Pyeongtaek octopus kalguksu with mushroom and beef: Songdam Kalguksu

Songdam Kalguksu, Pyeongtaek - an Anjung restaurant famous for generous freebies -

Today I stopped by Songdam Kalguksu while in Anjung, Pyeongtaek, and wanted to share my visit!

Finding Songdam Kalguksu — is there even a restaurant back here?

Songdam Kalguksu sits at 129 Gangbyeon-ro, Anjung-eup, Pyeongtaek-si, Gyeonggi-do, tucked further and further in until you finally spot it. There's nothing much else around, so it's really a place you have to go to on purpose.

Are we sure this is the place?

You have to walk in and in again to even find the restaurant, so doubt kicks in first. Is there even a restaurant here?

This brought back memories of the Covid era... washing your hands well is always important!

A Pyeongtaek good-value business!? A restaurant that's been on TV before?

Part of the flavor secret is mulberry sangwhang mushroom from Andong Hahoe Village used in the broth, and seeing the notice about chive noodles at the entrance really built up my expectations!

Is there a wait for weekend lunch?

Since I happened to visit on a weekend at lunchtime, I had to stand around waiting for a bit. If you want to be seated quickly, I'd recommend avoiding mealtimes if you can.

First-timers might be a little caught off guard, but true to its reputation, there's definitely a wait.

Seeing the prices, this really is the real deal for a good-value business!!! There's also a good variety, so it works well even with a group ordering different things.

What to order at Songdam Kalguksu

2 servings of octopus kalguksu + vegetables + mushrooms + beef, plus egg porridge

Corn rice bread + barley rice — hard to believe these come free, they're actually good and make for a nice appetizer while waiting for the kalguksu. If you miss the timing, they're still delicious eaten alongside the noodle soup!

The star of the show: octopus kalguksu

It wasn't on the menu board, which made me think it's a relatively new item, but honestly there were so many other kalguksu options — clam, dumpling, and more — that it was a tough call.

I liked that there was no mention of a minimum order size, but since there were two of us, we ordered two servings just in case.

The octopus was fresh and pretty sizable, which is why it looks like this in photos. It's briefly blanched and cut into pieces that are easy to eat. They also bring you separate chogochujang (vinegared chili paste) for dipping the octopus.

Adding mushrooms

A good variety of mushrooms, and the portion was more generous than expected — satisfying! Next time I'll definitely add mushrooms again.

Adding beef

I wasn't sure beef would go with seafood, but I highly recommend it! If you're someone who usually enjoys meat, you'll be very satisfied with the fat rendering into the broth and the rich, savory flavor.

I couldn't try the shabu-shabu since it's only available on weekdays, but with kalguksu alone letting you customize with add-ons like this, I barely felt any difference — it felt like a real advantage.

The truth behind the greenish chive noodles

There was an explanation about the noodles on the table menu, but I skimmed past it at first — then noticed the noodles looked greenish, wondered if it was mold, looked closer, and discovered the truth about the chive noodles!

Green bits of herb are woven throughout the noodles, and you can definitely see the chive making its presence known. Maybe that's why it feels light on the stomach.

A seriously well-stocked pot of kalguksu came together. Napa cabbage kimchi and young radish kimchi are basically the only side dishes, but honestly I think I'd have been happy with just those.

This place is great for kimchi. Both the napa cabbage and young radish kimchi are delicious. Maybe that's why people keep heading back to the self-serve corner~

Egg porridge

I'd already cleaned out the barley rice too... and wondered if I could really eat this on top of everything, but it turned out soft, savory, and genuinely delicious?

A dish I'd recommend if you're visiting with kids

Free barley rice, corn rice bread, and the self-serve corner

Songdam Kalguksu gives out barley rice and corn rice bread free, one each per person. Side dishes and coffee after the meal are self-serve.

I'd heard corn rice bread and barley rice come free, one each per person, and sure enough, they really did give one to each of us. The barley rice paired amazingly with the young radish kimchi and the kalguksu broth!

If you like the corn rice bread, keep an eye out — it's also sold at the entrance, haha

The self-serve corner — plenty of side dishes that you can help yourself to freely

The coffee self-serve corner — they even provide coffee for customers who like to enjoy a cup after the meal!

Who would I recommend Songdam Kalguksu to?

A restaurant I appreciated for never mentioning a minimum order of two servings.

You can watch them make the noodles by hand, and they bring the dishes right to your table. It's a great-value restaurant for enjoying these unique chive noodles without weighing on your stomach~

With such fair prices, it's a kalguksu place that's easy to enjoy with the whole family, no worries about the bill

Location, hours, and parking, if you want to find it

There's not much else nearby, so it's a place worth a deliberate trip for the value, and parking is fairly convenient too.

• Address: 129 Gangbyeon-ro, Anjung-eup, Pyeongtaek-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Hours: 9 AM – 9 PM (last order 8:10 PM)
• Closed: Every Monday
• Pyeongtaek local currency accepted
• Free barley rice and corn rice bread
• Parking available in front of the restaurant