Mapo lunch shabu-shabu with clear broth: Deungchon Shabu Kalguksu

Shabu-shabu kalguksu across from Gaon Culture Park in Sangam

Deungchon Shabu Kalguksu has been famous for shabu-shabu for such a long time that there are probably very few people who do not know it. There used to be one in my neighborhood, so I would go whenever I craved it, but it disappeared at some point, and these days it feels like there are not as many branches as before. This one is easy to find on the second floor of the Woori Technology Building, right across from Gaon Culture Park in central Sangam, and the location is good for office workers looking for a Sangam-dong lunch spot too.

As soon as you enter the building, take the escalator on the right up to the second floor and Deungchon Shabu Kalguksu Sangam Branch is right in front of you. There are several chairs outside, too, so there is a waiting area where you can sit comfortably during busy times.

The dining room was more spacious than I expected, with quite a few tables. There are tables well suited to two or four people, as well as group seating for larger parties. Since Sangam-dong has so many nearby offices, it feels like it would get quite busy with office workers at lunchtime. It looked like a good place for a group to come for shabu-shabu kalguksu when deciding on lunch.

Ordering clear mushroom kalguksu and the best way to eat it

For mushroom kalguksu, you can choose spicy, perilla seed, or clear broth, at ₩11,000 per serving. ✔️✔️ One thing you absolutely need to check: the standard mushroom kalguksu does not include beef. Vegetables, kalguksu (knife-cut noodles), and fried rice are included, but if you want meat too, you need to order the 190g shabu beef separately for ₩11,000. I was craving a clean-tasting broth, so I ordered three servings of clear mushroom kalguksu and added one plate of shabu beef.

Each table has a kiosk, so you can order straight from your seat. The kiosk also explains in detail how to enjoy Deungchon Shabu Kalguksu, so it is not difficult even on a first visit. Once the pot starts boiling, turn down the heat so it does not overflow, cook and eat the vegetables and beef first, then drop in the noodles. After the noodles, of course, finish with fried rice.

Once you order, they set out kimchi, small plates, and water as standard. In the middle of the table is an induction unit that looks a bit like a pot trivet. There was a notice asking diners to use it in its fixed position; you set the pot on it and eat while everything bubbles away.

The fresh-style napa cabbage kimchi served as a side was not overly fermented, so it still had a crisp bite and was perfect with the kalguksu.

Soy sauce and wasabi are set out at every table, so you can make as much dipping sauce as you like. I love wasabi, so I mixed in plenty; its sharp kick was perfect for dipping the shabu beef and minari (water dropwort).

The ingredients for the fried rice you will stir-fry at the end arrive first. The rice is topped generously with finely chopped minari and vegetables, with an egg placed right in the middle—just looking at it immediately made me think of Deungchon’s classic finish, haha. The kalguksu noodles included with the three servings also come out alongside the fried-rice ingredients. They are fresh-style noodles, so you add them after finishing the shabu-shabu and boil them.

A clear broth loaded with minari and shabu beef

Finally, the main event: clear mushroom kalguksu. Since it was three servings, the pot was so full of minari it was practically overflowing, plus big chunks of potato and mushrooms—such a generous spread. I was used to only the red spicy version, so seeing it as a clear broth felt different in a good way. For lunch, a filling shabu-shabu kalguksu packed with vegetables like this is a great choice.

As it bubbled away, the aromas of minari and mushrooms really infused the broth. The clear broth in particular was so good: light but intensely savory, the kind of flavor that makes you keep spooning it up. I recommend the clear version at Deungchon Shabu Kalguksu in Sangam.

The fragrant minari and chewy mushrooms were delicious to fish out and eat, but the clear broth really was the best part.

I added one plate of shabu beef, 190g for ₩11,000. You just dip the thinly sliced beef into the boiling clear broth and cook it lightly; with minari and mushrooms alongside it, this was exactly the flavor I wanted, hahaha. Since the standard set does not include meat, adding beef is essential if you want the full beef shabu-shabu experience.

As the beef cooked, its flavor joined the clear broth and made it even richer.

The potatoes were cut into large pieces, and there were six in total. Since we ordered three servings, it seemed like two per person. The potatoes were nicely cooked and fluffy, soaked through with broth, and it was so satisfying to pick them out between bites of beef and minari.

Finishing with kalguksu, then fried rice

After eating a good amount of the vegetables and beef, it was time for the kalguksu I had been waiting for. Add the noodles to the remaining broth and let them bubble for about five minutes, and they are done. Because they cook in a broth deeply infused with minari, mushrooms, and beef, the noodles absorb all that flavor and taste even better.

Once you finish the noodles and ask for fried rice, a staff member takes the pot away and stir-fries it for you. It came back evenly mixed with egg, minari, and finely chopped vegetables, fried into separate fluffy grains. Even the lightly crisped bits stuck to the bottom were completely my style.

Parking and waiting information

Parking is free for one hour on weekdays and three hours on weekends and public holidays. Just tell them your vehicle number when you pay. After the free period, it costs ₩500 per 10 minutes, so it was a comfortable place to visit without too much parking worry. The country-of-origin information was clearly posted too: the shabu beef is from Australia and New Zealand, while the minari, oyster mushrooms, potatoes, napa cabbage kimchi, rice, and more are domestic.

When it is busy, you can also register for the waitlist through Catchtable. There was even Febreze by one side of the entrance, handy for a quick spray before leaving if you are concerned about food smells lingering on your clothes after the meal.

It had been a while since I last visited Deungchon Shabu Kalguksu, and the clear version was more satisfying than I expected. The clear broth simmered with loads of minari and mushrooms was genuinely delicious, and the added beef made for a hearty meal. With vegetables, shabu beef, kalguksu, and fried rice all served as a course, this is a place I would recommend if you are looking for a Sangam-dong restaurant or lunch menu.