Paju Korean restaurant for pork suyuk and kongguksu: Cheonje Guksu

Are we the only ones who don't want to eat home-cooked food on weekends? Haha. While my husband and I were deciding what to have for lunch, we visited Cheonje Guksu (천제국수), a hidden gem in Tanhyeon, Paju, known for its delicious suyuk and noodles!

Cheonje Guksu at a Glance

Cheonje Guksu is close to Paju's Heyri Art Village—just a six-minute drive away. There is a parking lot in front of the restaurant, so parking was easy!

Inside, there are regular tables and floor tables. We sat at a floor table. There aren't many places with floor seating these days, so whenever I see one, I end up sitting there right away. Haha.

Cheonje Guksu Menu and Our Order

The two of us ordered ureong gangdoenjang bap (rice with thick soybean-paste stew and freshwater snails), kongguksu (noodles in chilled soybean broth), and one serving of suyuk (boiled pork). Even though we ordered three dishes, the total came to just ₩30,000!

What Are the Basic Side Dishes Like?

The basic side dishes were kimchi, tofu, cucumber peppers, and ssamjang (seasoned soybean dipping paste). The kimchi was especially the key point—it didn't taste like ordinary kimchi...!

They told us they make their own kimchi with Korean-grown ingredients. It had a mix of watery kimchi and kimchi-seasoning flavors, and it was so delicious! There has been so much controversy around Chinese cabbage lately, so Korean-made kimchi gave off serious good-restaurant vibes from the side dishes alone.

You can refill the side dishes at the self-service corner, where there was kimchi, peppers, and ssamjang.

Pork Belly Suyuk, Snail Gangdoenjang, and Kongguksu

While we ate the tofu that came as a side dish and waited, the ureong gangdoenjang, one serving of suyuk, and kongguksu all arrived at once!

Since everything came out at once, I immediately tried a piece of the suyuk I had been looking forward to.

It was seriously so good. The suyuk is made with five-layer pork belly, so it was wonderfully chewy, and the salted shrimp sauce was seasoned too—you absolutely have to eat them together! Wrapped with the dried radish strips and vegetables that came with it, the combination was just perfect. We kept saying how good it was and savored every bite, wishing we'd ordered the suyuk-and-bossam set instead of just one serving.

The ureong gangdoenjang was packed with freshwater snails! It tasted like the gangdoenjang my grandmother used to make. I mixed it into my rice, and it was great that I could keep chewing on snails until I finished every last bite.

The kongguksu, made with Paju Jangdan soybeans, had a rich, thick broth that was delicious. My husband finished all the noodles, then even mixed a bowl of rice into the broth and slurped it up. Since it is a seasonal dish, sadly, they said it is only available until next week. We can have it again next summerㅠ Instead, they will offer tofu hot pot as their seasonal menu!

The additional side dishes were delicious too—I think the restaurant auntie's cooking skills are a work of art. Especially the seasoned balloon flower root 👍

After finishing our meal, we had a cup of milk coffee too ☕️ A tasty meal followed by a cup of coffee is practically the rule, right? There was a view of rice paddies near the restaurant, and it was so healing to look out at them while drinking coffee.

When I Recommend Cheonje Guksu

• When you are looking for a good Korean restaurant near Heyri Art Village
• When you want delicious noodles as well as suyuk
• When you want a healthy, tasty meal
• When you are looking for somewhere to go with your parents

If you're considering suyuk for lunch today, I recommend Cheonje Guksu, a great suyuk spot where you can enjoy it for lunch in Paju too!! We are planning to visit again soon to try the suyuk and doenjang noodles!