Dalseo, Daegu pork soup restaurant: tender boiled pork at Ungjin

Parking and visit information near Gamsam Station

Ungjin Dalseo Dwaeji Gukbap (웅진달서돼지국밥) is just a short walk from Exit 3 of Gamsam Station. A friend had recommended it and kept saying we had to go, and I finally made time for a visit. There is no dedicated parking lot, so we parked at Duryu 3-dong Temporary Public Parking Lot and walked over; I expect it is probably nearly impossible to find parking there around dinner time.

There seems to be enough room in front of the restaurant for about one or two cars, but using the parking lot would be much better.

The restroom is outside the restaurant, on the right. There is a passcode, so you need to remember it before heading out. Ungjin Dalseo Dwaeji Gukbap works hard from morning until dawn, Monday through Saturday. It seems just right for when you want gukbap (pork-and-rice soup) late at night. Once inside, I saw plenty of customers coming not only for a meal but also for a drink. A shot of soju with soup—so good, right?

Ungjin Dalseo Dwaeji Gukbap says it carefully simmers broth for over 15 hours using 100% Korean pork bones. I suppose the owner prepares it with care in the broth room, clearly visible from both outside and inside the restaurant, then serves it to customers.

A restaurant for groups and families with children

There were plenty of seats inside, so it looked more than capable of hosting group gatherings. The whole restaurant felt neat and clean, which I really liked. It does not say self-service bar, but they said you can either call a staff member or help yourself, so I think you can comfortably get extra side dishes from the back.

There was a well-rounded selection, from hearty meals such as pork gukbap, sundae gukbap, offal gukbap, boiled pork set meal, spicy gukbap, and special assorted gukbap, to good drinking snacks including boiled pork, chilled boiled pork, sulguk, seasoned osori meat, and sundae.

Salt, pepper, and perilla seed powder were set out at every table, so you can add them to your gukbap however you like when it arrives.

Yoon-ttri had stayed awake late that day, so we came out together for dinner. A high chair was ready, so we could sit the baby comfortably with us. (These days, if there is no high chair, it is so, so hard........ She just will not stay still.....)

Ordering the boiled pork set meal and pork gukbap

Following my friend's recommendation, we had to order one boiled pork set meal, then added a regular pork gukbap too. The side dishes arrived neatly and cleanly arranged. I always pay attention to the condition of the vegetables, and these passed the test. The garlic, onion, and peppers in particular were fresh—good! I tend never to return to places that give you yellowed, smelly garlic, but everything here was fresh and satisfying.

The main dishes, the boiled pork set meal and pork gukbap, were also served in a neat spread.

(That salted shrimp in the middle was the real kicker.... Looking at it this late at night is making my mouth water. Familiar flavors are dangerous....)

Thinly sliced meat in the pork gukbap

My husband has been starved for a proper home-cooked meal lately because I have not been able to make one for him properly, so I gave him a hearty bowl of pork gukbap. Unlike the rough-looking pieces of meat commonly found in pork gukbap, the pork here was thinly sliced, which made it stand out. Fold a slice up and eat it with salted shrimp, garlic, and peppers, and it is tender and pleasantly chewy, almost like eating boiled pork. The balance of lean meat and fat was good too, so the texture was satisfying. The unseasoned broth was rich and savory on its own, but season it with salted shrimp, pepper, salt, and dadaegi (spicy seasoning paste), then mix in rice, and it is perfectly seasoned and wonderfully savory. Pork gukbap really is delicious whenever you eat it.

The tender, odor-free boiled pork set meal

The boiled pork set meal came with nutty, thinly sliced pork shoulder. From the first bite, it was so delicious—not only was it tender, but there was no porky smell at all!! I was seriously, seriously satisfied!! Especially when I added a little of the seasoned salted shrimp in the middle, the savory depth came alive and it was so good. Wrap it in lettuce with garlic, peppers, onion, and salted shrimp, and it is insanely delicious too!

When you order the boiled pork set meal, you get not only the boiled pork but also a savory broth with lean meat in it. It is not as much as a single serving of pork gukbap, but there is more than enough to mix with rice. If you want to eat it like pork gukbap while having the boiled pork, season it and enjoy it this way. You get to enjoy both boiled pork and pork gukbap flavors—I wholeheartedly recommend the boiled pork set meal⭐

This was extra broth they gave us as a service. Since we had a baby, I wondered if they gave it to us so we could share it. They did not say anything specifically, but I was so, so grateful for the thoughtful gesture.

While Mom and Dad were eating, our little one was having freeze-dried strawberries. I gave her one bite of boiled pork, and her eyes got huge; she kept going, “Ah~ ah~ ah~,” so I could not concentrate on my meal.....^^* The pork shoulder was so, so tender that I could feed it to the baby comfortably without worrying at all. I thought that even when we come again, we can order the boiled pork set meal and share it together. This late dinner proved my friend's recommendation was not for nothing. The pork gukbap was delicious too, but for me, the boiled pork set meal was genuinely the most satisfying. Tender pork shoulder with no off smell. I still cannot forget that flavor. Ungjin Dalseo Dwaeji Gukbap made me think I should stop by again soon just for the boiled pork set meal. Definitely an excellent gukbap spot in Dalseo, Daegu👍