Sokcho tofu restaurant for spicy abalone sundubu: Yetgoeul

Finding food that is both healthy and delicious really isn't easy, but Yetgoeul Sundubu (옛고을순두부) was exactly that kind of place!! It has stayed in the same spot for 40 years, preserving its table spread with pride as the original sundubu restaurant, and after eating there myself, I could really feel the owner's sincerity in every bite.

Free parking and a pet-friendly private room

Both parking and valet service are free, so there is no pressure about bringing a car. There is also a separate private room where dogs are welcome, making it easy for anyone traveling with their pup to dine comfortably.

Yetgoeul Sundubu says it has upheld its pride as the original sundubu restaurant for 40 years without wavering! To preserve a flavor that does not change with time, it still makes its tofu fresh every morning and uses only 100% Korean-grown soybeans. You could really sense its belief that good ingredients make good food in every menu item.

The restaurant was clean and spacious, so it would be great for families too. Above all, the view was so lovely :)

Signature dishes and neatly prepared side dishes

A quick look at the signature dishes

Ahhh...... are these really the basic side dishes? Isn't this spread amazing!! There were seasoned vegetables, mushrooms, jeonbyeong (Korean pancake wraps), and tofu. (The tofu in the middle of this photo is one I ordered separately.) A variety of neatly prepared banchan (Korean side dishes) came out, and each one felt so carefully made that I was just as pleased with them as with the mains. They also said you can take soybean pulp home for free if you need it, so keep that in mind.

Abalone jjamppong sundubu loaded with seafood

This is the signature abalone jjamppong sundubu, served with pot rice. It was generously filled with live abalone and shellfish, so the broth was spicy and warming while retaining that wonderfully refreshing flavor unique to seafood stock.

It was spicy but not harsh, and the sundubu (soft tofu) itself was so silky that eating it with the broth made my stomach feel comforted.

I ate so well, haha. I absolutely loved how full of seafood it was.

Mild Chodang sundubu and pot rice

And then there was the Chodang sundubu. This dish lets you taste the mild, nutty flavor of soft tofu itself just as it is.

Even without strong seasoning, the soybeans' natural nuttiness came through, making it an easygoing style to share with children, adults, or parents. The broth was rich yet clean, which I really liked. Every menu item comes with pot rice, and the rice was fluffy and glossy enough to taste delicious even without side dishes.

My favorite: perilla oil grilled tofu

Personally, my favorite was the perilla oil grilled tofu. Since it is pan-fried in perilla oil, the nutty aroma was clearly on another level. It was lightly crisp outside and pillowy soft inside, offering a texture completely different from sundubu, and paired with a bowl of rice, it makes an incredibly satisfying meal.

I even made sure to finish the nurungji (crispy scorched rice) at the end. It was the kind of place where you understand that its 40-year tradition is not just a phrase—the care put into every ingredient really comes through. Being able to choose according to your taste, from warming dishes like abalone jjamppong sundubu to mild Chodang sundubu and nutty perilla oil tofu, is another plus. With a comfortable space for both family trips and trips with dogs, I would strongly recommend it when you need a healthy, filling meal during a Sokcho trip.