Bongcheon kodari restaurant, dinner with a 4-year-old: Sangdo Neulbori

Here's my review of a visit with my mother-in-law, husband and 4-year-old to Sangdo Neulbori Bongcheon Station Branch, famous as a kodari (dried pollock) restaurant near Bongcheon Station. There's a branch near my house too that I've visited before, but this was my first time at the Bongcheon Station location! We went after my husband got off work on a weekday evening, and the whole family ate until we were full — here's the review.😍

We arrived just after 6pm on a weekday. It's fall so the sun sets fast, and it was already getting dark outside!

Where to park at Sangdo Neulbori near Bongcheon Station

There's space for about 3–4 cars beside and in front of the building. We parked comfortably right next to the restaurant.🥰

Inside Sangdo Neulbori: the room and who was eating there

The inside was much bigger than I expected! Even though it was still early evening, the crowd was mixed — people just having a meal, others having a drink, young couples, and a table that looked like a work dinner gathering.😊 You could really feel that this is a genuine local favorite!😁

Near the entrance there's a sign that reads something like, "Better to be the place one person visits 100 times than the place 100 people visit once." Since I run a center myself, I know very well how much harder and more important it is to keep repeat customers than to attract new ones — so that line really caught my eye and stuck with me.👍

There was also a feel-good phrase saying something like "today is the youngest you'll ever be," and aprons were neatly laid out by the entrance so anyone who needed one could just grab it — a nice small touch.😘

What three adults and a 4-year-old ordered at Sangdo Neulbori

With three adults and one child, we ordered a medium kodari jorim (3 fish), two bowls of rice, and one bowl of barley rice.

While we waited for the food, chatting away about what happened during the day, the basic side dishes were set out quickly.

The side dishes were overall really neat and fresh! Seaweed soup and steamed egg also came as basic sides, and they were perfect for feeding the kid.🥰

The doenjang jjigae that won over a mother-in-law in her 70s

The doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) in particular had such a deep, savory flavor that my mother-in-law, who has picky taste in her 70s (she doesn't know about this blog, haha), didn't hold back her praise: "This place's doenjang jjigae is really good!"👍

Barley bibimbap: mixing the 4-year-old's bowl first

Next came the barley bibimbap! The presentation was so generous.😋

It came with plenty of assorted namul (seasoned vegetables) and barley rice.

Before adding the gochujang (red chili paste), I set aside a little bit for the kid first, mixed without the spicy namul!

Then I drizzled sesame oil and gochujang over the rest and mixed it thoroughly.🤩

What did the 4-year-old eat at Sangdo Neulbori?

You might wonder, "what on earth does a 4-year-old eat at a kodari restaurant?" But this day my kid really ate well...!!! She finished half a bowl of rice mixed into warm seaweed soup, ate about 3 adult-spoon scoops of barley rice, and claimed a whole steamed egg all to herself.🤣 It turned out to be a solid choice for dining out with a kid, too!

Is the kodari jorim at Sangdo Neulbori thick and meaty?

Finally, the main dish, kodari jorim (braised dried pollock), arrived!

Steam rising off a hearty-looking kodari, I gave it a little round of applause before digging in~😋

Picking the meat apart, it was really thick and meaty. The spicy, punchy sauce had soaked all the way through, and it felt like the first time in a while I'd had a truly proper kodari!

The braise also had plenty of potato and radish in it! My husband and mother-in-law preferred the well-cooked radish, while I liked the fluffy potato more.😄

Soft like a fresh spring potato — mixed into rice with a bit of the sauce on top, it was such a good pairing.😭

Gim wraps with kkosiraegi seaweed and kodari flesh

(Not sure if this is the "correct" way to eat it..!) but placing some kkosirae (seaweed side dish, chewy texture) on dried gim (seaweed) along with a piece of kodari flesh and wrapping it up was a great combination! The chewy bite and spicy sauce wrapped in gim went really well together.😆

We finished by wiping the plate clean down to the last bit of sauce~

Would we return to Sangdo Neulbori for another family dinner?

Adults and kid alike left full and satisfied.👍 It's a great spot to stop by near Bongcheon Station when you're craving a family dinner or clean, proper Korean food! My intent to return is obviously 100%!