Gwangmyeong chicken stew restaurant with aged kimchi: Sindaebakjip

A chicken stew spot in front of Gwangmyeong Sageori Station after a Friday-night wait

On a Friday night, my husband and I took the bus to Sindaebakjip Gwangmyeong Sageori Branch (신대박집 광명사거리점)! The moment we got off at the bus stop, the dining room was already full and the waiting line stretched right out. I immediately thought, “Ah... this place must be good!” It is right in front of Exit 6 of Gwangmyeong Sageori Station, so it is perfect for taking the subway and having a drink, too!

It seems the restaurant’s name may have changed to Sinjjangdak Lid Chicken Stew, but anyway, it is known as a great dakbokkeumtang (spicy braised chicken stew) spot in Gwangmyeong Sageori, especially for its aged-kimchi chicken stew. We waited about 20 minutes with high expectations!!

Ordering the aged-kimchi lid chicken stew for two and extras

We ordered the signature aged-kimchi lid chicken stew for two. We also added two fish cake skewers, rice cakes, and glass noodles! But the portions here are huge... I think even one add-on would be plenty... Such unbelievably good value in this era of high prices 🐷

• Aged-kimchi lid chicken stew for 2 — ₩37,000
• 2 fish cake skewers — ₩2,000
• Rice cake add-on — ₩3,000
• Glass noodle add-on — ₩3,000
• Steamed rice — ₩1,000

As soon as we ordered, a staff member was cooking the aged-kimchi chicken stew in a huge pot lid! The chicken stew arrived already cooked, which was nice—we only had to add the extras and let it boil.

Sindaebakjip Gwangmyeong Sageori Branch says it trims 100% Korean chicken fresh every day and ages it at a low temperature with house-made seasoning for a deep, rich flavor. The tender chicken and spicy, savory seasoning make this a good choice not only as a meal but also with drinks!

Self-serve side dishes and a generous aged-kimchi chicken stew

Three basic side dishes came out: pickled cabbage, pickled garlic scapes, and white kimchi. Anything else we needed could be refilled at the self-serve bar. They went so well with the spicy chicken stew that I kept reaching for the sides too,, 🧡

When our aged-kimchi lid chicken stew arrived, I was surprised by how much there was.. The staff member cut the aged kimchi into bite-size pieces for us, which was also great because we could eat comfortably without having to deal with it ourselves. The combination of deeply flavored aged kimchi and tenderly cooked chicken was truly excellent.

The aged kimchi was wonderfully well fermented, and eating it with the chicken brought out so much savoriness. The broth was hearty and pleasantly spicy too, so I kept going back for more.

There were generous amounts of rice cake and glass noodle add-ons, making it fun to pick through everything. The chewy rice cakes and broth-soaked glass noodles paired so well with the chicken stew seasoning. The potatoes were especially nicely cooked—fluffy and so delicious with the sauce. Not just the chicken, but every single thing—the aged kimchi, potatoes, rice cakes, and glass noodles—was tasty, and after eating a little of everything, we were completely full 🐷

Aged kimchi over rice, a satisfying meal for two

Putting a piece of well-fermented aged kimchi right on top of hot rice was perfection. With one spoonful of rice and one piece of aged kimchi, the spicy, savory flavor really came through, so I just kept eating rice. The serving was so generous that we could heartily enjoy everything from chicken and aged kimchi to potatoes, rice cakes, and glass noodles, and it was great for two people to have a filling meal together!

Sindaebakjip Gwangmyeong Sageori Branch is a comfortable spot for everyone from office workers looking for lunch to family meals, friends’ get-togethers, and company dinners. Public transport is convenient, the location is easy to reach, and the value is great, so I think it has lots of regulars who want to return again and again rather than visit just once! Sindaebakjip would also make a fun, unusual date spot—I am planning to come back whenever I crave spicy aged-kimchi chicken stew~ 🧡