Yongin shabu-shabu restaurant with tofu topping: Dongchundang

Shabu-shabu in Sinbong-dong with the baby

While looking for a good place to eat in Sinbong-dong with the baby this time, we were craving shabu-shabu, so we went to Dongchundang Shabu Shabu Kalguksu Sinbong Oesik Town Branch (동춘당 샤브샤브칼국수 신봉외식타운점). It must be a famously good spot in Sinbong-dong, because there were quite a lot of customers when we visited too.

It was quite large. And the best part was that there was plenty of parking~! There is a parking gate, so make sure to register your vehicle after your meal before you leave.

There was even a separate waiting area, so I was excited before we even went in. The restaurant was more spacious, bright, and clean than I expected, so it did not feel especially cramped even with lots of customers. There were high chairs too, which made eating with the baby convenient.

Ordering spicy and mild tofu-topping dishes

We ordered four portions of the signature spicy shabu-kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) and two portions of shabu-kalguksu with tofu topping. Since we were eating with the baby, we ordered the tofu-topping dish mild.

The takeaway prices were incredibly reasonable too! These days, even gukbap is in the ₩10,000 era... and shabu-shabu is ₩10,000~!

You can top up the broths at the self-service bar, and there were sauces and kimchi prepared too.

It looked like everything was kept very clean!

Unlimited makgeolli and barley rice

And the really, truly great thing here... unlimited makgeolli (Korean rice wine) refills!!! In this era of high prices, thank you so much... It was even delicious. My dad absolutely loved it haha.

They also serve barley rice before the meal, one serving per two people! This is not just a kalguksu place—they have shabu-kalguksu and barley riceㅠㅠ I was moved.

Shabu-kalguksu generous enough to fill the pot

But the first thought I had as soon as the food arrived was, “There is seriously so much.” From meat to vegetables, everything came in generous amounts, and the pot was filled right to the top, so the portions were substantial from the start.

Isn't the meat both good quality and seriously plentiful? We thought we would add more if we ran short, but there was more than enough.

These are the ssuk-kalguksu (mugwort knife-cut noodles), vegetables, and fried rice~ Honestly, the portions are so generous... I nearly burst from eating, owner, are you making any profit..? And they give one serving of barley rice per two people too!

This is the spicy broth.

And this is the shabu-kalguksu with tofu topping! I think we did well ordering it this way haha. The tofu-topping dish was especially the real kicker... The baby ate the tofu really well too. If you are looking for shabu-shabu in Sinbong-dong with a baby, adding tofu topping could be a good idea.

From the broth to the meat and vegetables, it was plentiful. Broth is important for shabu-shabu, and I liked this place because its broth was tasty.

The spicy broth was pleasantly peppery without being only hot. As we kept adding meat and vegetables, the broth grew richer and tasted even better. Above all, there was plenty of meat and a truly generous amount of vegetables—good.

The makgeolli seemed to be Neurin Maeul Makgeolli, and it was sweet and so delicious. We got three refills haha.

Finishing with ssuk-kalguksu

Once you have eaten a fair amount of the shabu-shabu, you can add the kalguksu at the end.

These were not regular kalguksu noodles but ssuk-kalguksu, so the noodle color was slightly different too. The noodles were springy and absorbed the shabu-shabu broth well, making them delicious. I was so busy eating that I could not take a photo of the fried riceㅠㅠ I will have to get one next time I go back.

Why it was easy to visit with a baby

We visited with the baby this time, and the high chair let us eat comfortably. The restaurant was bright and clean too, so it was fine for bringing a baby. Above all, the baby ate the tofu so well that we did not have much to worry about while we ate. It is busy enough to have a separate waiting area, but the dining space was large, so it felt more relaxed than expected during the meal.

The black sesame ice cream looked delicious, but they were not serving it because it was the weekend. I will come on a weekday later haha. We cleansed our palates with ppongtwigi (puffed rice crackers).

After trying it myself, I understood why it was so busy. The broth was tasty, the meat and vegetables were generous, and the springy kalguksu made it feel like a proper meal. The portions were especially huge—we felt like we would burst after eating. With high chairs and a clean restaurant, it was also a good choice for a family meal or when looking for a good place in Sinbong-dong to visit with a baby. If you are looking for good shabu-shabu in Sinbong-dong, I think Dongchundang Shabu Shabu Kalguksu is worth a visit.