Sangye Station gamjatang with perilla oil makguksu for three: Somunnan

On muggy, hot summer days, you inevitably crave something hearty and deep in flavor to restore your energy. Gamjatang (spicy pork bone stew), with its abundance of soft meat clinging to the bone, is a soul food classic that never gets old no matter how many times you eat it.

A while back I went with friends to Somunnan Gamjatang, a restaurant famous for having held its ground near Sangye Station for a long time. Even from the outside, you could feel the years of experience baked into the place, so expectations were high before we even walked in.

That day, the three of us — all women — ordered the small gamjatang along with the specialty perilla oil buckwheat noodles, and we walked out stuffed. Let me break down the generous portions, the thoughtful service, and an honest verdict on the taste.

What kind of place is Somunnan Gamjatang near Sangye Station?

Location: near Sangye Station, Sangye-dong, Nowon-gu, Seoul (walking distance from the exits) Features: a long-standing neighborhood favorite near Sangye Station, delivery and takeout available Note: word-of-mouth among locals is so strong that a second branch has opened near another exit of Sangye Station (same taste and portions as the original)

Somunnan Gamjatang is a fixture near the Sangye Station food alley. Famous for its lunchtime haejangguk (hangover soup) in Nowon, it's such a beloved local spot that a second branch has recently opened a short distance away, near a different exit. Apparently that branch sticks to the exact same recipe and generous portions as the original, so you can just visit whichever is more convenient.

Stepping inside, the place has that cozy, homey diner atmosphere. The owner and staff greeted us warmly, and their friendliness made a great first impression as we sat down.

Is the ₩36,000 small gamjatang enough for three?

The small gamjatang at Somunnan Gamjatang costs ₩36,000, and it was generous enough that the three of us got completely full off just that one order. We agonized over the menu, torn between the spicy-sweet braised bones or the deep, cooling broth of gamjatang, and ultimately went with the restaurant's signature small gamjatang.

You'd think three women visiting would need to order the medium size for a comfortable amount, but true to the regulars' reviews, the base portion here is enormous. Even the small size arrived in a huge hot pot that looked ready to overflow — impressive at first sight alone.

Hearty meat and bone pieces: inside the pot were about 5 large bone pieces. These weren't scrawny bones either — the meat clinging to each joint was thick and substantial, falling off in chunks with just a light tap of the chopsticks.

Amazingly seasoned broth: the broth, infused with perilla powder and perilla leaves, was mildly spicy yet deep and rich. It wasn't overwhelmingly spicy or heavy — instead it was clean with a savory depth, striking a great balance whether you're pairing it with drinks or eating it as a full meal. The seasoning soaked all the way into the meat, so we never got tired of it.

What side dishes come with the gamjatang?

Delicious kimchi: isn't kimchi and kkakdugi (radish kimchi) the most important part of any gamjatang restaurant? These side dishes were genuinely great. The pickled onions, fresh cabbage salad, and kkakdugi were all bowl-stealers alongside the gamjatang.

The highlight: tearing the fresh sujebi dough in yourself

One huge upside of Somunnan Gamjatang is that when you order the gamjatang, they give you a ball of fresh dumpling dough as a standard side to add in.

This isn't the stiff frozen sujebi (hand-torn dough soup) or premade toppings you'd typically find at regular restaurants. It's genuinely fresh, well-kneaded dough — you put on a glove and tear off thin pieces yourself, dropping them straight into the boiling broth, in a wonderfully old-school way.

Personally, I'm a sujebi fanatic, so this scored major points with me. The chewy, springy texture of hand-torn sujebi once it's soaked up the broth was on a completely different level compared to store-bought versions. Scooping up the thickened broth along with the dumplings was seriously addictive.

How to ask for a broth refill when the pot reduces

As we kept simmering the gamjatang and pulling out meat and sujebi to eat, the broth eventually reduced down and the seasoning got a bit strong. We asked the owner if we could get more broth, and they very kindly topped it up generously. It wasn't just plain water either — they poured in their signature deep-flavored broth, so we could keep eating cleanly with the same savory taste as the start. If you visit, don't hesitate to ask for a broth refill once things reduce down!

Perilla oil makguksu, ₩12,000: how is it as a summer dish?

The perilla oil buckwheat noodles at Somunnan Gamjatang cost ₩12,000 and came with a refreshing cold buckwheat broth on the side — a fantastic palate cleanser for summer. The traditional finish to gamjatang is fried rice cooked in the rich leftover broth with roasted seaweed flakes, right? We fully intended to order that too, but the bones were so substantial and the portion so generous, plus we'd already dug into every bit of the sujebi, that we were too full to even think about frying rice.

But with the heat outside, we were craving something that would cleanly and coolly refresh our palate. After agonizing between the cold buckwheat noodles and the perilla oil buckwheat noodles on the menu, we went with the latter as an extra order.

Nutty, satisfying noodles: the buckwheat noodles came topped generously with roasted seaweed flakes and sesame seeds, with the subtle aroma of perilla oil spreading over the noodles. Mixed together and taken in one bite, the slightly snappy texture of the buckwheat noodles paired beautifully with the nutty, salty seasoning — a fantastic specialty dish. It was the perfect choice to cleanse the palate after the gamjatang.

A thoughtful touch — complimentary cold buckwheat broth: what I found especially thoughtful was that ordering the perilla oil buckwheat noodles came with a complimentary serving of chilled buckwheat broth topped with slivers of ice. Taking a sip of that cold broth between bites of noodles instantly melted away the summer heat. The broth was so deep in flavor that I thought I might come back just to order the cold buckwheat noodles on their own next time.

Verdict on Somunnan Gamjatang

• Taste and composition: the meat on the bones is very substantial and the broth's seasoning balance is excellent. Getting fresh, steamed hand-torn sujebi dough instead of frozen sari as a standard topping is a genius touch.
• Portion: three women were completely full off just one small gamjatang (unless you're a big eater, the small size is plenty — enough that we regretted not being able to finish with fried rice).
• Side dish: the perilla oil buckwheat noodles come with a nutty flavor plus a cooling buckwheat broth, making it a strongly recommended summer side dish.
• Service: the owner and staff are extremely kind, with thoughtful touches like broth refills. Takeout and delivery are also available, making it convenient for locals.

As befits a longtime neighborhood favorite that's held its ground and won locals' hearts for years, this restaurant has solid fundamentals across taste, portion, and service. If you're near Sangye Station looking for a hearty, generous bone soup specialist, Somunnan Gamjatang is well worth a visit.