Solo-dining sundubu restaurant in Sokcho, chodang tofu bowl: Jinsol

Jinsol Halmeoni Sundubu in Sokcho's Haksapyeong tofu village

Let me introduce a restaurant I stopped at during a trip to Sokcho, Gangwon. Jinsol Halmeoni Sundubu sits in Sokcho's sundubu village, so there are plenty of other sundubu (soft tofu stew) specialists nearby, but Jinsol Halmeoni makes its own tofu in-house, which had me even more excited.

Is parking easy at Jinsol Halmeoni Sundubu?

Jinsol Halmeoni Sundubu has its own dedicated parking lot, so parking was easy. There's also a staff member directing cars, which should be handy for less confident drivers too.

Jinsol Halmeoni Sundubu was a genuine Sokcho favorite, drawing both locals and travelers.

What's on the menu at Jinsol Halmeoni Sundubu

The menu at Jinsol Halmeoni Sundubu includes chodang sundubu (mild soft tofu), spicy sundubu, jjamppong seafood sundubu, spicy sundubu hot pot, tofu hot pot, hwangtae haejangguk (dried pollack hangover soup), Jinsol jeongsik (sundubu + grilled hwangtae + whole tofu + buckwheat crepe + acorn jelly), grilled hwangtae set (sundubu + grilled hwangtae + acorn jelly + buckwheat crepe), bulgogi baekban, wild greens bibimbap, grilled hwangtae, abai squid sundae, whole tofu, potato pancake, acorn jelly, and buckwheat crepe. I ordered the chodang sundubu and abai squid sundae.

They also sell banchan to take home and offer nationwide delivery. If you leave a Naver receipt review, you get either acorn jelly or a drink free — worth knowing.

After debating between the many menu items, I went with chodang sundubu and abai squid sundae, both of which I'd never tried before. I've always had the red-broth spicy sundubu, so I was curious what the white chodang version would be like.

The 9 banchan and the self-serve bar

There were 9 banchan in total: anchovy stir-fry, macaroni salad, seaweed stem stir-fry, squid jeotgal (salted fermented squid), braised potato, cabbage salad, cucumber salad, japchae, and buckwheat crepe. That's a lot of side dishes, and they were genuinely delicious.

You can get extra banchan from the self-serve bar. They were so good I kept going back for more.

What does chodang sundubu taste like?

Chodang sundubu is a white-broth soft tofu stew, served with a soy sauce dip.

I was surprised the moment I lifted the rice lid — it was packed full. All the banchan were so tasty that I finished a whole bowl of rice on banchan alone. At Jinsol Halmeoni Sundubu, two bowls of rice is basically standard.

I usually go for bold, spicy flavors, so I'd never tried chodang sundubu before — but even without any kick, it was nutty and delicious. I finally get the appeal of chodang sundubu.

It's great plain, but also works well with a little soy sauce drizzled on top.

Once I'd eaten about half the sundubu, I mixed in the rice. Rice mixed into chodang sundubu worked really well too.

Topping the rice-mixed sundubu with squid jeotgal is a fantastic combination.

Abai squid sundae topped with spicy pollack hoe-muchim

The abai squid sundae (squid stuffed sausage) is grilled fresh once you order, and it comes with pollack hoe-muchim (spicy raw pollack salad) on the side.

Topping the squid sundae with pollack hoe-muchim adds a sweet-and-sour, spicy kick to the sundae's nutty, mild flavor, making each bite much more savory. The chewy squid and the texture of the pollack salad pair really well, so I'd recommend eating them together.

Why Jinsol Halmeoni Sundubu works for a solo meal in Sokcho

The sundubu, squid sundae, and every single banchan were so good I scraped my plates clean. Everything was clean-tasting and well-seasoned, so there was nothing left over. It felt like a properly filling, satisfying meal during my Sokcho trip. If you're looking for a great sundubu restaurant or a good solo-dining spot in Sokcho, I recommend Jinsol Halmeoni Sundubu.