Sunday lunch army stew by Yeongtong Station: Songtan Daegwang

Where is Songtan Daegwang Budae Jjigae Yeongtong branch?

Songtan Daegwang Budae Jjigae Yeongtong branch (송탄진대광부대찌개 영통점) is a budae jjigae (army stew) restaurant on the 2nd floor of Magic Plaza, near Yeongtong Station. On Sunday we were wondering what to eat for lunch, craving something hot and soupy, so we headed straight to Jin Daegwang, already famous as a budae jjigae place near Yeongtong Station.

The Magic Plaza building is where one of my longtime regular shops is, so it's a neighborhood I'm happy to be back in.^^

Free rice refills and a self-serve side bar

The rice is free to refill~^^ and extra side dishes are self-serve, which is great~

Atmosphere and seating

The place felt clean as soon as we walked in, and the tables are spaced widely, so eating was comfortable. The mix of tile floors and wooden tables gives it a quietly retro vibe, which made the mood even nicer. Maybe because it was weekend lunch, there were lots of families and couples, so it really felt like a proper Korean restaurant near Yeongtong Station.

What did we order? Daegwang budae jjigae for 2 and a ramyeon add-on

Two Daegwang budae jjigae and a ramyeon add-on, please~

The basic side dishes are set out quickly, and the pickled radish, kimchi and fish cake came out neatly, easy to eat without any fuss.

The noodles are Jin Ramyeon! Mmm, my mouth is watering. haha

While waiting I looked around the shop, and the menu photos and poster-style decorations on the wall were surprisingly fun to look at.

Let's eat!>.<

A budae jjigae specialist where you don't have to think about the menu

Songtan Daegwang Budae Jjigae Yeongtong branch basically stakes everything on budae jjigae, so you just order by the number of people and you're done. The moment we sat down, I realized there was no menu worry at all. Having it fixed like this is actually more comfortable than agonizing over lots of choices. So we ordered the stew right away and waited.

This came as a freebie.>.< Thank you for the acorn jelly soup (mukbap-style muk sabal)~^^

How does Jin Daegwang budae jjigae taste?

Jin Daegwang budae jjigae comes generously loaded with different kinds of ham and sausage, plus rice cakes and vegetables. The main event finally arrived, and the look of it was seriously the real deal. Just looking at it made me feel full.

A variety of hams~^^

Once the broth starts boiling, a spicy aroma rushes up, and you honestly can't resist it. Watching the broth color deepen as it simmered on the flame raised my expectations. I took a spoonful, and it's exactly the classic budae jjigae taste you hope for. It's deep and rich without being too harsh, perfect with rice.

There's fun in picking out the hams and sausages one by one, and eating them with the rice cakes gives a nice texture, so my chopsticks kept going back. Best of all, the broth keeps simmering and getting richer, so from the middle on you get totally absorbed. A bowl of rice vanished in no time. At this level, I have to admit it deserves its reputation as a budae jjigae place near Yeongtong Station.

Is the ramyeon add-on a must?

At Jin Daegwang, I'd say the ramyeon add-on is nearly a must. Once the noodles go in and simmer, the broth soaks into them and the flavor really comes alive. A bite of the chewy, firm ramyeon is seriously satisfying. Eaten with the scallions and vegetables, the balance is good and I never got tired of it to the end. By the last bites we had nearly finished the broth too.

Songtan Daegwang Budae Jjigae Yeongtong branch: worth going back?

Songtan Daegwang Budae Jjigae Yeongtong branch doesn't compete on menu variety; it's a place that brought its one dish, budae jjigae, to a high level~! The broth is well balanced, the ingredients are solid and the portions are generous, so the value is decent too. Best of all, it's near Yeongtong Station, so it's easy to get to and easy to come back to.

If you're looking for a budae jjigae place near Yeongtong Station, it's worth a visit at least once, and I think it's a satisfying choice for anyone seeking a Korean restaurant near Yeongtong Station. Thanks for the meal.^^