Reserve-ahead baeksuk near Gangdanggol Valley, Asan: Oneungi Shabu

A stop at Oneungi Shabu Baeksuk on the way to Gangdanggol Valley

Summer calls for good food followed by a cool break at a valley, right? This time we decided to eat a hearty meal before heading to Gangdanggol Valley in Asan.

So we headed to Oneungi Shabu Baeksuk (오능이샤브백숙) in Asan. If you search around, you'll also find it under its old name, Kim Yeosa Neungi Mushroom Baeksuk — apparently they changed the name, so just know it's the same place! We went in expecting to properly enjoy a baeksuk (whole poultry soup) made with neungi mushrooms.

Parking and seating at Oneungi Shabu Baeksuk

Parking was easy — there were spaces in front of and around Oneungi Shabu Baeksuk, so driving there wasn't a hassle at all. It felt like a great fit for a day trip that also involves driving, like heading to Gangdanggol Valley.

The seating was spacious too, so it seemed great for group gatherings — and I noticed it's also a restaurant that practices donation, which is nice!

Oneungi Shabu Baeksuk menu prices

• Main dish — Neungi duck baeksuk ₩79,000
• Neungi chicken baeksuk ₩79,000
• Neungi samgyetang ₩15,000
• Extras — Sweet rice ₩5,000
• Squid pancake ₩15,000
• Extra mushrooms ₩20,000
• Chicken, duck, rice, kimchi > all domestic (Korean)
• *Takeout available*

Why it pays to reserve baeksuk in advance

For this visit, we reserved ahead of time. Baeksuk needs cooking time, so it's much more convenient to reserve before you go. Because we had, the food was already prepped when we arrived, so we could start eating right away with no wait.

It looked pretty generous from the start. Adding neungi mushrooms to the duck baeksuk made it look healthy just from the looks of it. Best of all was the way it's cooked — you light the burner right at your table and simmer it yourself.

While the baeksuk was still simmering, we snacked on some ginseng and mushroom pancake to tide us over.

Extra mushrooms and the self-serve side dish bar

You can also add more of the prepared mushrooms as you go, so you can enjoy as many as you like based on your taste. The broth kept getting richer the longer it simmered, so the first taste and the taste after more boiling were noticeably different.

There's a self-serve bar where you can grab extra side dishes! We had plenty already, so we didn't end up needing to.

Once the burner's on and it starts bubbling, the broth gives off a gentle but distinct neungi mushroom aroma — and that's when your appetite really kicks in!

How did the neungi duck baeksuk taste?

The aroma of the neungi mushrooms blended nicely with the clean flavor of the duck, making the whole thing mild and not at all overpowering. You might expect baeksuk to feel heavy or greasy, but with the neungi mushrooms in there, it went down surprisingly light.

Most of all, the portion was quite generous, and before I knew it, I was already full. Usually with baeksuk you finish off with porridge made from the leftover broth, but this time I'd drunk so much of the delicious broth that I was too full — sadly, we couldn't manage the porridge.

Overall the food felt wholesome, so it seemed like a great fit for a family meal or a meal out with parents. It's actually known as a go-to baeksuk spot in the Asan area, and I think it really suits anyone wanting to enjoy neungi mushrooms and baeksuk together.

Pairing the meal with a Gangdanggol Valley trip

Eating a hearty meal before heading out to Gangdanggol Valley in Asan worked out great as a plan. You tend to get hungry faster than expected once you're playing around in the valley, so having eaten well beforehand made everything feel a lot more relaxed.

If you're looking for a nourishing meal in Asan, or want a hearty bite before or after a trip to Gangdanggol Valley, this is a place worth stopping by. It happens to be Malbok (the last of Korea's three hottest days) today — nourish your body with baeksuk! After eating well and filling up, off to Gangdanggol Valley!