Guwol-dong pub, Incheon: white kimchi samhap wraps at Daedongjip

What is Daedongjip Incheon Guwol Branch like?

Daedongjip Incheon Guwol Branch (대동집 인천구월점) is a Korean pub on Guwol-dong Rodeo Street in Namdong-gu, Incheon. Walk down Guwol-dong Rodeo Street and there are so many pubs, each with its own vibe and menu. Some catch your eye with flashy interiors, but some days you just want to sit down comfortably and enjoy a proper Korean spread, right?

This time I visited Daedongjip Incheon Guwol Branch. The name alone sounds homey, and when I got to the front, the exterior looked like an old alley tavern given a modern makeover.

The glowing sign, wooden window frames and little lights hanging under the eaves came together into a distinctive mood. What I ordered this time was Daedong Samhap. The name means a combination of three foods, so I was curious what it would be. Today I'll walk you through the space, the dishes and how to eat it, with my own photos.

Interior and seating at Daedongjip Incheon Guwol Branch

The wooden design stood out most, both outside and in. The sign above the shop said "a pub where you can have a meal," and once inside I sort of understood what that meant. A pub usually makes you think of a place to have a few snacks and a casual drink, but Daedongjip also had the feel of sitting at a table and calmly enjoying a proper meal.

The interior was built around dark wood tones and yellow lighting. Several black pendant lamps hung from the ceiling, and the walls had wooden decorations and window-shaped details. The tables and chairs were wooden too, so the whole space felt naturally connected.

I especially noticed the wooden partitions between tables. They don't separate the seats completely, but they give some separation from the next table, so it looked fine for chatting.

Each table has a tablet ordering device where you browse the menu and order. If you're looking for a place on Guwol-dong Rodeo Street to have a meal and a drink with friends, this setup seems quite practical.

What's on the Daedongjip menu?

The tablet menu was divided into bossam (boiled pork wraps), jeon (Korean pan-fried pancakes), noodles, specialties, stir-fries, soups, fried dishes, light snacks and sides. Within bossam alone, Daedong Bossam (medium), Daedong Bossam (large) and Daedong Samhap were listed separately.

Of all of these, I chose Daedong Samhap. Even in the tablet photo it looked like a lot of dishes on one table, and when the food actually arrived, a big round tray holding various plates caught my eye. It wasn't just a plate of meat; the side dishes came with it, so there was the fun of figuring out what order to eat in.

What comes with Daedong Samhap?

When Daedong Samhap arrived, the first things I noticed were the big slices of bossam and the thinly sliced skate sashimi (홍어회, hongeohoe).

Each food sat on the round tray, with various sauces and accompaniments in the middle. Going by the photos, the table had bossam, raw fish, white kimchi (baekkimchi), myeongi greens (wild garlic-like pickled leaves), tofu, spicy seasoned vegetables, garlic and chili peppers, and dipping sauces.

The bossam was sprinkled with sesame seeds and laid over lettuce. The skate sashimi was sliced thin and wide and layered on the plate, with a mix of pale pink and white that stood out.

Seeing meat and raw fish together on one table was the most interesting part of Daedong Samhap. You can eat bossam, add other ingredients, then combine the fish and vegetables, which is a different kind of fun from a meal focused on a single dish.

The bossam in Daedong Samhap

The bossam was cut to a good thickness, with clear layers of lean meat and fat. The surface was brown, and the cut side showed tender-looking lean meat and glossy fat. A generous sprinkling of sesame seeds added a nutty impression. Bossam pairs well with the white kimchi and myeongi greens served alongside.

If you taste the meat on its own first and then add vegetables and sauce little by little, the same meat tastes different. The clean taste of the lean part, the richness of the fat and the freshness of the vegetables alternated. The meat was laid neatly on a wide plate, so it was easy for several people to pick from.

The skate sashimi in Daedong Samhap

The other star of Daedong Samhap is the skate sashimi. It was sliced thin on a wide plate, topped with radish sprouts and red chili. If the bossam is the heavy, nutty side, the skate adds a relatively fresh texture.

Eating the fish on its own is fine, but eating it with other accompaniments showed off the charm of Daedong Samhap better. Put vegetables on the fish, add a little sauce, and several textures layer up in your mouth. I liked that even within one plate, the feel changes depending on how you combine things.

Side dishes like white kimchi and myeongi greens

The side dishes quietly caught my eye at this Daedong Samhap table. The white kimchi came with its leaves spread wide, and the myeongi greens were a deep green. The white kimchi cleansed the palate between meat and fish. The myeongi greens have a distinctive aroma and went well with the bossam.

The garlic and chili peppers were good for when you want a sharper flavor. Vegetables dressed in spicy seasoning came on a separate plate too, so you could combine them to taste. As the name samhap suggests, it doesn't end with enjoying each food separately; putting several ingredients together into one bite is the heart of Daedong Samhap.

How do you eat Daedong Samhap?

My favorite way to eat Daedong Samhap was to spread white kimchi on the bottom, then pile bossam, skate sashimi, spicy vegetables, chili and garlic on top and eat it in one bite. Of all the food photos, my personal favorite is the one of the layered ingredients made into a single bite. With so many different ingredients coming together, the colors were pretty vivid too.

The nuttiness of the meat, the soft texture of the fish, the crunch of the vegetables and the spiciness of the seasoning came together one after another. Adding myeongi greens changes the aroma too.

I also liked that you don't have to eat the ingredients on the table in a set way. First just meat and white kimchi, then fish and sauce, then a little of everything. Finding these combinations one by one was the fun of eating Daedong Samhap.

• Step 1: bossam + white kimchi
• Step 2: skate sashimi + sauce
• Step 3: bossam, skate sashimi, spicy vegetables, chili and garlic all piled on white kimchi for one bite
• Add myeongi greens to taste to change up the aroma

Why choose Daedongjip Incheon Guwol Branch on Guwol-dong Rodeo Street

Daedongjip Incheon Guwol Branch centers on Korean dishes and is set up well for sharing among several people. From familiar foods like noodles, jeon and bossam to various specialties and snacks, the range of choices looked wide. I was impressed that it keeps traditional Korean elements while adding modern convenience in the interior and the ordering method.

The space isn't overly formal, so it was easy to chat, and the lighting leaned toward warm rather than bright. You can visit mainly for a meal without feeling awkward, and it's a natural place to spend time slowly talking. If you're looking for a Guwol-dong Rodeo pub and care about atmosphere as much as menu variety, this is worth noting.

This visit to Daedongjip Incheon Guwol Branch was a chance to try various flavors and textures through Daedong Samhap. Eating bossam and raw fish separately is nice, but making new combinations with white kimchi, myeongi greens and spicy sides is what I remember most. The space also felt comfortable and homey thanks to the yellow lighting and wooden interior.

It's a place to think of on a day when you want to talk at ease over familiar Korean food rather than a flashy atmosphere. If you're looking up a Guwol-dong Rodeo pub, I hope these photos help show what Daedong Samhap at Daedongjip Incheon Guwol Branch is like. If you like spreading many dishes on one table and combining them little by little, as I do, Daedong Samhap is worth a look. It was a visit that let me feel an evening in Guwol-dong where a meal and a drinking session flow naturally into each other.