Cheonan crab restaurant for family meals in a hanok: Kkotgeok

Kkotgeok’s hanok atmosphere, perfect for autumn

A hanok is especially lovely in autumn like this! I visited Kkotgeok Cheonan Yuryang-dong Branch (꽃게옥), with its exterior full of the quiet charm of a hanok, a traditional Korean house. Kkotgeok is a specialist restaurant for crab dishes made with Yeonpyeong-do blue crab.

It felt like I had come to a hanok village, so I was already in travel mode from the parking lot. They were also running a customer appreciation prize-draw event.

The exterior really is styled like a hanok village, and once you enter the building, the wood tones from the entrance onward give it a distinctly Korean elegance, right?

The spacious main hall had high ceilings and generous space between tables, which was nice because conversations at neighboring tables did not disturb us. Solid-wood tables, comfortable chairs, and chandeliers came together for a fresh atmosphere that felt a little like visiting a hanok café.

There were private rooms in various sizes, so it seemed great for family gatherings and for spending time with people who matter. High chairs and aprons were ready, too. Since there are takeout menus, ice packs and insulated bags were also on display.

Roe-filled set meals and Kkotgeok set menus

The takeout menu was listed separately with different prices.

The signature menu is the roe-filled set meal, including soy-marinated crab, spicy marinated crab, rice, soup, and side dishes. It requires an order for at least two people and costs ₩35,000 per person. There were also dishes such as boiled pork served with marinated crab, a dried yellow corvina set meal, and Yeonpyeong-do crab stew, plus add-ons including soy-marinated crab, spicy marinated crab, marinated prawns, sous-vide boiled pork, and dried yellow corvina.

There were three Kkotgeok sets that added dried yellow corvina, sous-vide boiled pork, or crab stew to the roe-filled set meal. The Kkotgeok Emperor Crab set, with roe-filled soy-marinated crab and marinated prawns, also seemed ideal for anyone who only loves soy-marinated crab.

I also photographed the country-of-origin sign. As you would expect from a Yeonpyeong-do crab specialist, the soy-marinated crab and crab stew use domestic crab. Rice is so important at marinated-crab restaurants, and the rice here is domestic too.

I thought this was a self-service bar and brought bowls over because I needed more side dishes, but a staff member served them for us: bean sprouts, zucchini, and seasoned bellflower root.

Soy-marinated and spicy marinated crab in a three-person set

There were three of us, and we wanted to try a variety of dishes with a Kkotgeok set, but the set is designed for two people. The policy is one menu per person, and adding more seemed like far too much food, so we ordered three regular set meals.

The three-person Kkotgeok set meal came with three female soy-marinated crabs and three spicy marinated crabs.

The meal included side dishes, soup, and individual bowls of rice, though the soup was seaweed soup and I had set it aside, so I could not photograph it together.

The spicy marinated crab came with minari (water celery), while the soy-marinated crab tasted freshly made. Every crab was full of roe, and the flesh was plump and packed in. The soy-marinated crab was especially delicious drizzled with sesame oil.

Even the shells were full of tomalley, so they were great mixed with rice.

The spicy marinated crab was quite hot, with the spicy flavor stronger than the sweetness. It really made me want more rice.

It was even more delicious with sesame oil drizzled over that spicy flavor.

Seaweed soup and neatly prepared side dishes

Even just wrapping roasted seaweed in the soy marinade from the crab is so delicious, haha. The seaweed soup included with the set meal came in a large bowl filled to the top. We were given bowls to serve ourselves, and the seaweed had simmered down beautifully, so it was delicious.

True to its reputation as a good Korean restaurant in Cheonan, Kkotgeok Cheonan Yuryang-dong Branch seemed to prepare every side dish with care, starting with the seaweed soup. Everything was seasoned just right, so we enjoyed not only the soy-marinated and spicy marinated crab but all of the food. Since the seaweed soup was so good, I think the signature crab stew must be wonderful too—next time, I want to try it~

The gat kimchi (mustard-leaf kimchi) was fresh rather than deeply fermented, and I liked that fresh feeling. It had been a while since I had stir-fried seaweed stems, and these were deliciously salty and nutty. White kimchi and stir-fried fish cake were served as well.

The seasoned zucchini had absorbed its seasoning nicely and was not too soft, with a pleasing bite. The seasoned bellflower root was crisp and tasty; perhaps because the bitterness had been removed well, even the children enjoyed it.

With the seasoned bean sprouts and a bite of each side dish alongside the rice-stealing soy-marinated and spicy marinated crab, one bowl of rice disappeared in no time. The japchae (stir-fried glass noodles) did not have lots of vegetables, but it was moist, chewy, not overly sweet, and tasty.

Spicy marinated crab and rice mixed in a crab shell

The bouncy spicy marinated crab was seasoned deliciously all the way into the flesh, and it was great placed over rice.

Even the legs were full of meat. The fresh minari worked beautifully with the sauce; when the sweet, tasty flavor turned a little spicy, having rice and seaweed soup alongside it felt completely like being at an excellent Korean set-meal restaurant.

I even squeezed half a spicy marinated crab straight onto white rice with my hand and ate it in one bite. The sweet crab meat, spicy sauce, and the sweetness of the rice that emerged as I chewed were truly delicious.

This is the highlight of eating soy-marinated crab, right? Simply mixing its soy marinade with white rice and a little sesame oil is so good. I put rice into the crab shell and mixed it up. The rich tomalley had no fishiness, and the savory saltiness of the soy marinade went perfectly with white rice.

Drinks and hanok scenery after the meal

Mint candies were prepared for dessert.

Ice was ready so we could enjoy pomegranate juice, maesil (Korean green-plum) juice, and coffee cold. With ample parking, a lovely mountain behind it, and the atmosphere of a hanok, Kkotgeok offers scenery that changes with the seasons! It would be nice to return in autumn for delicious crab and fall foliage, too.

If you are looking for a comfortable place to eat with family in Yuryang-dong, Cheonan, or somewhere suitable for hosting guests, I recommend Kkotgeok, with its spacious, comfortable hall and well-equipped private rooms.