Namguro Chinese restaurant: chicken drumstick jjamppong at Deowok

Deowok's grand opening event means unlimited chicken porridge for free. This is a look at a Chinese restaurant in Doksan-dong, a jjamppong spot near Guro Digital Complex ("Gudi"), and a Namguro Chinese restaurant worth knowing.

What kind of Chinese restaurant is Deowok?

Deowok (더웍) is a newly opened Chinese restaurant specializing in jjamppong, on the first basement floor at 273 Digital-ro in Guro-gu, Seoul. They serve a whole squid jjamppong and a Samgyewang chicken drumstick jjamppong, both with an incredible look. On a day when I was desperate for a good bowl of jjamppong, I went to check out this newly opened Doksan-dong Chinese restaurant.

This jjamppong specialist is proud of its deep, rich broth built on beef bone stock simmered overnight. Right from the entrance, the signboards showing fresh ingredients and eye-catching bowls grabbed my attention.

Address: 273 Digital-ro, B104 and B105, Basement 1, Guro-gu, Seoul, South Korea

The menu

The course menu

What I ordered: the whole squid jjamppong and the Samgyewang chicken drumstick jjamppong.

Atmosphere, private rooms and the unlimited self-bar

The restaurant is tidy and comfortable, and the self-bar is unlimited. The moment I walked in, I was greeted by a clean, well-organized space. There are also separate rooms (like the Beijing Room) for a private meal, so it looked great for gatherings or company dinners too.

Overall it's pleasant, and the warm lighting makes it an easy place to relax over a meal.

One of Deowok's big draws is its unlimited self-bar.

• Nutritious chicken porridge, a restorative dish they say is carefully prepared every morning
• Geotjeori (fresh, unfermented kimchi) made with mustard greens, crunchy and sweet-spicy
• Fresh salad and pickled radish to whet your appetite before the meal

You can freely help yourself to side dishes and salad at the self-bar, so the meal got off to a happy start even before the main dishes arrived.

The salad with its tangy dressing and the clean-tasting pickled radish pair wonderfully with the heat of the jjamppong.

How do the whole squid and chicken drumstick jjamppong taste?

At last, the main dishes I'd been waiting for, the whole squid jjamppong and the Samgyewang chicken drumstick jjamppong, arrived at the table. One look at the bowls, filled to the brim, and I couldn't help exclaiming.

Whole squid jjamppong

An entire squid sits on top, nice and big.

Texture and flavor: the squid is chewy but not dry at all, and tender to bite. I cut it into bite-size pieces with scissors and dipped it in the broth, and the refreshing taste of seafood filled my mouth. The squid is seriously huge.

Noodles and broth: probably thanks to the deep beef bone broth simmered overnight, the soup isn't light at all. It's rich and spicy. The springy noodles soaked up the thick broth, and it was perfect down to the last bite.

🍗 Samgyewang chicken drumstick jjamppong (Bangyewang chicken drumstick jjamppong)

A jjamppong with a whole giant chicken drumstick in it, big enough to make you feel like you're eating a health tonic dish.

Meat and flavor: the chicken is so well simmered that the meat tears apart along the grain with just a touch of chopsticks. The savory, mild chicken blends with the spicy, rich bone-broth jjamppong soup for a deep flavor.

Filling power: thanks to the big chicken piece, you get plenty of protein, and after finishing the bowl I felt my energy restored. The drumstick jjamppong also comes with lots of squid by default.

The ingredients are good quality, so the taste is really clean.

Deowok's appeal, summed up in keywords

First, if you're looking for a Namguro Chinese restaurant, I'd recommend it without hesitation. It has the fundamentals of proper Chinese cooking, plus thoughtful touches like the chicken porridge and salad self-bar.

Second, among Gudi jjamppong places, its broth stands out. The deep, rich flavor of overnight bone broth combines with the smoky wok aroma and the flavors of seafood and meat, and it clears you right out.

Third, I think few Doksan-dong Chinese restaurants nail the look, the generous portions and the taste all at once. The impactful toppings, whole squid and giant drumstick, raise the jjamppong up a level.

Final thoughts

Deowok, a Namguro Chinese restaurant, is a place where anyone can eat happily thanks to its clean interior and self-bar. If you're a jjamppong fan wandering around looking for a good Gudi jjamppong spot, I recommend visiting to taste the essence of deep bone broth. Enjoy a hearty, satisfying meal with the special whole squid jjamppong and Samgyewang chicken drumstick jjamppong at Deowok, the Doksan-dong Chinese restaurant!