Suwon Station noodle restaurant at 10:30 open: extra-broth kal-nakji

Today I went back to a Suwon Station favorite with my mom after a long while, haha — Daseon Kalguksu Main Branch. In Suwon, if you don't know Daseon Kalguksu, people practically say you're out of the loop haha. Both mom and I had such a delicious meal that I wanted to share it here :-)

Daseon Kalguksu Main Branch hours and parking near Suwon Station

Daseon Kalguksu Main Branch is on Hyanggyo-ro in Paldal-gu, Suwon, and it's open daily from 10:30 to 22:00. There's a break time from 15:30 to 17:00, and you should check on last order before closing.

• Hours: Daily 10:30–22:00
• Break time: 15:30–17:00
• Last order: Check before closing
• Parking: No dedicated lot; if driving, use nearby paid parking

Right from the entrance the place gives off that old-school restaurant vibe, and it said "original hangover kalguksu" on the sign! I think they've intentionally kept that exact sign without changing it haha.

What the dining room looks like right at the 10:30 opening

This Suwon kalguksu favorite has an interior that's bigger and more comfortable than I expected. Since I went right at opening time, I got to photograph the whole place at once. Doing the opening run meant no crowds yet, so I could get clean shots of everything. Not many places around Suwon Station are open yet at this hour, so I'm extra happy this place opens early.

Ordering Daseon kal-nakji for two and a suyuk plate

Mom and I kept it simple and ordered dasean kal-nakji for two plus one bossam plate. I love bossam so I added that, and since kal-nakji seemed to be the signature dish, I went with exactly two servings — which is also the minimum order for it. You can choose the spice level and how much broth you want. I went with extra broth and the most basic, mild spice level.

Barley rice, seasoned radish and kimchi come with the meal

As soon as we ordered, barley rice came out — interestingly, we didn't order it separately, so I guess it's just standard. The barley rice had radish strips on top, and the crunchy bite of the radish strips went perfectly with it. The radish strips and kimchi also came out separately, so we could add as much as we wanted to season it to taste.

How does the suyuk plate at Daseon Kalguksu taste?

The bossam plate actually came out before the kal-nakji. The portion was bigger than expected and it looked great too. It came piled generously with bossam over chives and topped with sesame seeds, looking really appetizing.

The bossam had a nice balance of fat and lean meat, so it was tender yet light. It was delicious plain, and just as good wrapped in the kimchi that came alongside it.

How big and how spicy is kal-nakji for two?

While we were still picking at the bossam, the kal-nakji arrived pretty quickly, and I was shocked by how much there was. It came in a huge plate even though it was just two servings — I was genuinely surprised!! The color was super red so I worried it'd be really spicy, but it was milder than expected. I can only handle spice around the level of Shin Ramyun, and this was less spicy than that.

I wondered how the two of us would ever finish it, but somehow it was so delicious that we cleaned the plate. Mom actually ate even more than me — an amount that made me wonder if it was okay to eat that much haha. The noodles were really chewy and well-seasoned, tasting like an excellent bowl of kalguksu. I figured there'd be just a few pieces of octopus, but there was way more than expected. Along with the octopus, the clams were plentiful too — a truly fresh seafood kalguksu.

I had such a delicious meal at this Suwon favorite, the kalguksu specialist Daseon Kalguksu! From the price to the taste, everything about this place is appealing. If you love kalguksu and live in Suwon, you have to try this Suwon kalguksu favorite!!