Suwon Hommaesil mild clam soft tofu hot pot dinner: Ok Doenjang

Today I went to have dinner with my mom at Ok Doenjang Suwon Hommaesil Branch — it's been a while! Lately when evening rolls around I somehow start craving a hot soup dish, and this clam sundubu (soft tofu) hot pot looked so good that we headed straight over haha.

Where is Ok Doenjang Suwon Hommaesil Branch, and where do you park?

Ok Doenjang Suwon Hommaesil Branch is at 경기 수원시 권선구 금곡로 219 1층 111호. Hours are 11:00 AM–11:00 PM (last order 10:00 PM), with a break time from 3:00 PM–4:30 PM.

• Address: 경기 수원시 권선구 금곡로 219 1층 111호
• Hours: 11:00 AM–11:00 PM (last order 10:00 PM)
• Break time: 3:00 PM–4:30 PM
• Parking: 2 hours free at the Ok Doenjang building
• Extra parking: 2 hours free at 'Hommaesil Delight Tower 2 parking lot,' 경기 수원시 권선구 금곡동 1160

They say the '옥' (Ok) in Ok Doenjang uses the character for 'house' (屋). The place started because they wanted to serve guests the taste of doenjang jjigae their mother used to make at home — the name itself already has that homemade feel, haha. And so everything can be eaten as hot as possible, the dishes come out as hot pot (jeongol) rather than jjigae.

What is the dining room at Ok Doenjang like?

The inside of Ok Doenjang Suwon Hommaesil Branch was overall clean but still comfortable for a casual meal. It's not too much of a pub vibe, but it's also not purely a restaurant feel either — so it works for lunch, or for hot pot and boiled pork with a drink at dinner. If you're looking for a Suwon lunch spot or a Hommaesil lunch spot, this seems like an easy place to drop into.

The tables were spaced out enough that my mom and I could sit comfortably :)

How much is the clam soft tofu hot pot, and how do you order it?

Clam sundubu hot pot is ₩24,000 for two at lunch, ₩26,000 for two at dinner. Ok Doenjang has a wide menu, from doenjang hot pot to sundubu hot pot to boiled pork. That day we ordered the clam sundubu hot pot for two! I was curious about the doenjang hot pot too, but for some reason I was craving a spicy-ish sundubu that day haha.

We visited in the evening, so it was ₩26,000. Lunch is a bit cheaper, so if you're nearby looking for a Suwon lunch spot or a Hommaesil lunch spot, a lunchtime visit isn't a bad idea either.

Which side dishes come with the meal?

Ok Doenjang Suwon Hommaesil Branch sets up the side dishes quickly after you order. (Waiting for it to boil with the hourglass they give you brought back memories of playing with one as a kid.)

This stir-fried kimchi was better than I expected. It's not just kimchi stir-fried on its own — there's pork mixed in too, so it works great as a side to eat with rice. Honestly a bit of a rice thief haha.

The stir-fried fish cake was nicely salty too, good for picking at one piece at a time,

and we also got two raw eggs to add into the clam sundubu hot pot. Since it was for two, one each worked out perfectly!

The rice was that perfect firm texture. You can tell just from the quality of the side dishes that this is a solid place. A restaurant that nails the basics is the best...!

How many clams are in the soft tofu hot pot?

And then the clam sundubu hot pot arrived! First off, the portion was huge. Loads of soft tofu, and once you looked further in, there were really a ton of clams.

Sundubu, clams, minari (water dropwort). And the clams you see are just the surface — there's way more underneath.

Once it boils for a while, they crack in the eggs that come with it :) With the sundubu and the egg both in there, the broth felt even softer.

Once the hourglass they gave you at the start runs out, it's ready to eat!

Is the clam soft tofu hot pot spicy?

Ok Doenjang's clam sundubu hot pot wasn't aggressively spicy. The tofu portion was generous too, so it was easy to scoop up a spoonful with the clams each time, and personally what I liked best was that it wasn't as spicy as I expected. When you hear 'sundubu hot pot' you tend to picture something intensely fiery and hot, but this one had a flavor you could keep spooning up without any pressure. I personally prefer this kind of soup you can eat comfortably over something super spicy, so it actually worked in the dish's favor for me haha.

I normally prefer eating rice and soup separately, but it was so good I ended up mixing the rice right into the broth. Eating it that way, it wasn't salty at all.

My mom gave up her egg for me...>< why does a mom love her daughter this much

While we were eating, we kept saying 'wait, why do the clams keep coming?' haha. Just looking at the pile of clam shells, you can tell how many were actually in there…? If you're a clam lover, I think you'll be satisfied.

There was plenty of the basic vegetables too, and the fully cooked onion and zucchini were sweet and nice. This is clearly a place that doesn't skimp on ingredients, and the seasoning was so well-balanced that even though it could've made me thirsty, I didn't want any water at all.

I usually can't even finish a full bowl of rice, but this made me clean the whole thing...

Final verdict on Ok Doenjang Suwon Hommaesil Branch

• Staff friendliness ★★★★★
• Atmosphere ★★★★☆
• Hygiene ★★★★★
• Taste ★★★★★
• Transit convenience ★★★★★
• Price ★★★★★
• Would revisit ★★★★★

The portion was generous for two, and especially with the clams and sundubu loaded in without holding back, we left completely full. Lunch is a bit cheaper too, so it's good for anyone looking for a Suwon lunch spot or a Hommaesil lunch spot, and at dinner it's great for hot pot or boiled pork with a drink, so I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a Hommaesil spot to drink at too.

A generous amount of clams, plenty of sundubu, and not too spicy so it's easy to eat without any pressure — those were the three things I liked most about Ok Doenjang Suwon Hommaesil Branch! If you're in Hommaesil craving a hot bowl of hot pot, give it a try :)