Cheonan duck restaurant: solo duck jjamppong lunch at Ori The Chadol

Where is Ori The Chadol, a duck lunch spot near the Cheonan Sports Complex?

Ori The Chadol Cheonan City Hall branch (오리더차돌 천안시청점) is right near the sports complex in Baekseok-dong, Cheonan, so it was easy to find. Jungbok had just passed, and it was so hot that even if it wasn't an official boknal (dog days) I felt I should eat something warm, so I stopped in for lunch. It looked perfect for a hot bowl of soup with rice after a workout.

Parking at Ori The Chadol Cheonan City Hall branch

The restaurant is next to the sports complex. There's a small old road beside it, and if you go down it there's a big parking lot at the back, so parking was no trouble at all.

What are the menu and atmosphere like at Ori The Chadol?

The menu is so varied that choosing was a bit of a dilemma! In the evening, I think the course is worth trying. Unlike old-style duck restaurants, Ori The Chadol feels clean and nice for hosting guests. A trendy duck restaurant, I'd call it?

Group dinner rooms and a kids' room

Ori The Chadol Cheonan City Hall branch has room-style spaces that feel great for office group dinners, and it looks like they can hold quite a lot of people. It's also comfortable for a family meal out with kids.

If you look toward the back, you can see the kids' room right through a window. With a play space for little ones, mom and dad can eat a bit more comfortably. When my kids were small I only looked for places like this, so I think it's just right.

Self-bar

At the Ori The Chadol self-bar you can grab vegetables and other things you like. We had picked a lunch menu, so there was nothing in particular I needed to bring over, but with the course the self-bar is surprisingly handy ^_^

Is the chadol jjamppong a good lunch special at Ori The Chadol?

Some simple side dishes arrived. Unusually, Ori The Chadol has jjamppong and jjajangmyeon made with duck, so I think you'd be happy choosing them as a lunch special. Because, haha...

The chadol jjamppong, oh my goodness... It's packed with smoky wok flavor, so you can eat as happily as at any decent Chinese restaurant. The fire aroma is seriously strong, the portion is generous and the broth is rich, so I keep thinking about it. Even now, while posting this, my mouth is watering.

When I think of a Cheonan duck restaurant, I usually picture roasted or stir-fried (jumulleok) duck and big, wide stews, but I liked that Ori The Chadol has duck dishes you can eat comfortably even alone. And chadol jjamppong on top of that?! +ㅅ+ I'm a jjamppong lover, and it suddenly struck me that this would be a great solo lunch too.

Can you have the duck tang at Ori The Chadol as a solo lunch?

I ordered the duck tang as a reward for myself after sweating so much. I'd always hesitated over duck tang, because I only thought of the big pots or having to reserve ahead, but this one needs none of that worry and looks like gamjatang (pork bone stew), perfectly fine for eating alone, which I love.

It came in a bigger earthenware pot than I expected, quite generously filled with vegetables. The broth is rich too. The duck tang is richer than the jjamppong!! If you like hot gukbap (rice soup), this spicy duck stew is a hearty lunch.

The amount of meat is just right, and what do I call these vegetables? Anyway, eaten with rice, when I mixed the rice in, everything was so soft and tender that I polished off a whole bowl of rice. I realized I'd been so old-fashioned, having only ever had clear duck soup. I know duck is good for you, but I always thought it wasn't easy to get into; it turns out it is, so I think I'll be coming often.

How is the buckwheat jeonbyeong served at Ori The Chadol?

The buckwheat jeonbyeong (buckwheat rolls) at Ori The Chadol isn't pan-fried like jeon, but comes out crispy, as if deep-fried. I didn't know how big the portion would be, but I'm a buckwheat roll killer. At naengmyeon (cold noodle) places, I'm the one who always orders this, me!! So I was curious how it would be here, and the texture was fun and good.

I was also surprised at how many rolls there were. They'd be tasty eaten like crispy fried dumplings. After lunch at Ori The Chadol I was so full that I ate dinner very late. Duck really is filling, so filling.

Ori The Chadol Cheonan City Hall branch lunch, in one line

I'd thought of duck as a special dish for family gatherings, but at Ori The Chadol Cheonan City Hall branch you can enjoy it in a friendly yet still special way. If you're curious, give Ori The Chadol in Baekseok-dong, Cheonan, a visit ^_^