Gunsan Mijang-dong gamjatang with cheese fried rice: Insaeng Gamjatang

Today I visited a gamjatang (pork bone and potato stew) spot in Mijang-dong, Gunsan called "Insaeng Gamjatang." Insaeng Gamjatang is a customer-customized gamjatang restaurant where you can order half-and-half combinations. They have siraegi, mukeunji, and pa-kimchi (green onion kimchi) gamjatang, and each can be mixed half-and-half. I went with the siraegi and mukeunji half-and-half and got to enjoy the charm of both to the fullest.

Inside Insaeng Gamjatang Gunsan Branch: seating and atmosphere

Insaeng Gamjatang Gunsan Branch is a brand-new location on the first floor at 197 Gongdan-daero, so the space is super clean with a fancy interior. All the tables are separated with plenty of space between them, making it a comfortable place to eat. The chairs and tables are structured for comfort too, so it's good for visiting with kids or with elderly family members.

Choosing a spice level and the side dishes that come with it

At Insaeng Gamjatang you can choose mild, medium, or spicy — if you don't choose, it comes out medium, so keep that in mind. Disposable aprons are also provided so you can eat without worrying about your clothes.

The side dishes include pickled onion, diced radish kimchi, and white kimchi, plus a mustard sauce for dipping the meat from the stew.

If you participate in their Instagram or Naver review event, you can get 2 draft beers or 1 highball plus a free noodle/rice cake add-on for your stew, so I definitely recommend joining in and getting the freebie.

Ordering is easy and done through a kiosk.

Various seasonings and mustard sauce are set up at every table, so you can add them to taste.

What's on the menu at Insaeng Gamjatang Gunsan Branch

Insaeng Gamjatang's signature dish is the half-and-half gamjatang, where you pick 2 of siraegi/mukeunji/pa-kimchi and order in small/medium/large sizes, or as a single flavor. They also have gatkimchi (mustard leaf kimchi) gamjatang and biji (soybean pulp) gamjatang.

They also have haejangguk (hangover soup) versions of all the same flavors, plus a boneless gamjatang. If picking meat off the bone is a hassle for you, ordering the boneless version is an easy way to enjoy it! All the ingredients that come with the bones can be added extra, and you can add noodle/rice cake add-ons too, so you can customize it however you like for an even tastier meal. There are also specialty dishes like grilled pork bones, chicken feet, yukjeon (pan-fried beef), bulgogi, steamed egg, and flying fish roe rice balls, plus the classic K-dessert fried rice and cheese fried rice.

How to eat gamjatang at Insaeng Gamjatang, step by step

I also read through their tips for enjoying Insaeng Gamjatang.

• Choose the spice level that suits you: mild/medium/spicy
• If you like it spicy, add red pepper flakes!
• Boil it hard, then lower to level 2 heat and simmer for at least 5 more minutes
• Pour the special sauce into a small dish, sprinkle pepper, and dip the meat in it
• Add perilla seed powder for a nuttier flavor

You can also grab as much as you want of any side dish you're running low on from the self-serve bar.

Half-and-half siraegi and mukeunji gamjatang, small size at medium spice

Here it finally is — the half-and-half gamjatang, small size (siraegi/mukeunji). We chose medium spice, and it was about as spicy as Shin Ramyun, just the right level for a delicious gamjatang. The visual is amazing, isn't it? Ha, and the portion is really huge too.

It even comes out with an adorable little sign stuck in it.

It's piled high with siraegi and mukeunji, making it look even more appetizing.

The well-braised mukeunji looks incredibly tasty.

The siraegi is also softly cooked and looks so appetizing.

The owner trims the mukeunji and siraegi into bite-size pieces for us.

Once it's bubbling like this, lower the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes before eating. The longer you simmer it, the tastier it gets, so keep it simmering as you eat.

The stew bubbling away looks incredibly appetizing.

Mukeunji or siraegi: which half was better?

First I scooped some mukeunji gamjatang onto my plate. The meat was so tender that it fell apart just from touching it with my chopsticks.

The siraegi gamjatang was also amazing — the softly cooked siraegi and the meat go so well together.

The meat was so tender and plump that eating it with the kimchi made my whole mouth happy.

Dipping the siraegi gamjatang meat in mustard sauce made it melt in my mouth — the sauce really complements the meat.

The portion is so massive that it doesn't seem to shrink no matter how much you eat.

I brought some pollack roe mayo from the salad bar to dip the meat in, and that was a treat too. If you like a mellow flavor, I definitely recommend grabbing the pollack roe mayo from the self-serve bar to dip!

I ate my fill of meat, but you can't have gamjatang without white rice, right? I spooned some of the stew over rice. Both the meat and the siraegi are so tender and soft that even kids or elderly folks could really enjoy this.

There's potato and enoki mushroom in there too, and I mixed it thoroughly into the rice — you really have to eat the rice with this. It's addictive, like you just keep shoveling it in.

Finishing with cheese fried rice and flying fish roe

Finally, no matter how full you are, you have to have the K-dessert fried rice, right? We went with cheese fried rice, and it was even better because it comes loaded with flying fish roe by default.

The owner stir-fries the rice with impressive skill.

Sprinkle plenty of cheese over the fried rice and melt it down — and the cheese fried rice is complete!

Can you see the cheese stretching? Soft, nutty, with the flying fish roe popping — it's a party in your mouth.

No matter how full you are, you absolutely have to eat this cheese fried rice!! I usually prefer plain rice over fried rice, but at Insaeng Gamjatang, you must order the fried rice!! And it has to be the cheese fried rice. It's genuinely so good.

Is Insaeng Gamjatang in Mijang-dong, Gunsan worth a second visit?

Today I visited Insaeng Gamjatang in Mijang-dong, Gunsan, and I really did taste a "life-changing" gamjatang (which is literally what the name means). It's up there in my top three gamjatang I've ever had. I also loved being able to enjoy siraegi and mukeunji gamjatang at the same time thanks to the half-and-half option. Since it's a brand-new location, the interior is clean and comfortable, so it seems like a great spot for group visits or family outings too. If you're looking for delicious gamjatang in Gunsan, I highly recommend "Insaeng Gamjatang."