Yesan Korean restaurant for family samgyetang: Ppongnamujip

The weather has been sooo nice lately. After our camping trip.

A hearty meal in Sapgyo, Yesan: Ppongnamujip

While looking for somewhere in Sapgyo, Yesan, for a filling meal, I visited Ppongnamujip. It apparently used to operate as Ppongnamu Nurungji Samgyetang, then built a new building and changed its name to Ppongnamujip. Since it is a newly built place, the exterior felt clean overall.

Ppongnamujip samgyetang in Sapgyo, Yesan

There was plenty of parking out front.

It was easy to visit by car, so it seemed like a good spot for a family meal too.

• Address: 62-1 Sapgyo-ro, Sapgyo-eup, Yesan-gun, Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea (충남 예산군 삽교읍 삽교로 62-1)
• Lot address: 290-23 Singa-ri
• Hours: daily 11:00–20:00
• Break time: 14:00–17:00
• Last order: 19:00
• Formerly Ppongnamu Nurungji Samgyetang; renamed Ppongnamujip

There were also photos from TV features on display.

Once inside, the space was bigger than I expected. The tables were not cramped together, and everything was bright and clean.

There were quite a few customers at lunchtime, but since the dishes seem to turn over quickly, it did not feel chaotic.

Some of the side dishes are available self-serve. It was nice being able to comfortably refill anything we needed.

Ppongnamujip menu and prices

The signature dishes are dakgalbi jeongol (spicy chicken hot pot) and the various samgyetang options.

• Mung-bean herbal samgyetang: ₩17,000
• Scorched-rice herbal samgyetang: ₩17,000
• Herbal samgyetang: ₩16,000
• Chicken gomtang: ₩10,000

There were also spicy chicken gukbap and dakgalbi jeongol, among other dishes.

Even the basic sides were neat and good

A variety of side dishes that went well with samgyetang came out. There was kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi), pickled vegetables, and vegetable sides, and nothing was overly intense. The kkakdugi was especially tasty. It was not excessively rich or salty; the seasoning and crisp texture were just right.

Ppongnamujip also says it serves homemade soy sauce, made by grinding soybeans and fermenting meju soybean blocks itself. They said it follows the old-fashioned way of dipping boiled chicken in homemade soy sauce, so I tried dipping the samgyetang chicken in it too.

We ordered mung-bean herbal samgyetang, scorched-rice herbal samgyetang, and chicken gomtang.

Rich, thick broth in the mung-bean herbal samgyetang

Mung-bean herbal samgyetang, ₩17,000. It arrived bubbling in a ttukbaegi earthenware pot, and right from the look of it, it felt like a proper restorative meal. There were generous mung beans in the broth, making it a little richer and thicker than regular samgyetang. A whole chicken was inside, and the meat was tenderly cooked.

The meat came away easily when pulled with chopsticks. Inside were glutinous rice, garlic, jujubes, and more, making it very satisfying with the chicken.

They say they use an herbal broth made by simmering medicinal ingredients for a long time, but it was not the kind where the medicinal-herb aroma overwhelms you. It had a savory, deep flavor, so it should suit anyone looking for a restorative dish.

Herbal samgyetang with scorched rice to soak in the broth

Scorched-rice herbal samgyetang, ₩17,000.

Personally, this was the dish that caught my eye most. A whole sheet of nurungji (scorched rice) sat on top of the samgyetang. At first, I enjoyed its crisp texture, then soaked it little by little in the broth; it softened up and its nutty flavor became even stronger.

I also liked how the nurungji absorbed the broth and became thick and porridge-like toward the end. If you prefer a nuttier flavor than regular samgyetang, this menu item should suit you.

Chicken gomtang that was good for a child

Chicken gomtang.

We ordered the chicken gomtang for our child. We did not make a special request when ordering, but they recognized it was for a child and prepared it without pepper. That felt quite thoughtful.

The broth was clear and clean-tasting. There was plenty of finely shredded chicken, along with glass noodles and green onion.

Overall it was simple and refreshing, though it was lightly seasoned, which made it nice to mix with rice. It was a dish a child could eat without any burden too.

They say they use homemade ingredients

Ppongnamujip seemed to put considerable care into its ingredients. They say they use homemade soy sauce made from freshly ground soybeans, sun-dried salt that has had its bittern removed for more than three years, and kimchi made with Korean chili powder and domestic ingredients. The broth is also made by simmering Korean medicinal ingredients for at least 12 hours, which gave it the feel of a true samgyetang specialist.

After the meal, you can have a free cup of coffee, and they were also selling Baksagi fried snacks separately at the counter.

If you are looking for samgyetang or a restorative meal in Sapgyo, Yesan, this is a place worth visiting. The restaurant was spacious, parking was convenient, and even the basic sides felt homemade, so I was satisfied overall. It should suit anyone looking for a good restaurant in Sapgyo, Yesan, or a samgyetang restaurant in Yesan.