Sokcho tofu restaurant at weekday opening with a friend: Kongbatteul

Why go to Kongbatteul Sokcho Branch at weekday opening?

Kongbatteul Sokcho Branch (콩밭뜰 속초점) has a huge queue on weekends, so we went right at opening on a weekday! When you travel to Sokcho in Gangwon-do, sundubu (soft tofu stew) is a must-eat, isn't it~~ Great for breakfast, lunch or dinner, and that perfectly soft, silky texture~!

Sokcho has countless sundubu places, but this is the one I came back from impressed two, three times over by the value and the taste. For just ₩10,000 you get a whole tofu spread like a course meal, plus seafood sundubu and jjamppong sundubu (spicy seafood noodle-style stew) with a refreshing broth. I'll walk you through Kongbatteul's "tofu set" (dubu hansang) in detail.

Kongbatteul Sokcho Branch hasn't been open long, but word has already spread among Sokcho locals and tourists, and I heard the queues keep getting longer.

Parking and the Seoraksan view at Kongbatteul Sokcho Branch

There's plenty of parking right in front of the restaurant, so it was easy to park! Even beginner drivers needn't worry, and it's a perfect Sokcho drive stop. You can even see Seoraksan in the distance, a perfect healing view~

It has been featured on SBS Live Today (생방송투데이), Today N (오늘N), Amazing Saturday (놀라운 토요일) and more! You can really feel how popular it is, right?

What are the inside and seating like?

This is the inside of the Sokcho sundubu restaurant Kongbatteul Sokcho Branch. I fell for the pleasant interior as soon as I walked in~! Even though we came early in the morning, local customers were already eating.

You can see traces of the previous day's queue! Even on a weekday there were lots of people waiting!

The signed caps caught my eye too. There are many golf courses (CCs) nearby, so lots of people come after a round, and many visitors were on a Sokcho and Yangyang trip.

There are seats with a pretty view, wide tables and comfy chairs, so it's good for bringing family, and the private rooms let you eat in peace. Maybe that's why so many well-known people and celebrities come too!

There's a phone charging service, which is a travel essential, and free kongbiji (soybean pulp) too! Takeout is generous and good value, so it's also a perfect last stop of a trip.

What comes with the ₩10,000 tofu set per person?

The Kongbatteul tofu set is ₩10,000 per person and includes a main dish + kongtang (soybean soup) + tofu patty (tteokgalbi) + tofu tangsuyuk (sweet and sour tofu) + tofu kimchi. That's why Kongbatteul Sokcho Branch is so loved. You order at your table with a KT Hi-Order kiosk, which is easy.

The menu is varied: jjamppong sundubu, cheonggukjang (strong fermented soybean stew), seafood sundubu, chodubu (tofu made with seawater brine), kongbiji, kongguksu (cold soybean noodles), tteok-mandu-guk (rice cake and dumpling soup), tofu kimchi stew, tteokgalbi (grilled patty), tofu hot pot and more! What I liked: Sokcho sundubu is usually on the mild side, but at Kongbatteul you can choose a spicier level than the usual spicy one, depending on your taste.

Our order came out! Getting this much for just ₩10,000 is the best value ever! You choose your main dish to taste, and enjoying the different tofu dishes like a course made me even happier.

Kongtang: a nutty first course, like a starter soup

A kongbiji-like kongtang came out! Wow, it's the height of nuttiness. It gently soothed the stomach like a starter soup, and it's great for babies, as a hangover soother, and a menu older folks would really love! The texture is soft and very fine, and one spoonful fills your mouth with the plain, mild flavor of soybeans.

Tofu salad: sweet and sour dressing

There's sauce underneath, and mixing it all together gave a really great savory depth. Neat square pieces of soft tofu sit on fresh, crunchy greens, topped with a sweet and sour dressing that got my appetite going.

Tofu tangsuyuk and tofu kimchi

Tofu tangsuyuk: crispy outside, chewy inside! It has a springy bite too, so kids would love it! Making tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork) out of tofu is truly inventive. A diet food that weighs less on the conscience haha

The tofu kimchi, firm tofu meeting tangy kimchi, was really good and makes you think of makgeolli (rice wine) on its own. The soft, hefty, nutty tofu went so well with the kimchi!

Tofu patty: the dish my friend and I fell for at the same time

The tofu patty! The dish my friend and I fell for at the same time! The sweet demi-glace sauce goes really well with the very soft tofu patty, and I kept thinking about it even after finishing!

They also gave us young radish kimchi (yeolmu-kimchi), cheongpomuk (mung bean jelly) and kongjaban (sweet braised soybeans), which were delicious and went well with the sundubu.

How are the taste and portion of the Kongbatteul seafood sundubu?

The Kongbatteul seafood sundubu had a big shrimp that stood out, clams and other seafood inside, and it's packed with sundubu. The earthenware pot (ttukbaegi) was really big and the portion is huge.

The aroma and flavor of fresh seafood soak into the broth, and that cool, savory taste of the sea goes really well with the sundubu. The sundubu texture especially is my favorite of any I've tried, smooth yet soft and silky, so it was really delicious!

Kongbatteul jjamppong sundubu: a good hangover fix?

Kongbatteul's jjamppong sundubu comes with refreshing squid, clam meat, pork and vegetables, plus plenty of sundubu. It's a perfect hangover fix! It flushes out last night's drinking and still keeps you wanting more, a bewitching hangover menu. This Sokcho jjamppong sundubu left a deep, rich aftertaste.

Is Kongbatteul Sokcho Branch worth a return visit?

Kongbatteul Sokcho Branch won me over with its generous portions, value and taste! It made me even happier to enjoy such a feast of tofu dishes. I'm planning to come back on my next Sokcho trip!