Sokcho Korean restaurant for extra udon: Deungdae Gotgan

This time on our Sokcho trip, we came back to Deungdae Gotgan, the great restaurant near Deungdae Beach where we stayed two months ago!! We had loved it so much last time that we had to return : ) I guess you always end up going back to places that truly satisfy you. Deungdae Gotgan is exactly that kind of place~~~

Deungdae Gotgan with the sea in full view

Rather than an overly styled interior, Deungdae Gotgan first feels comfortable and simple : ) Above all, the ocean view from inside is fantastic. Seriously, I could barely focus because I kept looking at the view. This is not your average restaurant view in Sokcho... it is just so pretty!!

The emerald water of Deungdae Beach stretches right out in front of you. As its name suggests, Deungdae Gotgan is not far from Sokcho’s Deungdae Beach. The street has that distinctive coastal breeze and sea scent, so you already feel fully in vacation mode before walking into the restaurant. Soft light comes in through the floor-to-ceiling windows facing the sea, and at lunchtime the natural light makes food photos come out especially well~~

It was the kids’ first time here, and they kept saying how pretty it was!! Once you come up to the second floor, there is an ocean view right in front of your table!! Incredible~ The weather was so lovely, and the water at Deungdae Beach was incredibly clear too!!

Ordering nakji jjageuli and pork cutlet

We ordered nakji jjageuli (a thick, spicy octopus stew) for two and pork cutlet. The banchan (Korean side dishes) came out first. Instead of a huge, showy spread, they were the kind of side dishes you keep reaching for, so they balanced the mains nicely. Every side dish was well seasoned and tasty. There were plenty that the kids could eat too, so even if you order something spicy, you can still dine with children!

Definitely add the udon noodles

The nakji jjageuli was not overly salty or aggressively seasoned; it let the ingredients’ own flavors come through! This time we added udon noodles, and seriously, please make sure you add the udon!

The udon noodles were so good that we added another portion, haha.

Thick, crispy Japanese-style pork cutlet

The pork cutlet was Japanese-style tonkatsu, with a crisp fried coating and the sauce served separately. The meat was so thick and crispy; once the sauce soaked in, the cutlet became tender and the sauce flavor came through even more richly.

They also give you sesame oil, and mixing it in lightly is honestly heavenly. Letting the stew bubble away, then scooping it over rice—just looking at that red seasoning made my mouth water. There was more octopus than I expected, plus all kinds of vegetables and glass noodles, so it was generously portioned too. I put rice in the bibimbap bowl that came with it, piled on plenty of the bean sprouts from the side dishes, added a generous scoop of the octopus stew, and mixed it all together. So good. It was exactly the flavor I remembered, haha~~ It was still delicious!!!

A satisfying meal even on the second visit

A meal with this kind of ocean view ㅠㅠ Overall, Deungdae Gotgan felt like a place where care had gone into every dish. Sokcho has so many famous restaurants that choosing can be difficult, but there are fewer places than you might think that leave you feeling like you simply had a comfortable, good meal while traveling. In that sense, Deungdae Gotgan is an unfussy, reliable choice!!!

Every side dish at Deungdae Gotgan was good, the pork cutlet was better than expected, and the nakji jjageuli had plenty of octopus and a wonderfully spicy seasoning. I really do think you return to places you are happy with. So yes, this was another return visit, and it was satisfying again!! I did wonder whether I had eaten only nakji jjageuli on two visits in a row~~ Next time I visit Deungdae Gotgan in Sokcho, I want to try the other menu items too. I will have to come back again to eat something else : ) If you are going to Sokcho, I highly, highly recommend visiting Deungdae Gotgan!!!