Dangsan-ro, Daegu pork gukbap: 18-hour broth, double lean meat, Ungjin

I was craving a really filling meal, so I headed to Ungjin Dalseo Dwaeji Gukbap (웅진달서돼지국밥) in Dalseo-gu, Daegu.

How is the broth at Ungjin Dalseo Dwaeji Gukbap made?

The restaurant is known for simmering beef bones (sagol) and other ingredients in a cauldron for more than 18 hours every day to get a deep broth.

They use domestic Korean pork (hanbon) and make each bowl with their own house-made broth, so I hear customers keep coming steadily at mealtimes.

Ungjin Dalseo Dwaeji Gukbap hours and location

Ungjin Dalseo Dwaeji Gukbap is at 5 Dangsan-ro 38-gil, 1st floor, Dalseo-gu, Daegu, South Korea, and it's open 09:00 to 01:00. Last order is at 00:00, and it's closed every Sunday.

Since it runs from morning until late, I'm told people come not only for meals but also for late-night eats.

Is it a good place for eating solo or with family?

The restaurant felt easy for eating alone, and it also suits a family meal or a workday lunch. It has that clean, comfortable gukbap-restaurant feel, so I figured it'd be fine whoever you bring.

What is the suyuk-baekban?

The suyuk-baekban (boiled pork set meal) at Ungjin Dalseo Dwaeji Gukbap comes with warm sliced boiled pork alongside the gukbap.

Boiling time matters for pork, and the key is getting it moist with no gamey smell, or so I'm told.

The thinly sliced pork was tender to chew, with a nice balance of fat and lean, so it was easy to eat without feeling heavy.

Dipping it in saeujeot (salted shrimp) or ssamjang (seasoned soybean paste) brings out the clean flavor of the meat. On days when gukbap alone feels like not enough, I think the suyuk-baekban is a very satisfying pick.

Enjoy the pork first, then sip the warm broth, and you've got a properly filling meal.

How was the amount of meat in the double lean-meat cauldron pork gukbap?

I ordered the cauldron pork gukbap switched to a double portion of lean meat (salkogi gopbaegi). It's packed with lean meat only, so I especially recommend it to anyone who doesn't like fatty pork.

With the double portion, there was plenty of meat, and I never felt there was more broth than meat.

The broth and how to season it

The cauldron pork gukbap broth was rich but not overly greasy. It tasted deep and nutty, as you'd expect from a broth simmered long in a cauldron, and there was almost none of that typical pork smell. Adding saeujeot, dadaegi (seasoned chili paste) or chives to taste keeps it interesting to the last spoonful.

I'd also suggest tasting the broth plain first, then adding seasoning bit by bit.

Basic side dishes

Side dishes matter at a gukbap place, and the basic lineup here was neat and simple. The kimchi and kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) went well with the gukbap, and you can get refills if you run out, which was convenient. A spoonful of broth with a piece of kimchi tasted even better.

Who I'd recommend Ungjin Dalseo Dwaeji Gukbap to

• People who love rich pork gukbap broth
• People looking for gukbap made with domestic Korean pork
• People who prefer clean broth with no gamey smell
• People who want a generous amount of meat
• People looking for a place to eat solo or with family

If you want a meal where you can feel the care in even a single bowl of gukbap, I recommend Ungjin Dalseo Dwaeji Gukbap.