Weekend date dinner at a Deungchon tofu restaurant: Maetdolroman

I heard about a tofu restaurant that grinds domestic beans in a huge millstone every early morning, so I went to try Maetdolroman Deungchon Branch (맷돌로만 등촌점) myself. My boyfriend had been once before, so I was extra excited, and just as rumored, the tofu made with the huge patented millstone in the restaurant was even more nutty and rich than I expected. Here is the Maetdolroman set, where you can enjoy hot pot, pan-fried tofu, fresh tofu and more.

Where is Maetdolroman Deungchon Branch, and where do you park?

Maetdolroman Deungchon Branch is at 166 Gangseo-ro 56ga-gil, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, 250 m from Exit 6 of Yangcheonhyanggyo Station. If you drive, search for "Gyeongdong Mirwell Yangcheonhyanggyo 2cha" (경동미르웰 양천향교2차), park in the underground lot and walk up. It's free for 2 hours.

• Address: 166 Gangseo-ro 56ga-gil, Building 203, Units 113, 114, 115, Gangseo-gu, Seoul
• Hours: daily 06:00 - 21:00 (last order 20:40)
• Parking: free for 2 hours, search "Gyeongdong Mirwell Yangcheonhyanggyo 2cha" and use the underground lot
• Naver reservations available
• Breakfast available

I drove right past the parking lot entrance and just parked in the lot of a nearby shop that wasn't open, then walked over.

It was a weekend evening, and Maetdolroman sits on a quiet street. My boyfriend had visited once before and brought me here, saying this place is a real gem.

What is the giant millstone at Maetdolroman like?

The restaurant apparently has the world's first giant millstone with patented technology. I love tofu dishes and have been to plenty of tofu restaurants, but this was the first time I'd seen a real millstone, and especially one this big.

It would have been fun to watch it turning, but they grind the beans early every morning, and I'm a heavy sleeper, so I probably won't make it to see that... haha

Inside Maetdolroman: interior and atmosphere

They say the restaurant has about 90 seats, and it really did look quite spacious. The neighborhood doesn't get much foot traffic, but even on a weekend evening there were quite a few families having dinner.

There was also a sign about the benefits of fresh tofu: brain development, lower cholesterol, relief from constipation, prevention of prostate disease and so on. It's good for you, so just eat up!

In one corner there's a self-serve spot with unlimited sundubu (soft tofu). Ordering cheonggukjang (fermented soybean stew) at lunch and eating it with that sundubu would be so good.

How much is the Maetdolroman set and what's in it?

Maetdolroman requires one menu item per person. We ordered two Maetdolroman sets at ₩13,000 each, ₩26,000 in total.

I like all the à la carte dishes too, but the set lets you enjoy a variety of tofu, hot pot included, at a reasonable price, so we went with it.

The Maetdolroman set is a full table of five dishes, tofu hot pot, pan-fried tofu, fresh tofu, bossam (boiled pork wraps) and sundubu, plus side dishes! They make the sides fresh every day, and the selection changes daily. There's a self-serve bar in front of where the food comes out for refilling sides, but we were so full we didn't even think of getting more. haha

Pan-fried tofu

The thick pan-fried tofu was crisp on the outside, which made the already nutty tofu even nuttier.

Bossam and fresh tofu

The bossam and fresh tofu came on one plate. Wrapping the pork in pickled radish and dried radish strips, then eating the nutty tofu instead of rice, was surprisingly filling.

Unlimited sundubu

When I opened the warmer at the sundubu self-serve bar, there was soft, curdy sundubu kept warm inside, and you can scoop as much sundubu and soy sauce as you like into the bowls beside it. Such silky sundubu, and unlimited! A little of the soy sauce on top is tasty, but I love the plain mild nuttiness of the tofu itself, so just the sundubu was plenty delicious.

Dried shrimp and pollack tofu hot pot

The tofu hot pot in the set comes with three big blocks of tofu and different kinds of mushrooms! It arrived in a clear broth at first, but as it boiled, the seasoning paste underneath started to dissolve and the broth turned red.

It was packed with napa cabbage, onion, zucchini, enoki, king oyster and oyster mushrooms, so the sweetness was wonderfully refreshing, and the pollack and dried shrimp lifted the savory depth of the broth even more. The dried shrimp in particular were so generous that they covered the bottom of the pot after we ladled out the broth.

Can you take biji home from Maetdolroman?

Yes, you can take biji (soy pulp left over from making tofu) home. The golden rule at a tofu restaurant is to take the biji! They even kindly post a biji-jjigae (biji stew) recipe, so I grabbed a bag to make biji stew at home.☺️

Final verdict on Maetdolroman Deungchon Branch

Maetdolroman Deungchon Branch was a tofu restaurant with exceptional nuttiness from grinding domestic beans in-house. The Maetdolroman set in particular, with its generous tofu hot pot, bossam, fresh tofu, pan-fried tofu and unlimited sundubu, was a great deal in both taste and value. Add the clean, homestyle side dishes and it felt like a table made with real care, and the free biji was a memorable touch too.

I sincerely recommend it to anyone craving a gentle, hearty healthy meal or cozy home cooking, so do stop by for a meal near Yangcheonhyanggyo Station.