New Ruwon City kodari restaurant with cauldron rice: Hangsangcharim

On days when I have no appetite or just want to fill up properly, nothing beats a spicy Korean dish that sticks to your palate. Recently I visited a place that completely won me over with its addictive sauce and generous spread — Hangsangcharim Kodari Myeongga Ruwon City Branch, known by word of mouth as a Ruwon City go-to restaurant. Here's my honest review of a hearty meal built around savory braised kodari (dried pollock) and a warm bowl of rice!

Where is Hangsangcharim Kodari Myeongga Ruwon City Branch? Parking and hours

Hangsangcharim Kodari Myeongga Ruwon City Branch is located at 616-3 Gajeong-dong, Seo-gu, Incheon. There's a parking tower right in front of the building, free if you're eating there, which made driving over easy.

• Hours: Mon–Fri 11:00–21:00 (break time 15:00–16:00)
• Weekends: Sat–Sun 11:00–21:00 (no weekend break)
• Parking: parking tower in front of the restaurant, free with a meal
• Convenience: kid-friendly, takeout available

A new kodari specialist in the old Geumdoyaji space

After parking comfortably in the building's parking tower, I stepped in to find Kodari Myeongga's clean exterior right away. This spot used to be a restaurant called 'Geumdoyaji,' which sold beef and pork,

but it's since been remodeled into a delicious kodari specialty restaurant. When I visited, it hadn't been open long, so congratulatory flower wreaths were greeting guests at the entrance.

Thanks to that, I got a bright, festive opening-day vibe, and as you'd expect from a new location, the overall impression was very clean and tidy — I walked in feeling good.

The self-serve bar was also neatly set up.

Spicy siraegi pollock stew, packed with dried radish greens

We ordered the 'Spicy Siraegi Pollock Stew,' loaded with siraegi (dried radish greens) — an ingredient that's simply essential to any kodari dish. The combination of a spicy, punchy sauce and earthy siraegi had me curious about the depth of flavor even before the food arrived.

Ta-da! The braised kodari finally arrived! Gently pulling the bones from the plump pollock revealed white, tender flesh underneath. The sauce had soaked in deeply, so it was excellent even just spooned over rice — a true signature dish of this Ruwon City go-to restaurant.

Around the spicy braised kodari, a generous spread of neat side dishes was laid out — japchae (stir-fried glass noodles), lotus root, salad. With cauldron rice and dried seaweed added on top, it really felt like a full, well-cared-for table.

Kodari and siraegi wrapped in dried seaweed

I tried wrapping just the kodari, siraegi, and bean sprouts neatly in a sheet of dried seaweed.

The nutty flavor, spiciness, and crunchy texture all came together for a taste you never get tired of.

The siraegi, soaked in the spicy sauce, was tender rather than tough. With its deep savory flavor and rich umami, it was the perfect match alongside the pollock flesh.

Sweet pumpkin and black bean cauldron rice, then nurungji sungnyung

The heavy cast-iron cauldron with its tidy wooden lid raised my expectations. The subtle scent of freshly cooked rice stirred my appetite even before we started eating.

Opening the lid of the freshly cooked cauldron rice revealed sweet pumpkin, black beans, and ginkgo nuts packed generously inside. Even the rice alone was sweet and nutty, and you could really feel the care that went into it.

After the rice was scooped out, hot water was poured into the cauldron to make earthy nurungji sungnyung (scorched rice tea). After the spicy braised kodari, it was exactly what I needed to warm and settle my stomach cleanly.

Hangsangcharim Ruwon City in three lines

• A great kodari stew specialist to visit in Ruwon City when you're craving something spicy and well put-together.
• The freshly cooked cauldron rice, deeply seasoned kodari, and earthy siraegi combination was excellent.
• Free parking out front and a spacious, clean interior make it a great spot for family meals or lunch gatherings.