Ilsan kalguksu spot with mandu soup for non-dumpling fans: Daejong

On a day when you feel empty, or just need a pick-me-up, don't you suddenly crave a deep, filling broth and a piece of crispy savory pancake? 😉

Today I visited Daejong Kalguksu Ilsan Main Branch, a kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) restaurant in Janghang-dong! The food quality was so, so high that I kept marveling the whole meal, and I'm shouting 1000% that I'll go back.

It has long been famous for kalguksu in Ilsan, and I heard it has been passed down for three generations, so I arrived full of anticipation. Let's get right into the tasty stuff! 💕

Where is Daejong Kalguksu Ilsan Main Branch, and is parking easy?

Daejong Kalguksu Ilsan Main Branch is in Janghang-dong, Ilsandong-gu, and it's close to both Jeongbalsan Station and Madu Station, so it's really easy to reach on foot! As a third-generation favorite, it has a spacious dining room and even its own noodle-making room.

On top of that, the parking lot is nice and roomy, so it's an easy place to visit by car, a great restaurant near Jeongbalsan Station.

As soon as I walked in, the overwhelming sign saying it has run for three generations caught my eye, and it felt totally trustworthy!

The inside is very large and comfortable, and seeing a noodle-making room set up in one corner gave me a sense of real skill, so my expectations shot up. 🤤

Is the handmade mandu soup good even if you don't like dumplings?

I ordered the handmade mandu soup (dumpling soup) because the restaurant makes its dumplings by hand on site. There's no strong meaty smell or sharp garlic flavor, so even I, who usually don't enjoy dumplings, was totally satisfied.

I was agonizing over the menu and picked the handmade mandu soup, and the moment it arrived, its neat, tidy look caught my eye.

I bit into the dumpling I'd been looking forward to, and the taste had real depth!

I'm not a big dumpling fan because of the smell that comes back up after eating them. But Daejong's handmade mandu don't have a strong meaty smell or sharp garlic taste. They're mild and nutty, as if someone made them at home with care, and I was completely satisfied.

The generous beef brisket on top of the soup and the neat egg garnish (jidan, thin egg strips) made it nice to chew, and eating it with the broth made me so happy. No wonder it's famous as a lunch spot in Ilsan!

How was the chive pancake and beef brisket bibim kalguksu combo?

My husband said he really wanted to try the jar-style chive pancake and the beef brisket bibim kalguksu (spicy mixed noodles). I strongly recommend pairing the crispy chive pancake with the spicy-sweet bibim kalguksu!

The next dishes to arrive were the jar-style chive pancake and the beef brisket bibim kalguksu!

A huge jar-style chive pancake

The jar-style chive pancake looked like a whole bunch of chives went in, so fresh and green, and it was very savory and crispy! The size is... enormous.

Beef brisket bibim kalguksu, a perfect match for the chive pancake

I really want to strongly recommend eating the beef brisket bibim kalguksu alongside it!

The spicy-sweet sauce of the bibim kalguksu, a little punchy yet savory and filling, matched the fresh chive pancake and the umami just exploded! It was such a perfect pairing that I couldn't stop my chopsticks.

Who Daejong Kalguksu Ilsan Main Branch is for

If you want a proper meal near KINTEX or anywhere around Janghang-dong, definitely stop by Daejong Kalguksu Ilsan Main Branch! 🥰 It's known for third-generation kalguksu with in-house noodles and a bone broth they boil themselves.

• Anyone who wants to try deeply skilled, third-generation kalguksu with in-house noodles and handmade mandu
• Anyone looking for a spacious Ilsan lunch spot with easy parking near Jeongbalsan Station and Madu Station
• Anyone who wants the perfect combo of a fresh jar-style chive pancake and filling, spicy-sweet beef brisket bibim kalguksu