Korean restaurant in Sokcho for seed shrimp gangjeong: Hwangbuja Twigim

What were parking and the wait like at Sokcho Central Market?

Heavy rain during our family trip sent us to Sokcho Central Market. Even on a weekday, it was crowded, and parking took 20 minutes. After looking around the market, we stopped by Hwangbuja Twigim before heading back to our accommodation.

Whenever I come to Sokcho on a family trip, I buy ojingeo sundae (stuffed squid sausage). I have tried it from several shops, but Hwangbuja Twigim suited my taste best. There was quite a wait at the shop on this visit, too.

What did we choose to take back to our accommodation?

We ordered nurungji ojingeo sundae (stuffed squid sausage with scorched rice), seed shrimp gangjeong (crispy glazed shrimp), chili pepper fritters, and perilla-leaf fritters. Since we did not think we would go back out after arriving at our accommodation, we chose several dishes to have with drinks.

Even after ordering, there were more dishes I wanted to buy. But we had already picked up sashimi as well, so I did not add anything else.

I especially noticed the baby crab, which I really like, but saved it for my next visit to Sokcho.

Can you eat at the restaurant?

We got takeout to eat at our accommodation, but it was also possible to dine inside. Fried food has its own appeal when it is freshly made, so if I had not needed to drive, I would have liked to sit down, order a little more at a time, and have a drink.

What were the cooking and packaging like while we waited?

While we waited, the smell of the nurungji ojingeo sundae reached us first. Its golden-brown exterior also caught my eye.

While waiting for the ojingeo sundae, they fried the shrimp gangjeong. It was cooked where I could see it, and the oil looked clean to me, which was reassuring.

The takeout food was packed in a sturdy shopping bag. It was easy to carry and convenient to take back to our accommodation.

How was the nurungji ojingeo sundae at our accommodation?

Once we arrived at our accommodation, we laid out the food we had packed. We could not enjoy our other plans because of the rain, but preparing food to share with my family still made it feel like a trip.

I enjoyed the nurungji ojingeo sundae again this time. It is a dish I find myself seeking out whenever I come to Sokcho, and it was also good to have with drinks at our accommodation.

It was good dipped in chojang (sweet-and-tangy red chili sauce), but I preferred soy sauce. Chojang seemed to make the alcohol taste less noticeable, so I reached for soy sauce more when having drinks.

What did I like about the seed shrimp gangjeong?

During this market visit, I noticed many people buying shrimp gangjeong to take away. We also ate the seed shrimp gangjeong we packed at our accommodation.

The batter was thin, while the shrimp inside were large and plump. I liked being able to taste the shrimp’s chew more clearly than with a thick coating.

Were the chili pepper and perilla-leaf fritters worth ordering too?

I chose the perilla-leaf and chili pepper fritters because they are types I do not usually eat often.

They were suitably tasty with drinks, but they made less of an impression than the nurungji ojingeo sundae and seed shrimp gangjeong. Those first two dishes were so memorable that these felt relatively ordinary; if I had eaten only the chili pepper and perilla-leaf fritters, I think I would have enjoyed them more.