Ansan Korean restaurant for spicy seafood kalguksu: Todamok

Today, my husband and I finally went for Todamok (토담옥)'s algoni kalguksu for lunch at a great Seonbu-dong spot!

When I came with my mom last time, I heard it was spicy and left without trying it, haha. But this time, even spice-shy me was determined to give it a go, so my husband and I came prepared! ♡

Todamok hours and parking

• Hours: Tuesday–Sunday, 11:00–21:00
• Break time: 15:00–16:00 except Saturday and Sunday / last order: 20:30
• Closed regularly on Mondays!
• There is a large private parking lot in front of the building, so it is easy to visit by car. ˊᴗˋ

A spacious, pleasant interior with private rooms

Since this was my second visit, I walked right in like I knew the place—but every time I come, I am struck by just how spacious and pleasant it is.ᵎᵎ

I also loved that the restroom is inside the restaurant.

Best of all, there are private rooms, which look perfect for a quiet meal. I think they would be wonderful for a family gathering, too.

It is a standalone building with plenty of space between tables, and the aquarium by the entrance and animal area were still adorably decorated, haha.

After eating, we looked at the guinea pigs and rabbits again, and my husband stared at them even longer than I did! So cute... haha.

More than anything, Todamok has a self-service corner where you can get unlimited rice refills and pour yourself a dessert drink, making it perfect for a relaxed, comfortable meal.

Two-person set with algoni and chicken kalguksu, plus bossam

The signature dishes are algoni kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup with fish roe and milt) for ₩12,000 and chicken kalguksu for ₩12,000. The ₩39,000 two-person kalguksu + half bossam (boiled pork) set comes with one algoni kalguksu, one chicken kalguksu, and a half serving of bossam. There are also sides such as potato pancake for ₩13,000, rolled omelet for ₩11,000, and dumplings for ₩7,000.

This time, we ordered the two-person kalguksu + half bossam set! It was perfect because we could try both algoni and chicken kalguksu. ˊᴗˋ You can order with a staff member, and they set our table quickly, so we could eat comfortably without waiting.

Can spice-shy diners take on algoni kalguksu?

The algoni kalguksu I had been waiting for finally arrived! A generous pile of crown daisy sat on top of the red broth, and underneath were visibly plentiful fish roe and milt. I love algoni so, so much, so I was simply happy... haha.

I took a spoonful of broth, and it was pleasantly spicy with a burst of that refreshing, savory seafood flavor. It was not just hot—the richness drawn out from the roe and milt made me keep reaching for more, haha.

It was a little spicy, but I got used to it as I ate and just kept going back for more—that was its charming kind of heat.ᵎᵎ The milt was soft and became nuttier as I chewed, while the roe was plump after simmering in the broth, a real delicacy! ♡ The noodles were chewy, too, and went beautifully with the spicy soup.

My husband loosened the roe and milt into the broth first as he ate, then raved that it tasted even better that way, haha.

Chicken kalguksu, a mild pairing

The chicken kalguksu my husband chose had a milky-white, clean-looking broth that looked filling even at a glance.

Tender chicken came apart gently in the deeply simmered chicken broth, and eating it with the noodles felt mild and thoroughly satisfying.

We each ate our own dish but shared bites, and after the spicy algoni, a sip of the chicken kalguksu broth really refreshed my palate, haha.

Bossam that pairs well with spicy algoni kalguksu

My husband has been oddly obsessed with bossam lately... We debated between it and the potato pancake, but I think ordering the bossam was absolutely the right choice.

When the algoni kalguksu felt spicy, the bossam meat balanced it perfectly! The meat was tender, and above all, eating it with lots of minari and seasoned pollack was such a treat, haha.

There is a raised wooden platform right outside, so it would be nice to have a cup of maesil-cha (Korean plum tea) before leaving! Overall, I have visited Todamok twice for lunch in Seonbu-dong, and it has been satisfying every time. ♡

Even spice-shy diners can take on the algoni kalguksu, and chicken kalguksu is there for when you want something mild. I recommend enjoying both in the two-person set! Next time, I definitely want to order the potato pancake and spicy pollack-and-minari salad, too. I am 100% willing to come back :)