Chicken stew for 2–3 & potato bibimbap in Hadae-dong, Jinju: Tongkeun

I found the place I'd think of first whenever I crave something spicy in Hadae-dong, Jinju. It's Smope Yangnyeom Tongdak & Tongkeun Sotddukkeong Dakbokkeumtang Jinju Hadae branch (통큰솥뚜껑닭볶음탕 진주하대점), and the name alone has serious presence, right?

What are the opening hours?

The restaurant is open daily from 16:00 to 01:00 the next day, with last order at 23:30. It stays open from dinner until late, so it's a good stop when you want something spicy late in Hadae-dong.

What are the atmosphere and self-bar like?

The red sign stands out from far away, so finding it wasn't hard. At the entrance there's a notice saying they use only 100% domestic fresh meat, which gave me a lot of trust in the ingredients.

Stepping inside, the unusual interior caught my eye first. Instead of ordinary tables, there are big oil drums with cast-iron pot lids sitting right on top, and it felt like being at an outdoor campsite.

On one side there's a neatly kept self-bar where you can grab extra side dishes, and the whole place was pleasant and clean, which I really liked.

What comes with the pot-lid set?

If you order the pot-lid set, the main dish comes with a potato pancake and a perilla oil fried egg. I took my time reading the menu, and the single dishes look solid too, but I wanted to taste a bit of everything, so I chose the set. It seems like a great choice for value as well.

After ordering, neat basic side dishes arrived along with a hefty cast-iron pot. A black pot lid on a shiny stainless steel table already gave off a proper must-visit vibe.

Perilla oil fried egg and potato pancake

The perilla oil fried egg from the set hit my nose with a nutty aroma the moment it arrived. Maybe because they use plenty of perilla oil, it had much deeper flavor than a regular fried egg, and it was perfect for protecting your stomach before the spicy chicken stew.

While the chicken stew simmered down, I tried the golden potato pancake. The potato is thinly shredded, so it was crispy like a cracker outside and chewy inside, and dipping it in the chicken stew broth was a perfect match.

What are the basic side dishes like?

The basic side dishes were young radish kimchi (yeolmu-kimchi), sweet potato stems, stir-fried anchovies and stir-fried fish cake, and every one was clean and tasty in a home-cooked style. The crunchy young radish kimchi was nicely fermented and refreshed my mouth. The sweet potato stems were salty yet sweet, great for picking at between bites.

The crisp stir-fried anchovies had a nutty taste kids would surely love. Add the sweet and spicy stir-fried fish cake, and I felt I could finish a bowl of rice before the main dish even arrived.

How does the pot-lid chicken stew for 2–3 people taste?

Pot-lid chicken stew for 2–3 people — an overwhelming pot-lid performance

The pot-lid chicken stew is first cooked in the kitchen, so at the table you only need to simmer it down a little more. When the long-awaited main dish finally arrived, bubbling on top of a huge cauldron lid, all I can say is that it looked overwhelming. Even the waiting felt like a fun performance.

The special fish cake skewers

One of the specialties is the fish cake skewers. The fish cake, soaked in spicy sauce, felt like eating the famous red fish cake. It's fun to slide them off the skewer one by one, and the springy texture would make them a perfect drinking snack too.

Domestic chicken thigh meat

The chicken, the star of the dish, was seasoned through to the center and so tender. It's domestic chicken thigh, so it was clean with no gamey smell, and the deep savory flavor of the thickly reduced sauce was addictive, making me keep reaching for more.

Finishing with rice and seaweed flakes

To finish, I added an order of rice for fried rice and seaweed flakes. A Korean meal can't end without it, right? Just seeing white rice piled with seaweed flakes made me feel full and happy. Mashing the soft, fluffy potatoes and meat into the rice and mixing it all together was pure bliss.

Who is this Hadae-dong restaurant for?

Among chicken stew spots in Hadae-dong, Jinju, I think this is the only one that delivers both a show and a good meal. With generous portions and a thoughtful set, I can confidently recommend it for family dinners as well as get-togethers with friends.