Pyeongtaek red bean rice balls and mild octopus shabu-shabu: Songdam

Anjung, Pyeongtaek kalguksu (noodle soup) spot: Songdam Kalguksu

Why Songdam Kalguksu, right next door to Suksudaega?

Songdam Kalguksu is a Korean restaurant at 129 Gangbyeon-ro, Anjung-eup, Pyeongtaek-si, Gyeonggi-do. When I visited Suksudaega, a hansik (Korean set-meal) restaurant nearby, I noticed Songdam Kalguksu right next door and told myself I'd come back for it next time.

Since I'd already mentioned it, I finally made the trip to Songdam Kalguksu, a well-known kalguksu spot in Anjung, Pyeongtaek.

Songdam Kalguksu address, hours and parking in Anjung, Pyeongtaek

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

Songdam Kalguksu, a Korean restaurant in Anjung, Pyeongtaek, is a certified good-price business in Pyeongtaek, specializing in Jeolla-style red bean kalguksu and patongsimi (red bean rice balls).

Since I'd been next door at Suksudaega before, it was easy to find, and the kalguksu menu here was delicious in a totally different way from that hansik meal.

The parking lot is spacious too, so parking shouldn't be a worry even on weekends or holidays.

Turns out Suksudaega and Songdam Kalguksu are actually run by the same owner.

Inside Songdam Kalguksu and what we ordered

I'd heard Songdam Kalguksu gets packed on weekends, and looking at all the tables scattered around, I could believe it. There's even a space on one side for group gatherings.

Looking at the menu, from kalguksu to shabu-shabu to patongsimi, there was so much I wanted that I agonized over it for a while. In the end we ordered a single serving of octopus shabu-shabu and patongsimi. Spoiler: both the dishes we ordered and everything that came free were delicious — a very satisfying meal.

House-made chive noodles for the kalguksu. I was already looking forward to it before it even arrived.

Complimentary bean-barley rice and corn bread at Songdam Kalguksu

Bean-barley rice

After ordering, the barley rice and corn bread arrived first, free of charge. The barley rice was mild and nutty, nice to snack on lightly before the meal, and the corn bread was warm with a lovely sweetness. It tasted way too good to just be a freebie — my expectations climbed before the main dishes even showed up.

Mild octopus shabu-shabu: a whole octopus in the pot

For the main dish, octopus shabu-shabu comes in mild or spicy broth — we went with mild. A whole octopus arrived in one piece.

You put the vegetables in first, boil the broth, then drop in the whole octopus, cook it, and fish it out to eat — it was fun, and the longer it boiled, the deeper the broth got as the flavors melded together.

The kimchi was so good I went back for a refill at the self-serve corner.

Self-serve corner

The self-serve corner was kept nice and clean too, which I appreciated.

We also got one kimchi mandu (dumpling) and one meat mandu each to try, and boiling them in the broth made them delicious — I really wanted to order more, but with so much food already there, I passed.

Octopus shabu-shabu

Once the broth boils, you add the vegetables and then the octopus. Since it comes whole, just cut it into bite-size pieces as you eat.

Eating it with the barley rice made it filling, and the hot broth was comforting all the way down. When you're looking for a Korean restaurant in Anjung, Pyeongtaek, finding a warm shabu-shabu option like this feels like a welcome bonus.

It was hearty enough for a full meal and looked great for sharing with family. If you like this style of shabu-shabu where you simmer everything and enjoy it hot, this Anjung shabu-shabu spot should suit you well.

Patongsimi red bean rice balls: not sweet, clean-tasting

Patongsimi (red bean rice balls)

The patongsimi was better than I expected too. Rich, smooth red bean paired with chewy rice balls — good enough to make a full meal of.

It wasn't sweet, just nutty and clean-tasting, so I kept scooping more. The refreshing taste of the octopus shabu-shabu paired with the patongsimi better than I expected.

This place is well known as a kalguksu spot in Anjung, Pyeongtaek, but I liked that there's plenty else to enjoy too, like the octopus shabu-shabu and patongsimi.

With the free barley rice and corn bread on top, it felt like a genuinely generous meal. Total best-value spot, no question.

Buying Songdam Kalguksu's corn bread and puffed rice snacks to go

The corn bread in particular was too good to pass up. After the meal, I bought some separately along with ppeongtwigi (puffed rice snack) and ate them on the way home. The sweet, soft bread paired with the crunchy ppeongtwigi made for a great snack too.

There was even the fun of picking up a little something to go after a good meal. Songdam Kalguksu, which I discovered thanks to a visit to Suksudaega next door.

If you're looking for a Korean restaurant in Anjung, Pyeongtaek, or want a hearty kalguksu meal in Anjung, this is a place I'd recommend.

Next time, I definitely need to go back and try the kalguksu itself too.