Sanbon claypot rice with a ₩2,000 seaweed soup swap: Dongyang Sotbap

Where is Dongyang Sotbap Sanbon?

Dongyang Sotbap Sanbon (동양솥밥 산본점) is a claypot rice (sotbap) restaurant on the 2nd floor of a building at 10-18 Sanbon-ro 323beon-gil, Gunpo, Gyeonggi. Sometimes you don't want anything harsh or heavily seasoned, just a proper meal of rice freshly cooked in a hot pot. That was exactly my mood this day. I was craving good white rice, so I headed to Dongyang Sotbap in Sanbon.

The menu is varied and everything looked hearty, so I thought it would be a decent option for anyone looking for a restaurant near Sanbon Station.

Where do you park at Dongyang Sotbap Sanbon?

If you're driving, I recommend the Sanbon Rodeo public parking lot. Parking around the restaurant can be a bit chaotic, while the public lot has relatively plenty of space and is cheap, so parking there and walking over was more comfortable.

What's on the menu at Dongyang Sotbap?

The range is quite wide, from steak rice bowls to eggplant claypot rice and webfoot octopus (jjukkumi) claypot rice.

You can choose by taste, from meat to seafood to vegetables, so even a group can each order what they feel like eating. If you're searching for a restaurant near Sanbon Station and prefer a place with lots of choice, this should suit you.

How were the abalone and spicy minari octopus claypot rice?

This day at Dongyang Sotbap we ordered the abalone claypot rice and the spicy minari octopus claypot rice, plus spicy yuringi (crispy fried chicken with a tangy sauce) as a side.

The abalone claypot rice was mild, with the abalone flavor coming through nicely, and above all the rice itself, freshly cooked in the pot, was delicious. The side dishes came out neat and not over-seasoned, so they went well with the rice.

The spicy minari octopus claypot rice lived up to its name: spicy seasoning with octopus and minari (water dropwort, a fragrant green) that really woke up the appetite. The fragrant minari balanced the heat and paired nicely with the octopus.

Ordering it alongside the mild abalone claypot rice let us enjoy two very different personalities. That kind of lineup is plenty appealing if you're looking for a place in Gunpo, Sanbon.

Can you swap the default nurungji for seaweed soup?

Nurungji (scorched rice soup) comes by default at Dongyang Sotbap, but you can swap it for seaweed soup (miyeokguk) for an extra ₩2,000. And unexpectedly, this default soup was what I remembered most from the day. People around me told me to switch to the seaweed soup, so I did.

One spoonful and I understood right away why they recommended it. The broth was deep and savory, and not harsh at all, exactly my style. If you want a warm, filling meal in Gunpo, Sanbon, I think a default set like this matters quite a lot.

How was the side, spicy yuringi?

The spicy yuringi I ordered as a side was satisfying too. Crispy fried chicken with a sweet, tangy, slightly spicy sauce goes well with claypot rice. If two of you visit, ordering yuringi to share alongside the claypot rice would work well.

When is Dongyang Sotbap Sanbon a good choice?

Overall, my impression was that Dongyang Sotbap is a place to go when you want a proper bowl of rice rather than flashy food. Warm claypot rice, neat side dishes and a deep, savory seaweed soup made for a hearty meal.

If you're looking for a restaurant near Sanbon Station and craving good white rice, it's worth a visit, and the varied menu makes it good for family or friends too. I'd especially recommend it on a day when you want something clean and filling instead of heavily seasoned food. Next time I'll try the other claypot rice dishes I missed this time.

If you're craving a proper meal in Sanbon, enjoy hot claypot rice at Dongyang Sotbap. It's a place with good reasons to be on your list near Sanbon Station.