Cheonan budae-jjigae restaurant with free rice and ramyeon: Cheongwon

I was on the hunt for something hot and soupy in Cheonan, so I went to Cheongwon Restaurant in Dujeong-dong for budae-jjigae (army stew)! The full name is Cheongwon Restaurant: Cooking Budae-jjigae, Cheonan Dujeong Main Branch. What I ordered was two servings of Songtan budae-jjigae.

Where is Cheongwon Restaurant in Dujeong-dong, and what are its hours?

Cheongwon Restaurant Cheonan Dujeong Main Branch is about 652m from Dujeong Station Exit 1. The address is 32-4 Dujeongsangga 4-gil, Seobuk-gu, Cheonan-si, Chungnam, South Korea, 1st floor.

It's open Monday through Saturday from 11am to 9pm. Last order is 8:30pm, and it's closed every Sunday. According to the official info, there's parking for about 4 cars in front of the restaurant.

Cheongwon Restaurant menu and budae-jjigae prices

There are two main menu items: Songtan budae-jjigae and Cheongwon budae-jjigae. Songtan budae-jjigae is ₩11,000 per person, and Cheongwon budae-jjigae is ₩12,000 per person. The Cheongwon version adds beef brisket and cheongyang chili to the basic Songtan-style ingredients.

I went with the most basic option, Songtan budae-jjigae, ordering two servings for ₩22,000. Rice and ramyeon noodle add-ons come free. I always like to have rice and ramyeon with my budae-jjigae, so it was nice being able to eat that way without extra cost.

What comes in Songtan budae-jjigae for two, and how does it taste?

A big pot arrived filled with ham, sausage, green onion, onion, and cheese. Right in the center was a generous mound of 1++ hanwoo (Korean beef) mince.

At first, with the ingredients neatly arranged, the broth looked fairly clear. But as it simmered and the mince and cheese started breaking down into it, the broth color got deeper and deeper.

It's the style where the salty flavor from the ham and sausage gets layered with the rich taste of the hanwoo mince. There's cheese in there too, but it wasn't too greasy — the kimchi and vegetables kept a nice balance.

The broth itself was pretty rich, so it was great spooned over rice with ham and sausage on top. There were several kinds of ham, so every scoop came up with plenty of solid ingredients. If ham quantity matters to you in budae-jjigae, this won't disappoint.

Side dishes and how the free ramyeon add-on works

The basic side dishes at Cheongwon were kimchi, bean sprouts, and fish cake. After eating just budae-jjigae for a while, adding some bean sprouts partway through felt refreshing. The kimchi and fish cake also went well as rice sides.

Rice and ramyeon noodles are free, so you can help yourself to as much as you want. If you add the noodles right from the start, the broth can thicken too quickly, right? I preferred eating the ham and sausage with rice first, then adding the ramyeon noodles at the end. Once I'd eaten a good amount of the solid ingredients, adding the noodles let them soak up the now-rich broth nicely for a satisfying finish.

Is Cheongwon Restaurant worth it for budae-jjigae in Cheonan?

Cheongwon Restaurant's Songtan budae-jjigae was a rich stew loaded with ham and sausage. With free rice and ramyeon noodles, even just two servings made for a filling meal.

If you want something spicier or a version with beef brisket, the Cheongwon budae-jjigae sounds like the way to go. I wanted the basic Songtan-style stew this time, so what I ordered suited me well.

Next time I want to try the Cheongwon budae-jjigae with beef brisket and cheongyang chili and compare it, haha. If you're looking for a rich, hearty bowl of budae-jjigae in Cheonan, or just a solid meal in Dujeong-dong, I'd recommend the Songtan budae-jjigae at Cheongwon Restaurant!