Hand-pressed sesame oil namul at Jungnang Korean restaurant Sanchaega

Maybe it's because I'm getting older, but lately I find myself craving clean, hearty meals over heavily seasoned food. This time, while looking for Korean restaurants around Taereung Ipgu~ Meokgol Station, I visited Sanchaega Hanjeongsik Meokgol Main Branch, known for its neat hanjeongsik (Korean set meal) spreads.

It's close to Meokgol Station so accessibility is great, and the table comes loaded with everything from seasoned vegetable sides to grilled fish, jeyuk bokkeum (stir-fried pork), and grilled deodeok (mountain herb root) — the kind of place I thought my parents would love. Especially since they use homemade sesame and perilla oil for the vegetable banchan, the nutty flavor was on point~ I left feeling comfortable, not weighed down.

Where is Sanchaega Meokgol Main Branch, and do you need a reservation?

Sanchaega Hanjeongsik Meokgol Main Branch is at 30 Dongil-ro 157-gil, Jungnang-gu, Seoul, 187m and a 3-minute walk from Meokgol Station Exit 5. It's a good idea to book through Naver Reservation or by phone before heading over.

Access from the station is easy. The signage isn't very visible from the outside, but just look for the white sign. It could also be a nice stop after seeing the roses during Jungnang's rose festival season.

There are waiting seats outside. This place is well known as a local favorite near Meokgol Station and a great-value hanjeongsik spot, so I'd recommend booking ahead if you can!

What the dining room at Sanchaega feels like

Inside, Sanchaega has a clean, cozy wood-toned interior with generous spacing between tables. It doesn't feel like a fancy hanjeongsik restaurant so much as a comfortable, tidy Korean diner. It's exactly the kind of relaxed setting you'd want when taking parents out for Korean food in Jungnang.

Sanchaega's menu and the gondre cauldron rice special set

The menu at this Meokgol Station favorite includes a regular set, a special set, a plain rice set, a samgyeopsal (pork belly) set, and a solo gondre-bap (herb rice) option for those dining alone.

For the cauldron rice, you can choose gondre, deodeok and shiitake mushroom, or black rice and sweet potato, with the regular vs. special set differing slightly in the number of side dishes. I ordered the Gondre Cauldron Rice Special Set for two, which let us try a bit of everything.

Sanchaega, this Meokgol Station master of gondre-bap~ while waiting for the food, I read the story on the wall. It started as Manna Gimbap in 1999 and changed its name in 2005, staying in place ever since as a Jungnang hanjeongsik favorite.

Doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) and lettuce wraps come out quickly as a base. The bubbling doenjang jjigae was packed with onion, zucchini, and mushrooms — plenty for two people.

12 namul dressed in hand-pressed sesame and perilla oil

Twelve neatly made vegetable sides! Vegetable banchan made with homemade sesame and perilla oil✨ Each dish had that homemade taste and was seasoned just right, not too salty.

• Chamnamul (mountain herb greens)
• Radish namul
• Gosari namul (fernbrake)
• Seasoned bean sprouts
• Cheongpomuk (mung bean jelly)
• Lotus root with mayonnaise
• Broccoli and squid with vinegar-chili sauce
• Cabbage salad
• Kimchi
• Stir-fried anchovies with shishito peppers
• Sammuchim (seasoned herb mix)
• Gungchae namul (aster greens)

The full table: grilled flounder, jeyuk bokkeum, deodeok and grilled hwangtae

With the doenjang jjigae at the center and 12 neatly arranged side dishes, plus grilled flounder, jeyuk bokkeum, deodeok, and grilled hwangtae (dried pollack), the table became a truly generous Korean spread. There wasn't an inch of empty space left — just looking at it made me feel full already✨

The nicely fried flounder wasn't huge, but each person got their own piece, which made for a satisfying portion.

The jeyuk bokkeum had no gamey smell at all and a sauce that clung nicely to the meat — the textbook version of jeyuk bokkeum. Not spicy, just the right level. This alone could finish off a bowl of rice! A true Jungnang hanjeongsik favorite~

The deodeok's fragrant, slightly bitter flavor was the highlight ~~~ the aroma from the light grilling and the savory sauce blend so well with rice, it's quietly addictive! Anyone who likes deodeok, especially older diners, would be happy to see this on the table. A hit with the grown-up palate😁

The grilled hwangtae also had just the right amount of seasoning to go with rice, and you could wrap meat or side dishes in the lettuce leaves however you liked, making for a fun, customizable meal.

Gondre cauldron rice and nurungji sungnyung (scorched-rice tea) to finish

A staff member scoops out the gondre-bap for you. With steam rising~ opening the lid revealed a gentle rice aroma mixed with the gondre, looking savory and comforting.

Maybe because it's cooked in a cauldron rather than just steamed, the gondre-bap had a subtle, fragrant flavor, and with a touch of soy sauce, a bowl disappeared in no time. The gondre itself wasn't tough at all, really delicious. A true Jungnang Korean food favorite~

We started the meal with the warm gondre cauldron rice front and center! A spoonful of warm cauldron rice, topped with a vegetable side and a little doenjang jjigae broth, felt like a proper home-cooked meal.

We made wraps too~ Maybe thanks to the homemade sesame and perilla oil, the vegetable sides had a really nice nutty flavor, and this place would suit anyone who prefers clean, healthy meals over heavily seasoned food. With so many different banchan to try, you naturally end up eating a hearty amount of rice!

After eating, I didn't feel heavy at all — just the comfortable feeling of having had a proper warm home-cooked meal. (My stomach was very full, but it felt settled.) So personally, I'd recommend this not just to hanjeongsik lovers but to anyone looking for a place near Meokgol Station for a parents' meal or a family outing in Jungnang!! Great value too👍👍

Finally, the nurungji (scorched rice) from the bottom of the gondre cauldron! Finishing off the gondre nurungji sungnyung (scorched rice tea) to the last drop made for a truly full and satisfying meal~

Is Sanchaega worth it for a family meal in Jungnang?

Sanchaega Hanjeongsik Meokgol Main Branch offers a wide variety of side dishes and warm cauldron rice all in one spread — a great place for a hearty meal near Meokgol Station, or a stop after enjoying the Jungnang rose festival. If you're looking for a restaurant near Meokgol Station, a place for parents, or a family outing spot, give Sanchaega Hanjeongsik Meokgol Main Branch a try for a warm, home-cooked-style meal!