Gunsan Korean restaurant for aged-kimchi gamjatang: Insaeng Gamjatang

The day I was craving aged-kimchi gamjatang in Gunsan

As the weather has been getting cooler lately, I keep craving hot, spicy soup dishes. It had been a while since I last had gamjatang (pork bone soup), so I visited Insaeng Gamjatang Gunsan Branch, a popular gamjatang spot in Gunsan.

Gamjatang is great for sharing with several people, and it also makes a hearty full meal, so I think it is something I often seek out for family meals. This time, I was in the mood for something a little different from my usual gamjatang, so I ordered the small aged-kimchi gamjatang.

A polished interior and aged-kimchi gamjatang

The interior felt upscale yet neat. I would recommend it for a simple lunch, as well as an evening gathering, meal out, or company dinner.

Not long after ordering, a generous serving of aged-kimchi gamjatang arrived in a large pot. It looked like I could already taste the spicy broth, and I could not wait to get it boiling and dig in.

Once the gamjatang arrives, the staff cut up everything from the aged kimchi to the pork bones so it is easy to eat. As it began to bubble away, the tangy, deep aroma unique to aged kimchi rose up—aged kimchi really does go so well with gamjatang.

The thoroughly simmered aged kimchi pulled apart beautifully and easily, and its deep flavor enriched the broth, giving it a charm quite different from ordinary gamjatang.

Meat from the bones with aged kimchi

Above all, the heart of gamjatang is the meat, of course. Pulling the meat right off the bones, I found it delicious because the seasoning had soaked in so well.

Putting aged kimchi on top of the tender meat brought out just the right spicy, savory flavor.

The broth was not just spicy, either. The depth from the aged kimchi made me keep reaching for another spoonful. It would be great with rice, and I think it would pair nicely as a drinking snack, too.

For any side dishes you need more of, please use the self-service station.

Fried rice cooked in the leftover broth

After eating a good amount of the aged kimchi and meat, I naturally started thinking about rice. You cannot leave out fried rice at a gamjatang restaurant for the finale, right? So I had rice fried in the remaining broth.

Once the rice was fried in the gamjatang broth, the flavors of the meat and aged kimchi soaked right into it, making it another special treat. At first I thought the gamjatang alone would fill me up, but the fried rice had its own different appeal, so I kept reaching for it.

Especially after gamjatang, rice fried in the leftover broth seems to have a distinctive flavor that is hard to recreate at home. After enjoying every last spoonful, I felt like I had had a truly hearty, satisfying meal.

Gunsan gamjatang that also came to mind for a family meal

Insaeng Gamjatang Gunsan Branch felt like a place to remember when looking for generous, satisfying Korean food. It seemed like a good place to visit on a day when you crave gamjatang with a spicy, deep broth, or when you want a warm meal with family. Above all, I was even more satisfied because I properly enjoyed everything from the aged-kimchi gamjatang to the fried rice.

If you are looking for spicy, generous gamjatang in Gunsan, try the aged-kimchi gamjatang at Insaeng Gamjatang Gunsan Branch. Pull the meat from the bones, enjoy it with aged kimchi, and finish with fried rice for a perfectly hearty meal. I was satisfied enough to want to try other menu items next time—this was a Gunsan Korean restaurant I would want to revisit whenever I crave a hot soup dish.