Suwon Station kalguksu restaurant: Golden Plaza parking, mandu, Daseon

I was visiting Suwon and craving a spicy, hot broth, so I stopped by Daseon Kalguksu Main Branch (다선칼국수 본점)~ It's a kalguksu place that promotes its tradition since 1990, specializing in kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup), kal-nakji (noodles with octopus) and suyuk bossam (boiled pork), so it's a great spot for a hearty lunch in Suwon.

The signature dish is of course kal-nakji! We ordered it for 2 plus half-and-half mandu (dumplings) 🤤 The broth, noodles and octopus were all generous, and we left well fed.

Where to park for Daseon Kalguksu Main Branch

The restaurant has no private parking lot, so if you're driving you'll need a nearby paid lot. Rather than circling around looking for a spot, I recommend the Golden Plaza underground parking: it's relatively cheap at ₩2,000 per hour and just 30 seconds on foot from Daseon Kalguksu!

Daseon Kalguksu Main Branch location and atmosphere

The main branch is within walking distance of Suwon Station. It's near Suwon Tax Office, so it's not hard to find! The interior has a strong old-school kalguksu place feel, mostly tables.

At lunchtime lots of diners come in, so it looks like a good pick if you're hunting for a Suwon lunch spot! They also sell side dishes to drink with, like suyuk, spicy stir-fried octopus (bulnakji-bokkeum) and seafood pajeon (scallion pancake), so it works for a meal by day and a drink in the evening.

How to order kal-nakji: choosing spice level and broth

Daseon's kal-nakji can be ordered from 2 servings, and you choose between original and spicy. You also choose soupy or thick; thick has almost no broth, so we went with soupy 🔥

Today's order and prices

• Kal-nakji for 2: ₩32,000
• Half-and-half mandu: ₩8,000
• Zero Coke: ₩2,000

Barley rice before the meal: a nice appetite opener

Before the main dish arrives, you get barley rice first. You mix it with seasoned radish and sauce, and after not having it for so long, it was really good! This barley rice is a real treat. I love kalguksu places that give you barley rice 🥺

Geotjeori and seasoned radish: crunchy, spicy kimchi that suits kalguksu

Daseon is a geotjeori (fresh kimchi) place!! The cabbage stays crunchy, and the seasoning is spicy but not too salty or harsh! You know that putting a piece of geotjeori on kalguksu noodles is the classic combo, right?

It went especially well with the spicy kal-nakji, so I kept grabbing it until the staff naturally refilled it for us (embarrassed)

Kal-nakji for 2: how were the portion and taste?

The kal-nakji for 2 comes in a huge bowl packed with octopus and noodles. We chose original (Shin Ramyun-style) and soupy, and the first thing I noticed when it arrived was the sheer amount.

The bowl itself is very big, and the noodles are loaded with octopus, clams and garlic chives. Whether in the photo or compared to my hand, the amount of noodles is insane and I felt a bit overwhelmed ㅡㅡ ;; (the fear of a small eater)

Plump octopus and lots of clams give it a broth that's both sharp and deep. The noodles soak up the broth well, so it's a typical spicy kalguksu you slurp up together with the soup!! It was a solid, filling lunch.

Putting geotjeori on the kal-nakji is just so good. A kalguksu place has to do its geotjeori well. You need to refill the geotjeori 2-3 times!!!

Half-and-half mandu: when you want both meat and kimchi dumplings

Daseon's half-and-half mandu gives you meat and kimchi dumplings on one plate, 6 pieces for ₩8,000. We ordered it because kal-nakji alone felt like not enough; I'm team meat dumpling and my boyfriend is team kimchi dumpling, so we always agonize. Half-and-half is perfect when you can't pick one.

I liked the mandu even more than the kalguksu!! Thin, chewy wrappers with a really solid, packed filling.. you can see just by looking that it's stuffed, right? Six for ₩8,000 is seriously great value ;;

Dipping the mandu lightly in the kal-nakji broth works well too, so if ordering only kalguksu feels like a shame, I recommend the half-and-half mandu!!

Verdict: a spicy Suwon Station kalguksu worth having for lunch?

Daseon Kalguksu Main Branch is a great place for when you crave a hot, spicy broth! There are plenty of noodles and generous octopus and seafood, so kal-nakji alone is quite filling. Maybe because I love dumplings so much, the mandu was better than the kalguksu, haha. If you're looking for kalguksu or spicy seafood broth near Suwon Station, I recommend Daseon for a Suwon lunch!!

Pros and cons

• Pro: generous fillings like octopus and clams
• Pro: lots of kalguksu noodles, so it's filling
• Pro: half-and-half mandu lets you have both meat and kimchi dumplings
• Con: none
• Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️