Nonsan Korean restaurant with private rooms: Sonamu Hanjeongsik

While visiting near Tapjeongho Lake in Nonsan with my parents, I found a restaurant I thought they would love, Sonamu Hanjeongsik (소나무 한정식), and we went! To give you the conclusion first, I was so happy with it that I thought bringing my parents here was such a good decision. I definitely recommend it if you are looking for a great restaurant in Nonsan!

Sonamu Hanjeongsik near Tapjeongho Lake in Nonsan

We made a reservation in advance and visited for dinner. True to its name, Sonamu Hanjeongsik has pine trees planted outside, and its old-house-style exterior gives it a lovely atmosphere.

There is a spacious parking lot in front, so we could visit comfortably without worrying about parking. Parking lots with gravel or dirt can be inconvenient, so I also loved that this one was neatly paved with stone!

One reason I could choose this place was that it has received a Blue Ribbon for three years running..!

Once we stepped inside, it felt even more like a hanok (traditional Korean house), and my parents loved it before the food had even arrived.

There were also so many private rooms. Each room has two four-person tables, accommodating two to eight people, while the group room can hold up to 40 people—truly an ideal gathering spot.

We were shown to a room at the end of the first floor. With windows on both sides, my mother loved looking out at all the lush greenery.

There is also a coffee vending machine by the entrance to enjoy before or after your meal.

The difference between the Gukhwa and Sonamu set meals

There are two menu options: the Gukhwa set meal at ₩30,000 and the Sonamu set meal at ₩43,000. The differences are snacks, marinated tomatoes, fried ginseng, and stir-fried octopus. Since we are light eaters, we ordered the Gukhwa set meal.

They first brought us hot towels. Wiping my hands with the lemon-scented towel was fragrant and such a nice touch.

A welcome course of pumpkin porridge and four banchan (Korean side dishes) arrived. The basic dishes included kimchi, oi muchim (seasoned cucumber), perilla-leaf pickles, and greens that seemed dressed in a perilla-seed sauce, though the side dishes vary each time.

All of these dishes, except for the final course, were set out in no time.

Ta-da ♥ Doesn’t it look truly abundant? While I was taking photos, my mother kept watching the dishes being set out and saying how plentiful and beautifully presented everything was. It made me feel so proud!

The Sonamu set meal is also beautifully served, but even the Gukhwa set meal we ordered came with lovingly prepared side dishes and an impressive variety.

A neat individual set meal with no sharing required

When doenjang-jjigae (soybean-paste stew), glutinous rice cakes, salad, and makguksu (buckwheat noodles) arrive in shared bowls, it can be a hassle to portion them out. Here, everything was served neatly as individual sets, so it was easy to start eating right away.

The glutinous-rice bukkumi pancakes were wonderfully chewy and delicious with honey brushed over them!

Everything was presented so neatly that I simply had to take individual shots. You could really feel the care that went into making every dish.

I had been craving noodles too, so getting fragrant perilla-oil makguksu with the meal felt like hitting the jackpot.

Braised beef ribs, grilled hairtail, and a well-balanced meal

The first side dish I tried was soy-marinated shrimp! Maybe it was because it was my first bite, but it was so good that I wanted to learn the seasoning sauce. It was not salty at all, yet perfectly seasoned—I could see why it had earned a Blue Ribbon.

From the moment I heard that the ribs had been cooked at a low temperature for 24 hours, I was sure they would be tender. They came with plenty of vegetables and looked so good that I understood why guests love the braised beef ribs here.

Once I tasted them, the seasoning had fully soaked into the meat without being overpowering, so I kept reaching for more! They were delicious over white rice and with the gingko nuts and shishito peppers that came alongside them.

Grilled hairtail is hard to make at home.. They use wonderfully plump fish, so it was tender with a lovely bite and delicious.

Among the soy-sauce-based dishes, the refreshing chicken breast and slightly spicy doenjang-jjigae kept the whole meal from feeling rich and balanced the flavors beautifully.

To finish, I ate the side dishes with nurungji (crispy scorched rice). Since none of the dishes were overly seasoned, I ate so much that I worried I might get indigestion, but it digested so well haha.

Even when you are full, you have to try the citron yokan jelly and Nonsan strawberry juice for dessert! The Nonsan strawberry juice was so delicious it tasted as though it had been made with only 100% strawberries—I would want to buy it again and again, so please try it!

When we came outside after finishing, the lights had come on, making the exterior feel even more atmospheric haha. The owner and staff were all kind, and I could feel care as well as flavor in the food, so I was satisfied from beginning to end! If you love Korean food or are visiting Tapjeongho Lake with your parents, I wholeheartedly recommend Sonamu Hanjeongsik, a great restaurant in Nonsan!