Gangneung sundubu restaurant with parking out front: Jeong Eunsuk

Planning a Gangneung trip with my parents, I was trying to figure out where to go for lunch and ended up back at Jeong Eunsuk Chodang Sundubu (정은숙초당순두부).

I remembered the food being great and the staff being kind from my last visit, so I picked it again this time. Eating there again confirmed it: a clean dining room, convenient parking, and generous portions made it a solid choice for a family meal.

They have a set that lets you try chodang sundubu (soft tofu) along with several other dishes at once, which was perfect for visiting with my parents. This time, the four of us ordered the Chodang Myeongpum table.

Where is Jeong Eunsuk Chodang Sundubu, and how is the parking?

• Address: 200 Nanseolheon-ro, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do, South Korea
• Hours: Monday 8:00am–4:00pm (last order 3:00pm)
• Tuesday - Closed
• Wed–Sun 8:00am–6:30pm (last order 5:30pm)

Jeong Eunsuk Chodang Sundubu sits on Nanseolheon-ro in Gangneung, an easy stop for lunch during a Gangneung trip.

There's a parking lot right in front of the store, which made driving there easy, and a sign noted that if it's full, you can use the nearby Heo Nanseolheon parking lot.

Traveling with my parents, parking is always a bit of a worry when we're moving around, so having a dedicated lot felt reassuring.

Weekday 11am: no wait for lunch in Gangneung

This time I visited on a weekday around lunchtime, traveling with my parents and husband.

Arriving around 11am, the place was fairly quiet, so we could eat comfortably without waiting. As we ate, though, more customers started coming in, and by the time lunch hour got closer, we saw people waiting.

Since they open at 8am, it's also a good spot if you're looking for breakfast in Gangneung. Since it can get crowded around lunch, if your itinerary is set, it might be worth moving a bit earlier.

What comes with the Chodang Myeongpum table for 4 (25,000 won each)

There were five menu options in total, and this time we ordered the Chodang Myeongpum table for 4.

At ₩25,000 per person, the total for four came to ₩100,000, and the set included sundubu jjigae, tofu samhap (a tofu trio dish), and grilled kodari (dried pollock) — a good spread letting us try multiple dishes together.

With four of us eating, there was more than enough food, and overall the portions were quite generous. Rather than ordering just one dish, being able to try everything from sundubu to tofu dishes to kodari was great for a family meal.

Especially when visiting with parents, we tend to share a variety of dishes rather than picking one thing to suit a single person's taste, so this kind of set was really convenient.

Sundubu hot pot, tofu samhap and grilled seasoned kodari

Coming to a chodang sundubu restaurant in Gangneung, you obviously can't skip the sundubu.

The sundubu jjigae came out hot and kept bubbling away so you could eat it right as it simmered further. It was great for sharing among several people, and the portion was generous.

It was spicy and hearty, good for a hangover haha — with big chunks of crab in it, the broth had real depth.

The sundubu itself was soft and nutty, and my parents really loved it. Since a certified cooking master runs the place, you could tell the difference in the freshness and quality of the ingredients.

The tofu samhap combines tofu made from soybeans grown by Gangwon-do farmers, sikhae (fermented flatfish) tangy-and-sweet dressed with fresh flounder from the East Sea, and protein-packed bossam (boiled pork).

The bossam was well-boiled, soft, and nutty with no gamey smell — tasty even eaten plain.

Can you feel how tender it looks? Haha. Freshly served and warm, with a good ratio of meat to fat, I dipped it in salted shrimp and polished off two or three pieces on my own in no time.

On top of that, the side dishes were neat and clean, pairing well with the main dishes.

And then there was the grilled kodari (dried pollock in seasoned sauce) that got a thumbs up from my dad after one bite! It came out sizzling on a hot plate and stayed warm the whole time we ate.

The kodari had thick, meaty flesh well-coated in sauce, crispy outside and moist inside. Combined with the sweet-spicy sauce, it was great piled on top of plain rice.

Overall, the portion was plenty for four people, and we got to try a variety of dishes and eat until we were full. So if it's your first visit, rather than ordering several dishes separately, choosing a table set based on your party size — like we did — is a good approach.

Would we bring our parents back to Jeong Eunsuk Chodang Sundubu?

This time the four of us ordered the Chodang Myeongpum table and the portion was enough that we finished without ordering anything extra.

Next time, I'd like to either choose a table set based on party size again, or try some of the other menu items we didn't get to this time.

Especially if you're visiting as a group of four, keep in mind that the Chodang Myeongpum table for 4 alone lets you sample several dishes and eat plenty.