Solo lunch of pork bone hangover soup near Meokgol Station: Wanttuk

When lunchtime comes around, the hardest part is deciding what will be both filling and satisfying. On days when I crave something brothy, hangover soup or gamjatang (pork bone stew) naturally comes to mind. This time I was looking for a lunch spot near Meokgol Station and ended up at Wanttuk Gamjatang Meokgol Main Branch (완뚝감자탕 먹골본점), where I had the bone hangover soup. Here is my record of it.

If you are looking for somewhere to eat near Meokgol Station, you probably want to know about the menu, the taste, the portion size and the atmosphere. After eating there myself, I could see why so many customers keep coming back.

Looking for a lunch menu near Meokgol Station?

There are plenty of restaurants around Meokgol Station, but some days you want a hearty meal, and a brothy dish hits the spot. For office workers at lunch and people eating alone, a menu that you can finish quickly and that leaves you full is especially popular.

Among them, Wanttuk Gamjatang Meokgol Main Branch is often mentioned as a lunch spot near Meokgol Station. Besides gamjatang, it also sells bone hangover soup, so it did not feel awkward to visit alone. The atmosphere is relaxed, quite a few other customers were dining solo, and at lunchtime I could see lots of office workers from the area coming in.

What I ordered: bone hangover soup

This visit I ordered the bone hangover soup (ppyeo haejangguk). The food came out fairly quickly, and the first thing that caught my eye was the big bones. It is not the kind of dish that is mostly broth; the bones were generously covered in meat, which made it very satisfying.

The broth was rich without being overly strong. It kept the deep flavor gamjatang is known for while finishing clean, so it felt light enough for lunch. The meat came off the bone tenderly, and there was plenty of dried radish greens (ugeoji), which went well with rice. Personally, rather than putting the rice into the soup right away, I enjoyed it more by eating the meat and greens first and having the rice with the broth at the end.

How is the broth?

The most important thing in bone hangover soup is, of course, the broth. The broth at Wanttuk Gamjatang Meokgol Main Branch had a rich beef-bone base with the earthy savoriness typical of gamjatang. It was neither too spicy nor too salty, so anyone could eat it comfortably.

At first it tastes mild, but the depth builds the more you eat, and I enjoyed it down to the last spoonful. Eaten with the dried radish greens, the savory flavor came through even more, and the meaty aroma from the bones had soaked into the whole broth. If you like hangover soup, you will be quite satisfied.

Was the portion big enough?

The portion was bigger than I expected. With such big bones, you fill up quickly once you start working through the meat. With rice added, it would satisfy even a grown man.

I especially liked that the meat was tender rather than dry, so I could enjoy it to the end. There was plenty of broth too, so it stayed hot until the last bite, and eating it with the side dishes made for a well-balanced meal.

Is it okay to eat alone near Meokgol Station?

Visiting alone was not awkward at all. There is a perception that gamjatang is something you eat with a group, but the bone hangover soup is a one-person dish, so it suits solo dining.

There were other customers eating alone, and the staff were friendly, so I finished my meal comfortably. It seems like a good choice for office workers who need a quick lunch and for people who live nearby. So I would recommend it to anyone wondering about eating solo near Meokgol Station.

Who I'd recommend it to

If you like rich brothy dishes, you will probably be very satisfied. It is worth a visit especially if you are looking for bone hangover soup near Meokgol Station, or if you are a worker who needs a filling meal.

Sharing gamjatang with a group is great, but when you are alone, the bone hangover soup was a much easier way to enjoy it. It is close to Meokgol Station so access is good, and it did not leave me feeling too heavy afterwards, which makes it a fitting lunch.

My overall verdict after eating there

After eating there, my impression was that Wanttuk Gamjatang Meokgol Main Branch is a gamjatang restaurant that sticks to the basics. The bone hangover soup balanced big bones, tender meat and a rich broth well, and it was satisfying enough as a full meal.

The broth was not overly strong, so I could enjoy it to the end, and the generous portion made it a solid, filling lunch. It is easy to visit alone and the meal goes quickly, so it suits office-worker lunches and neighborhood residents too.

If you are looking for a hearty brothy dish near Meokgol Station, it is worth a visit. Next time, I would like to try the gamjatang as well.