Korean restaurant in Imam-dong, Gwangju: Dugeori Usintang

Wanting a filling meal with a pleasantly spicy broth, I visited Dugeori Usintang Gwangju Imam Branch with my parents and three-year-old niece. We had usin jeongol and galbitang.

Where is it, and what is the lunch atmosphere like?

The restaurant is on the first floor at 119 Hyocheon 3-ro, Nam-gu, Gwangju, directly across from Jungheung S-Class in Hyocheon 1 District, Imam-dong. The hours listed in the original post are 10:30 AM to 10 PM, with Mondays closed.

Even when I visited for an early weekday lunch, there were many diners. I thought there could be a wait at certain times during lunch.

The interior was more spacious and tidy than I expected. There was another dining area beyond the partitions, which looked large enough for a group.

There was also a self-service bar for extra side dishes. If you needed more baek-kimchi (white kimchi) or perilla leaves to go with the spicy broth, you could help yourself.

How much are usin jeongol and galbitang?

In addition to the signature usin jeongol, the menu had steamed usin, usintang, special jeongol, and galbitang. We chose the usin jeongol and galbitang.

The original post lists usin jeongol at ₩11,000, with a minimum order of two. Galbitang was ₩14,000. Both dishes came with freshly cooked sotbap (pot-cooked rice).

We first transferred the rice to bowls and poured warm water into the pots. The side dishes included perilla leaves, salted seafood, kkakdugi, and baek-kimchi, all good with the broth or meat.

How spicy is the usin jeongol, and what is the meat like?

My mother and I rarely eat spicy food, but the usin jeongol was not intensely spicy. To me, it was just a little less spicy than Shin Ramyun, with a peppery heat.

The jeongol had generous large ribs, mushrooms, and gosari (bracken fern). The rib meat was tender rather than tough, and the spicy broth had a savory depth. It went well reduced slightly and mixed into the sotbap, or wrapped in seasoned perilla leaves with meat, mushrooms, and gosari.

We added udon noodles because we wanted a little more. I liked their pleasantly chewy texture with the broth. My parents were also happy with the meat in both the galbitang and usin jeongol.

What was the galbitang like with a child?

The galbitang had a clear broth, so it was good to share with my niece, who finds spicy food difficult. Even my three-year-old niece ate the tender meat well.

It had generous enoki mushrooms, scallions, and beef, along with visible jujubes and medicinal herbs. The ribs were cooked enough for the meat to separate easily from the bone. The meat was tender while retaining some chew.

How did we finish the sotbap?

We opened the pots in which we had poured water before the meal and finished with nurungji (scorched rice). It was filling to the end with the nutty nurungji, meat and mushrooms from the broth, or a little salted seafood on top.

Are there accepted payment methods and takeout options?

The restaurant says that Gwangju Sangsaeng Card, Onnuri Gift Certificates, and Nam-gu Donghaeng Card can be used.

One side of the restaurant also sold gift sets for delivery, along with takeout.

Where can families parking by car park?

There was parking space behind the building. A separate dedicated parking lot was also available in a large vacant lot behind a nearby grocery-market building.

Since the restaurant gets many diners at mealtimes, the separate parking was convenient. With a spicy jeongol and clear galbitang to choose from, plus sotbap, it suited this family meal with my parents and niece well.