Chueotang set with duck & crab at Chuojeong, Namyangju baby-friendly

Today I'm introducing a Jinjeop, Namyangju restaurant where I had a really generous Chuojeong set💕 I've actually visited other branches of Chuojeong Namwon Chueotang several times before~ but this particular location stuck with me because the space was kept so clean and the owner was so kind. Let me introduce this Jinjeop restaurant where I got to enjoy not just chueotang (loach soup) but grilled duck, soy-marinated crab, fried loach and loach dumplings all in one spread🧡

• 🚩Location: 1828-4 Geumgang-ro, Jinjeop-eup, Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• 🚩Hours: 9:30–21:00
• Parking available ⭕

As soon as I arrived, I could see loach swimming energetically in a tank right outside the restaurant. Seeing them alive and moving before even eating built up my anticipation for the chueotang haha

A clean and spacious Jinjeop restaurant interior

The interior was well kept and clean overall~ there were various table sizes from solo seats to 2-person and 4-person tables, so you could dine comfortably no matter your party size. There were especially solo seats by the window, perfect for anyone looking for a filling meal alone at this Jinjeop restaurant. There were also tables for larger groups, making it a good spot for a family meal in Jinjeop with parents or a group dinner :)

Easy to visit with a baby too

We visited with our little one that day and there were several baby chairs ready💕 Best of all, instead of the usual hard baby chairs, these were the padded type, so our baby sat comfortably the whole time!

The self bar had chives, young radish kimchi, salad, and napa cabbage kimchi ready, so you can just go help yourself to more anytime you run low :)

What's in the ₩19,000 Chuojeong set?

• ✔️ Chuojeong set: ₩19,000 (per person)

The menu had more variety than I expected — beyond the basic chueotang, there was soy-marinated crab, pork cutlet, stir-fried baby octopus, fried loach, loach dumplings and more. There's even a separate kid-friendly menu like pork cutlet, so families looking for a Jinjeop restaurant to visit with a baby should find it easy to visit.

We went back and forth but ultimately picked the Chuojeong set so we could try a bit of everything at once💓 Ordering the Chuojeong set gets you grilled duck + soy-marinated crab + fried loach + loach dumplings + chueotang + hotpot rice all together~ the value for the price is really solid, so I'd recommend it to anyone who doesn't want to settle for just one dish!

The basic side dishes were cabbage salad, young radish water kimchi, spicy napa cabbage kimchi, and citron-glazed lotus root. They were mostly the kind of sides that pair well with chueotang, so they were good to eat alongside the main dishes.

Grilled duck

The grilled duck comes out first with the Chuojeong set~ onions, tofu skin, chives and duck meat arrived generously piled on a hot plate with sauce. The duck's savory flavor combined with the onions that turned sweet as they cooked, plus the pungent chives, was a great combo💕 I especially liked that they set up a separate burner under the plate, so we could eat it warm throughout the whole meal.

Soy-marinated crab

And unexpectedly, the soy-marinated crab was something I really liked! This is a total rice thief haha. I thought soy-marinated crab would have a strong salty flavor, but it was less salty than expected and had a nice savory depth. Best of all, the crab meat was packed in firmly, so when you bit in, the meat slid right out — it was fun to eat.

The crab's subtle sweetness blended with the soy seasoning and the hotpot rice just kept disappearing. Personally, this was one of the dishes in the Chuojeong set I reached for the most💕 If I come back to this Jinjeop restaurant again, I'd almost want to order the soy-marinated crab on its own.

Fried loach + loach dumplings

Next up, fried loach and loach dumplings! Fried golden brown, you can just tell they're crispy by looking, right?

The fried loach in particular was a real specialty~ it's loach tucked inside fried pepper, so even people who find eating whole loach intimidating could try it fairly comfortably. Eating it, I didn't get any fishy smell at all — it was more like crispy fried pepper with a savory filling inside! It has a different charm from chueotang itself, so if you're here for the Jinjeop chueotang, it's worth trying this alongside it👍

The loach dumplings were also crispy on the outside with soft glass noodles inside, so my hand kept reaching for more. Even kids who might find loach as an ingredient unfamiliar could probably eat these easily since they're in dumpling form :)

The main event: chueotang and black rice hotpot rice

And finally, the main dish arrives💕 chueotang and hotpot rice!

The rice comes as a black rice hotpot rice — you scoop the rice out first, then pour in water so you can make crispy scorched rice (nurungji) at the end. Eating a bite of chueotang, a bite of hotpot rice, then finishing with that savory scorched rice really makes for a filling meal!

The chueotang had a generous amount of dried radish greens, and the broth was thick and rich rather than watery. It wasn't the style with a strong loach smell, so even people who don't usually eat chueotang could give it a try.

I added plenty of perilla powder and chives on top💛 The perilla powder made the broth much richer, and the chives added texture as well. Eating hot chueotang with hotpot rice, I understood why this is such a popular choice for a Jinjeop family meal with parents. Starting with grilled duck, then soy-marinated crab, fried food and dumplings, and finishing with Jinjeop chueotang — the Chuojeong set alone felt like a truly complete spread :)

Overall verdict

• ✅ A well-rounded Chuojeong set from grilled duck to soy-marinated crab to chueotang
• ✅ Filling with thick, savory chueotang plus hotpot rice
• ✅ A Jinjeop restaurant good for family meals with baby chairs and spacious seating

Overall score ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ 4.5 / 5

Chuojeong Namwon Chueotang gave us a generous spread of varied dishes💕 If you're looking for a filling meal or a Jinjeop restaurant to visit with family in Namyangju, give it a try :)