Shabu-shabu restaurant in Anjung, Pyeongtaek: clam and beef, Songdam

On the way to Asan for a trip, we stopped somewhere for lunch with the kids. When you're traveling with kids, you naturally end up looking for a menu that's easy for them to eat but still satisfying for adults. That day I was craving something warm and soupy, so I looked around and landed on Songdam Kalguksu — and the shabu-shabu and kalguksu (knife-cut noodles) we had there were sooo satisfying that the trip got off to a great start.

We only ordered one shabu-shabu, but it came with barley rice, corn rice bread, meatball dumplings, vegetables, shabu ingredients, and kalguksu noodles — such a loaded spread, and honestly the kalguksu noodles were some of the best I've had.

Where is Songdam Kalguksu, and when is it open?

• Address: 129 Gangbyeon-ro, Anjung-eup, Pyeongtaek-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Hours: Tue–Sun 09:00–21:00
• Last order: 20:10
• Closed: every Monday

Parking at this Anjung, Pyeongtaek Korean restaurant

Songdam Kalguksu is right along the route toward Asan, so it worked well for us as a lunch stop mid-trip. What I liked the moment we arrived was the big dedicated parking lot!

After parking and taking in the exterior, the space felt bigger and more relaxed than expected, and the surroundings had a nice easygoing vibe. The building itself had more of an atmospheric feel than your typical kalguksu place.

What especially caught my eye was the water wheel near the entrance. After the meal, it seemed like a nice spot to stroll around and take a short break.

There was also a coffee machine set up on one side, so finishing the meal with a cup of coffee was a nice bonus. (Having a coffee machine matters more than you'd think, haha.)

How big is the dining room at Songdam Kalguksu?

The interior of Songdam Kalguksu was really spacious too. It had a warm wood-tone feel overall and the tables were well spaced apart, making it comfortable for a family meal.

Seats by the window looked out onto the outside scenery — seeing the green trees and sky was kind of healing while we ate. Given the overall size of the place, it seemed great not just for family meals but also for group gatherings with several people.

Songdam Kalguksu menu and ordering clam and beef side by side

Looking at the menu, the mains were, of course, shabu-shabu and kalguksu haha. Beef shabu-shabu and fresh clam shabu-shabu were the popular picks, and there was also red bean kalguksu, kongguksu (cold soybean noodle soup), and meatball dumplings. The prices weren't intimidating either, which was another pleasant surprise looking at the menu board 🤭. If you just want something simple, there were even items in the ₩8,000 range for a light meal.

One thing I really liked here — you can cross-order shabu-shabu ingredients, so we ordered both clam shabu-shabu and beef shabu-shabu together.

The kids love beef and I lean toward seafood, so it was nice to be able to match everyone's taste. We also threw in some meatball dumplings on top 😆.

All this for 11,000 won? The shabu-shabu spread

It's a cook-it-yourself system, so once we ordered, the staff brought out side dishes and ingredients one by one, and the table gradually filled up.

• Barley rice
• Corn rice bread
• Shabu-shabu broth
• Assorted vegetables
• Shabu ingredients — clam or beef
• Kimchi and meat-filled dumplings
• Kalguksu noodles

Given the price, the quality and the spread were completely loaded.

Barley rice and steamed corn bread before the meal

Before the shabu-shabu, the barley rice and corn rice bread that came out first already won me over.

The corn rice bread had a soft, moist texture with the corn's distinct savory flavor that was oddly addictive. The kids said it was delicious and demolished it in no time haha. I only managed to grab a bite for myself, and it was so good I checked whether they sell it separately — turns out they actually do.

Ah... that day we were on our way to a water park, so I only packed for what we'd eat right then and didn't bring a cooler bag, which I really regretted 🥲. Next time I visit, I definitely want to bring a cooler bag and buy some corn rice bread to take home.

The barley rice had a subtle, savory sesame oil aroma, and paired with yeolmu kimchi (young radish kimchi) it really got the appetite going. The nutty, clean flavor of the barley rice with the crunchy yeolmu kimchi made me want more even before the shabu-shabu started haha.

The kimchi was tasty too, so we grabbed extra from the self-serve bar.

How the broth tastes with clam and beef together

Now for the main event — cooking the shabu-shabu. The base broth was clear and light, which made it easy to eat with the kids. If you want it spicy, you can add chili paste to adjust it to taste, so adults can make it a bit more fiery too.

We started by loading in plenty of vegetables, and as they cooked, the broth naturally picked up sweetness and depth.

Next up, the clams! They were pretty large.

I carefully added the fresh clams to the broth and waited until they opened up. As they cooked, the refreshing clam aroma seeped into the broth and completely changed the flavor. Even though it was a clear broth, it wasn't bland at all — the subtle, savory clam flavor really came through. The clam meat itself wasn't tough at all, staying moist and springy.

Adding the beef next made the broth even richer.

As the beef's savory flavor blended in, the broth got deeper and deeper. What started as a clean, refreshing clam broth turned into something much richer once the beef went in, with more umami and savoriness. Lightly cooking the thinly sliced beef made it tender and moist, and the kids ate it up happily 😆.

Are the meatball dumplings worth adding?

The meatball dumplings! These were also a real treat. The round dumplings, simmered in the shabu-shabu broth, soaked up the broth and became tender and juicy inside. They went perfectly with the shabu-shabu soup.

The kids liked them too, and I liked them so much we ended up ordering more 😆.

They used a thin dumpling skin too, so the filling's flavor really came through, and they were also great dipped lightly in soy sauce.

The real highlight: kalguksu noodles at the end

And finally, the kalguksu we'd been waiting for! Honestly, the shabu-shabu was great, but what stuck with me the most that day was the kalguksu at the end. Looking closely at the noodles, they were a little different from typical kalguksu — flecked with green bits that looked like scallions, giving them a slightly unusual look from the start.

By this point the broth had already deepened with clam, beef, vegetables, and dumplings, so once the noodles went in, they really soaked up all that flavor. The noodles had a genuinely chewy, springy texture — not too tough, but soft with that unmistakable chewiness kalguksu is known for. Perfect for slurping! Once we portioned some out for the kids, they were practically face down in their bowls 🤣.

Quality, portions and value at Songdam Kalguksu

The restaurant is spacious, the parking is plenty, and the menu setup works well for families, so it was a good spot to visit with the kids. If you're looking for a warm, filling Korean meal in Anjung, Pyeongtaek, I'd recommend Songdam Kalguksu for a hearty meal — from shabu-shabu all the way to kalguksu.