu") really loves this dish. She'd always been looking for a place that does doganitang well, and this finally felt like we'd found it. The rich flavor really came through.

There was no gamey smell in the broth at all, and the subtle aroma of the herbs (not overpowering, just beautifully balanced) supported it from behind. Honestly, it was a depth of flavor I hadn't tasted anywhere else, yet not at all heavy.

The cartilage was truly generous and plentiful. Each piece of the doganitang meat held together perfectly, chewy and springy. Honestly, sometimes doganitang can be mushy at other places, and my partner ('Mujeok-i') doesn't really eat it much because of that texture.

But the doganitang here had Mujeok-i actively picking up the spoon to eat it. No mushiness — chewy, YES! You could naturally feel just how fresh the ingredients were and how much care went into it.

The seasoning was already just right, so it was plenty tasty without adding more salt — but sprinkling on a bit more made the flavor feel even richer, which was also nice. And they were generous with the rice, filling the bowl right to the top.

Boiled pork with chive salad ₩16,000 — meat wraps loaded with vegetables

Even Mujeok-i, who watches her diet closely, could eat this without a single worry — the boiled pork looked lean and high-protein, and the vegetables looked so abundant and fresh.

Wrapping the meat with all those vegetables and taking a bite — ah, it's genuinely delicious. It's healthy food, so why is it this tasty? I found myself curious about the secret — the tanginess, the just-right sweetness, and the gochujang (red chili paste)-based sauce wrapping it all together. I couldn't figure out what made it so special.

But that perfect ratio really is the expert's secret, I think. The fragrant sesame oil lifted the whole flavor to another level. It also pairs really well with rice as a side dish, and I'd bet it makes a great drinking snack too!

A Hwaseong gomtang restaurant good to visit with anyone

The moment we walked in, we could tell Haga Naju Gomtang truly is a restaurant everyone can enjoy, regardless of age. Tables full of kids, elders chatting cozily over their meals, and sweet couples — everyone looked like they were having a great meal. We too got to properly shake off our fatigue with a hot bowl of soup, making for such a warm, comforting day! It was so delicious that I really wanted to get some to take home.

Hours and parking information

• Hours: Daily 7am–10pm
• Parking: Very spacious parking available right in front of the restaurant.