Andong Korean restaurant for jjimdak and salted mackerel: Gilpung

I had a reason to go to Andong this time, and the thing I worried about most was: what should I eat when I get to Andong? The first thing that comes to mind is Andong jjimdak (braised chicken)! I wanted to properly try Andong’s signature foods, so after looking around, I visited Gilpung (길풍).

Gilpung is also known for Andong heotjesabap, and I heard it had even been featured on TV, so it was a place I’d been curious about for a trip itinerary!

Gilpung location, exterior, and interior

It’s in a great spot for anyone traveling around Andong’s Hahoe Village or Byeongsanseowon.

Is parking convenient?

Gilpung has a large dedicated parking lot, so it was easy to visit by car. Most people traveling around Andong as a family will be getting around by car too, so this seems really convenient!

A good place to choose Andong’s signature dishes

The restaurant is much bigger than I expected, too.

When I went inside, I was surprised again by how large it was haha. There are lots of seats and plenty of space between tables, so it looked good for visiting with family or taking your parents out for a meal. A lot of people come to Andong for family trips, after all.

It isn’t just jjimdak: you can try a range of Andong specialties, including heotjesabap, Andong salted mackerel, and Andong jjimdak, so it should be easy to pick dishes even in a larger group! It also looked like a great fit for anyone looking for Andong heotjesabap and a place for a family meal.

You can buy Andong specialties too

They sell Andong soju in one corner of the restaurant, too. There were several alcohol strengths, so it was fun to browse. If you come to Andong and wonder, “What should I buy as a gift?” picking up a bottle of Andong soju after your meal could be nice!

Andong salted mackerel is also sold in takeaway packs! I found it fascinating that salted mackerel is such a famous local food despite Andong being an inland area with no sea. If you try it on your trip and like it, it looks great to take home in a packaged version. They also sell sikhye (sweet rice drink), so browsing foods to remember your Andong trip by is fun too haha.

A table full of food, starting with the side dishes

One thing I especially liked about Gilpung! According to the restaurant’s notice, it makes and serves its own side dishes, including kimchi. It also emphasized that it does not use Chinese-made kimchi. At Korean restaurants like this, the side dishes matter as much as the mains—and here, everyone is going to be stunned from the moment the side dishes start arriving...

• Small Andong jjimdak
• Salted mackerel set for 2

Not just the main dishes—the owner’s hands kept going back and forth haha.

The whole table was absolutely packed haha.

When you’re in Andong, you have to eat jjimdak ♥

What comes to mind when you think of Andong? Jjimdak, hehe. From the moment I planned this trip, I thought I had to eat it at least once. The glass noodles were completely soaked in sauce, and with chicken and vegetables too, it made for such a satisfying meal. Having jjimdak on the table really made it feel like I’d come all the way to Andong haha.

Glass noodles are the heart of jjimdak. The chicken is delicious too, but you simply can’t resist those noodles in jjimdak. Grab a huge bundle of sauce-soaked noodles, then take a bite of rice... carbohydrates plus carbohydrates, the best combination 👍 If you visit as a family, it also seems great to order one jjimdak and share it.

Salted mackerel and salted squid: such a good combination

Another thing I was curious about was Andong salted mackerel. Grilled fish makes the house smell and takes a lot of effort to cook, so I actually love it as a dish to eat out haha. Put a big piece of mackerel on top of warm rice and... well, this needs no explanation.

Rice + salted mackerel + salted squid

This was the combination I enjoyed most that day haha. I put a piece of mackerel and a little salted squid on top of rice, and because the combination was nicely salty, the rice just disappeared. Isn’t this the joy of eating Korean food~ If you’re looking for Andong salted mackerel, I recommend ordering it with jjimdak and sharing several dishes!

From acorn jelly to kimchi pancakes

But the side dishes here are seriously delicious. It’s not that one or two come out—you saw how they spread across the whole table! Since there are so many kinds, it’s fun to pick at one side dish at a time between bites of the main food.

First, the dotori-muk (acorn jelly). I honestly wasn’t expecting much from it, but... it was insanely good. I kept picking at it between the mains, because the seasoning went so well with the jelly. The kimchi was really delicious too. When I go to a Korean restaurant and the kimchi is good, my trust in the entire place somehow goes up, and Gilpung said it makes its own side dishes including kimchi—so I had high hopes, and it suited my taste too. The kimchi pancakes were delicious, and honestly every side dish was perfect 💗 I imagine families will each find plenty to suit their own tastes!

Travel vibes from the view outside the window

The weather was absolutely lovely on the day I visited. Looking outside, the sky was clear and the scenery felt so relaxed that I really felt like I was traveling. Eating a delicious meal while looking out the window, I was like... ah, traveling is so nice... This is why I think Andong is great for family trips or bringing your parents along.

What kind of food is Andong heotjesabap?

Gilpung is also widely known for Andong heotjesabap. I’d seen foreign cast members eating it on TV before, and it made me think, “Should I try this next time?” This time I had jjimdak and salted mackerel, so there was absolutely no way I could fit in Andong heotjesabap too haha. A candidate for my next visit! The current menu lists both a regular heotjesabap set and a scholar’s set separately. I’m curious about the scholar’s set haha. How amazing could it be!

If it’s your first trip to Andong, you might wonder like I did, “Heotjesabap...? Is it food for an ancestral rite?” (I actually read it as heot-je sabap...) Heotjesabap is known as a traditional Andong dish laid out and eaten like food for an actual ancestral rite. If you’ve already had jjimdak, trying Andong heotjesabap next time could be a great way to experience a local traditional dish.

Mix coffee and separate restrooms after your meal

After finishing our food, we came out to pay and there was a coffee machine too haha. The last course of a Korean meal... mix coffee. Especially for older people, it’s essential :) Your parents’ satisfaction will shoot through the roof > < After a filling meal, getting a sweet coffee made for the perfect finish. I really like these little services, you know haha.

And something I often check in restaurant reviews! The restrooms are separated for men and women. The restaurant is spacious, the parking lot is spacious, and the restrooms are separate, so it looked convenient for bringing your parents or visiting as a family.

Final thoughts on eating Andong’s signature foods all at once

I loved that I could try a variety of the foods that come to mind when you think of Andong, and that there were truly so many side dishes. A piece of salted mackerel with rice and salted squid was delicious, and I kept reaching for the acorn jelly and kimchi too.

If you’re traveling to Andong with family, or looking for somewhere to eat while visiting the Hahoe Village area with your parents, I’d like to recommend it. If, like us, you want to try several of Andong’s signature foods, have the Andong jjimdak + salted mackerel set combination; if you want to properly experience a traditional Andong food, take a look at Andong heotjesabap too :) When I return to Andong next time, I’m planning to take on heotjesabap as well ♥