Chicken hot pot Set A for daytime drinks in Dongdaemun: Sunhuine

Why Sunhuine Bindaetteok Dak Hanmari Dongdaemun for lunch

I had errands in Dongdaemun for the first time in a while and was wondering where to eat lunch when I thought of dak hanmari (a whole chicken simmered in a pot). That's how I ended up at Sunhuine Bindaetteok Dak Hanmari Dongdaemun (순희네빈대떡 닭한마리 동대문본점). The Dongdaemun dak hanmari alley is famous anyway, but I'd heard a lot about this place's good set menus and the variety of dishes you can enjoy together, so this was my first visit. The meal was really satisfying, and I had a relaxed time with lunch and daytime drinks, which I hadn't done in ages.

What are the atmosphere and seating like at Sunhuine?

The restaurant is in the Dongdaemun dak hanmari alley, so it was easy to find, and it's a big place using both the 1st and 2nd floors. It was lunchtime and already busy, with everyone from families to groups of friends to tourists. The tables are spaced fairly wide so it didn't feel cramped, and the staff were kind in guiding us, so the first impression was good.

What comes in Set A: chicken hot pot, seafood pancake and yukhoe tangtangi

Set A at Sunhuine comes with dak hanmari, seafood bindaetteok (mung bean pancake) and yukhoe tangtangi (beef tartare with raw octopus). There were single dishes on the menu too, but I wanted to taste a bit of everything, so I ordered Set A, and it's nice not having to agonize over what to get. When the table was set, I was surprised by how generous it was. With a spread like that, you naturally start thinking about a drink. In the end I ordered a cold one too and properly enjoyed a daytime drink for the first time in a while. Maybe it's the mood, but drinking in the daytime seems to taste even better.

Yukhoe tangtangi: raw octopus and beef tartare mixed with egg yolk

The yukhoe tangtangi came out first in Set A, and it looked really fresh. Bright red beef tartare topped with fresh octopus, plus an egg yolk and radish sprouts, which made my mouth water just looking at it. I broke the yolk, mixed it all up and took a bite: the softness of the beef and the chewy octopus went really well together.

It was fresh with no off smell, with a faint sweetness and nuttiness, and it was a perfect drinking snack while waiting for the main dish.

Seafood bindaetteok: crispy mung bean pancake packed with shrimp and squid

The seafood bindaetteok that followed was better than I expected too. It was fried golden, crispy outside and moist inside, with the nutty flavor of mung beans still coming through. It had plenty of shrimp and squid for a nice chew, and it was mild enough that I kept reaching for more.

Eaten with soy sauce onions on top, the savory flavor got even better, and I think it would go with either makgeolli (rice wine) or soju. If dak hanmari alone feels like a little too little, I definitely recommend adding the seafood bindaetteok.

How are the broth and chicken in Sunhuine's dak hanmari?

The main dak hanmari arrived in a big aluminum pot generously filled with chicken, potatoes, rice cakes and green onions, and as it started to boil a rich chicken broth aroma spread. I took a spoonful of the broth first and immediately understood why it's called a Dongdaemun dak hanmari favorite. It wasn't harsh, yet it had a deep, rich flavor. It had the savory depth of a long-simmered broth, and it warmed me right through, which made it a very satisfying lunch.

As expected, the chicken was moist rather than dry, so tender you could pull the meat off with just chopsticks. There was no gamey smell at all, and the clean, mild flavor filled my mouth the more I chewed. The potatoes were cooked soft and fluffy, and the rice cakes had soaked up lots of broth and were really good. It reminded me again that for dak hanmari, the broth has to be good.

The dipping sauce recipe posted on every table

What I personally liked most at Sunhuine Bindaetteok Dongdaemun was the dipping sauce recipe posted on the table. I made mine with soy sauce, minced garlic, red pepper paste and mustard to taste, and the chicken tasted so much better this way. The tangy, sharp kick on the mild chicken had me dipping again and again. A bite of broth, a piece of chicken and a sip of a drink was the best combination.

Which add-ons to order: rice cakes and kalguksu noodles

Partway through the dak hanmari I couldn't skip the add-ons, so I added rice cakes and kalguksu (knife-cut noodles), and as always, noodles are the right way to finish dak hanmari. The noodles, soaked in the broth that had gotten even richer from long boiling, had a really deep flavor, and they were chewy, so I kept eating even when I was full. I hated to waste even the last drop of broth.

Daytime drinks in Dongdaemun: is Sunhuine worth a return visit?

Best of all, I could relax with a drink from lunchtime and enjoy good food. Browsing Dongdaemun Market, eating a hearty Korean meal and adding a leisurely daytime drink made the whole day feel much better. It even had a bit of a vacation mood, which made it more satisfying.

If you're looking for a filling lunch in Dongdaemun, I think Sunhuine Bindaetteok Dak Hanmari Dongdaemun is a place you'll be happy with. It's not just the dak hanmari: the yukhoe tangtangi and seafood bindaetteok were good too, so the overall food quality made the set menu very satisfying. The big space suits family meals, get-togethers with friends and company dinners, and if you're planning to visit Dongdaemun Market, I recommend stopping by once. It was such a satisfying meal that next time I'm in Dongdaemun I'd like to come back and enjoy Set A with daytime drinks again.