Korean restaurant in Gwangju for usintang and pot rice: Dugeori

I had usintang and galbitang at Dugeori Usintang Gwangju Imam Branch (두거리우신탕 광주 임암점), a place I used to recommend when guests came from other areas. Usintang is a spicy beef soup; the meat had no unpleasant odor, and it came with plenty of mushrooms.

Where is the Gwangju Imam branch, and is parking available?

The restaurant is on the first floor at 119 Hyocheon 3-ro, Nam-gu, Gwangju, in the Hyocheon 1 District of Imam-dong. The hours listed in the original post are daily from 10:30 AM to 10:00 PM.

There are parking spaces behind the building, as well as a dedicated parking area in the large open lot behind a nearby food-ingredient mart.

The first time I tried usintang, it tasted different from beef haejangguk (hangover soup) or yukgaejang (spicy shredded beef soup). I kept thinking about its spicy beef-soup flavor after the visit.

What are the seating and weekday lunch waits like?

The interior was fairly spacious and pleasant. There was another dining area beyond the partitions, but it was occupied, so I only photographed one side. Many office workers visit on weekdays, so there can be a wait at lunch.

You can get more of the basic side dishes from the self-service bar. While eating the spicy usintang, I paired it with white kimchi and perilla leaves, and went back for more twice.

They were also selling takeout items and delivery gift sets on one side of the restaurant.

According to the information displayed during my visit, Gwangju Sangsaeng Card, Onnuri gift certificates, and Nam-gu Donghaeng Card could be used.

How much are usintang and galbitang, and does pot rice come with them?

Besides usintang, there were usin-jjim (braised beef), usin-jeongol (beef hot pot), special jeongol, and galbitang. We ordered usintang and galbitang for ₩14,000 each.

The basic side dishes were perilla leaves, salted seafood, kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi), and white kimchi.

The galbitang and usintang arrived at the same time, and both included pot rice. After transferring the rice to a bowl, I poured hot broth into the pot to make nurungji (scorched rice) and began eating.

How spicy was the usintang, and what was the meat like?

The usintang had large pieces of ribs and plenty of mushrooms. One bowl felt generous to me, and the rib meat was tender rather than tough. It was easy to eat without any extra seasoning or sauce.

The broth was pleasantly spicy and savory. It was filling with rice mixed in, and I thought it would also go well as an accompaniment to soju. By the time I finished, I was sweating and felt warmed through.

I also liked wrapping meat, mushrooms, and gosari (bracken fern) in the pungent, seasoned perilla leaves.

Is there a clear-broth option to have with a child?

Along with the spicy usintang, there was clear-broth galbitang, which made choosing a meal with a child easier. The galbitang had plenty of enoki mushrooms, green onion, and beef, and I could also see medicinal herbs and jujubes.

The well-simmered meat came off the bones easily. The rib meat was tender and pleasantly chewy, so my child ate it well too. It felt like a large portion even for one adult, but my child picked out and ate all the meat.

How did I eat the pot-rice nurungji?

To finish, I ate the nurungji that I had prepared with broth. Topped with mushrooms and meat from the usintang and paired with salted seafood, it stayed filling to the end.

I liked that the spicy usintang came with plenty of meat, mushrooms, and gosari. With clear galbitang available too, I thought it would be a good place to return to with my parents.