Gangneung Korean restaurant for family tripe hot pot: Matdeurin

Matdeurin Sundubu Haejangguk & Gamjatang, a place you can find when looking for a Gangneung sundubu (soft tofu) breakfast spot, began in the Gyodong housing district in 2009 and has been operating for more than 15 years.

They say they use beef-bone broth simmered for over 24 hours, make their own sundubu and kongbiji (ground soybean pulp), and prepare their kimchi and side dishes in-house too.

It opens from 8:30 a.m. and is close to Ojukheon, so it is in a handy location for breakfast or lunch during a Gangneung trip.

That day, I reserved ahead through Naver and visited at 1 p.m. for lunch with my husband and daughter. We had the medium Matdeurin beef tripe hot pot for ₩49,000. The three of us cooked it piping hot at the table and enjoyed it haha.

Parking and finding Matdeurin in Gangneung

Matdeurin is at 6 Jukheon-gil 85beon-gil, Gangneung-si, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province. The exterior has large signs for gamjatang (pork bone soup), beef tripe hot pot, beef-bone hangover soup, and house-made Chodang sundubu made with Korean soybeans, so it was easy to spot.

There is a dedicated parking lot right in front of the building, with a fairly generous number of spaces, so we parked and went straight in.

Matdeurin's interior and dining setup

Once inside, the dining room was larger than I had expected.

There were lots of tables, including seating where several people could sit together,

and high chairs were available too. It works for family meals and group gatherings.

Takeout and delivery are available as well,

and they say they have also opened a second branch in the Gyodong housing district.

Matdeurin beef tripe hot pot and side dishes

Kimchi and kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) came as the basic side dishes, and when you want more, you can take as much as you will eat from the self-service corner.

What we ordered was the medium Matdeurin beef tripe hot pot for ₩49,000.

How the table-cooked beef tripe hot pot tasted

The Matdeurin beef tripe hot pot arrived in a large jeongol pot. It was piled high with vegetables such as garlic chives and enoki mushrooms over the broth, and we let it bubble away on the table as we ate.

When I scooped it up with the ladle, there were big pieces of seonji (congealed ox blood) and tripe inside, along with vegetables to eat.

The tripe pieces were quite large, bite-sized chunks, big enough that you could see their plump centers.

Once all the ingredients had cooked thoroughly, the broth gradually became richer too. As I had spoonfuls of the pleasantly spicy broth and picked out tripe and vegetables,

my husband naturally had a glass of soju alongside it. I suppose he would feel something was missing if there were no soju on a day like this with tripe hot pot haha.

My husband had his soju while my daughter and I ate the hot pot, and the three of us enjoyed a leisurely lunch.

We had eaten almost all the solids, but it felt too wasteful to leave the broth behind. So we added a bowl of rice and mixed it into the remaining broth. The hot pot was delicious, and this was delicious too haha.

When Matdeurin is a good fit

• People looking for a Gangneung breakfast restaurant that opens early
• People who want a nearby meal before or after visiting Ojukheon
• People who need a place for a group meal

Wrapping up with a meal near Ojukheon

The Matdeurin beef tripe hot pot that I had for lunch with my husband and daughter was great for cooking and sharing among several people. We picked out the tripe, seonji, and vegetables, then finished feeling full after mixing a bowl of rice into the remaining broth. It is worth considering when looking for a Gangneung sundubu breakfast spot or somewhere to eat from the morning near Ojukheon.

Nearby attractions and distances from Matdeurin

Because it is close to Ojukheon, it is conveniently located for fitting a meal into a Gangneung travel itinerary. Ojukheon is about a 3-minute walk away, Hanok Village Stay is about a 5-minute walk away, and Gyeongpodae, Gyeongpo Lake, Arte Museum Gangneung, the Heo Gyun and Heo Nanseolheon Memorial Park, and Chodang Sundubu Village are all around a 10-minute drive away.