Solo lunch in Sindang, Seoul: 1++ hanwoo yukhoe at Palpalneoguri

Palpalneoguri Haejang: beef gukbap and hangover soup at Sindang Station Exit 1

I stopped by Palpalneoguri Haejang (팔팔너구리해장) for lunch after running errands around Sindang Station. It's right in front of Exit 1 and very close to Seoul Central Market in Sindang. I went on a weekday morning and was shocked at how packed it was. Yep, I found a good one~~~

Palpalneoguri Haejang opening hours and menu

On weekdays it's open from 10:30 AM to 10:30 PM, and on weekends and holidays from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Note that there's a break time on weekdays. There's no break time on weekends.

Inside Palpalneoguri: a bright, clean dining room

The place looks smallish at first, but it's actually big, roomy, clean and comfortable. It opened fairly recently, so it's a pleasant Sindang Station restaurant to eat in. I spotted a rice sack and it looks like they use Sindongjin rice. I can't wait to taste the rice.

Isn't the signature of a gukbap (rice soup) place its napa cabbage kimchi and kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi)? The red, well-fermented kimchi comes with spicy Cheongyang chili pickles that really get your appetite going.

1++ hanwoo yukhoe (Korean beef tartare)

I love meat, and I especially love yukhoe (seasoned raw beef). The yukhoe at Palpalneoguri Haejang even uses 1++ grade hanwoo (Korean beef), so it's fresh, tasty and high quality. I ordered it without hesitation, and wow, it's so good haha

They sell draft beer here too, and I wanted a cold beer with the yukhoe, but... I've been going alcohol-free lately, so I just enjoyed the yukhoe on its own.

It has great savory depth, and the seasoning isn't overdone. It's so good that I highly recommend it. The restaurant was quite full and lots of people were eating yukhoe, so I guess the ingredients turn over quickly. The beef was very fresh and top quality.

Beef udon gukbap with udon noodles and rice together

And here comes the beef udon gukbap~~~ Interestingly, its signature is that both udon noodles and rice come in the soup. If you're an office worker who wants a solid carb fill, I recommend the beef udon gukbap. It also has offal and beef in it, so picking through it is a lot of fun. There's quite a lot of meat~~!!!!!

The broth is made by really simmering the meat, and you can tell from the color and sheen alone that it's different. It's rich, hot and very good. On a hot day like this, with the air conditioning blasting cold air indoors, pouring hot broth into your body feels like the ultimate healing. I highly recommend it as a Sindang Station lunch spot, especially for eating solo.

I spooned up so much broth while eating that I got a refill. Sip after hot sip, the fatigue melted away, the stress disappeared and my stomach was full~~~ I really think I chose the right meal.

10% discount for wedding-invitation gatherings

Palpalneoguri is also running a discount event for wedding-invitation gatherings right now. Groups of 5 or more get 10 percent off the bill, so I highly recommend it for group dinners too.

Busy at weekday lunch, but fast turnover means no wait

It was very crowded at weekday lunch, but maybe because it's a gukbap place, the line clears quickly, so you can eat without waiting. That's its best selling point.