Chicken gomtang vs samgyetang kalguksu with mom: Hanyang Dak Kalguksu

On a rainy day.. mom and I were craving something hot and soupy!! So we headed to the warmly named Hanyang Dak Kalguksu~~! I used to live in the Hanyang apartments for a long time, so the name felt nostalgic — TMI~ haha

Right by Gyeongchal Hospital Station, with parking in front

(Parking available in front of the store) It's right near Gyeongchal Hospital Station, and my mom prefers restaurants with parking — this place had a lot right out front, so that was convenient~

The inside was clean and surprisingly spacious~ Ordering was via kiosk, which was easy, and the staff were friendly too.

Seasonal chogye naengmyeon and the chicken-broth setup

Hanyang chogye mul-naengmyeon and chogye spicy bibim-naengmyeon — seasonal menu items — apparently naengmyeon (cold noodles) had just launched since summer got hot! I love naengmyeon, naengmyeon! Looks like chicken goes into pretty much everything here!

Oh, naengmyeon broth, it's been a while~ I used to drink this stuff all the time back in the day haha. Nice and salty~ It comes out really hot though, so be careful ⚠️

There were two kinds of kimchi too haha — spicy vs. less spicy. I'm someone who still hasn't tried silbi kimchi, it's a solid 5 out of 5 on spice so I never even attempted it. These days I'm a total spice wimp so I went with the less-spicy kimchi haha. Healthier than instant ramen ~ let's dig into the dak kalguksu (chicken noodle soup)!!

Samgyetang kalguksu, 14,900 won — half a chicken with both rice and noodles

Mom ordered the samgyetang kalguksu with half a chicken~ Regular samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) usually comes with just a bit of glutinous rice, right. Hanyang Dak Kalguksu's version is packed with house-made kalguksu noodles, plus half a chicken + glutinous rice + noodles — a menu where you can enjoy rice and noodles at the same time~! Could be quite the feast haha.

Samgyetang kalguksu, 14,900 won

A thick chicken broth simmered without additives for over 12 hours every day, with half a ginseng chicken, glutinous rice, and fresh ginseng sprouts — packed with nutrition

My mom usually eats small portions, and a whole samgyetang chicken always feels like too much for her, but she said the half-chicken portion was just right~! Though with the noodles and rice mixed in too, she said she got really full. Look at the size of that drumstick, wow~~ It comes out in a huge bowl~~ The broth, simmered thick with medicinal herbs, was incredibly rich, and there was a ton of kalguksu noodles inside too.

How was the signature dak gomtang?

The chicken was so tender~ Just picking apart the chicken alone filled me up. Mom shared some chicken with me. I ordered the signature dak gomtang (chicken and rice soup). It comes with rice already mixed into the broth, and since it's also simmered thick with medicinal herbs, it totally felt like a body-nourishing meal!!

For those who like spicy food, there's also a spicy dak kalguksu; the dak gomtang comes in a spicy version too.

Meat king mandu, 6,900 won — too much for two people

Meat king mandu, 6,900

Looking at reviews, a lot of people order the king mandu (dumplings) ~ Kimchi mandu was sold out, so I was torn between galbi mandu and king mandu, but since I'm a total dumpling lover, I went with the king mandu — except the dak gomtang and dak kalguksu portions were already so huge that the two of us ended up leaving some behind lol. A great spot in Garak-dong to bring your parents or family.

Honestly the portions feel like way too much for two people. I'd love to come back with a bigger group to try more menu items. The king mandu was packed full of meat and had a nice chewy texture. The dakbokkeumtang (spicy braised chicken) looked spicy too, I want to try that next..

I can't even remember the last time I had dak gomtang. I love pepper flavor so I dumped in a ton of black pepper! Dipping the mandu in the seasoning sauce is tasty, but dunking mandu into the dak gomtang broth pairs really well with the soup too~~ Felt like eating mandu-guk (dumpling soup)~

Dak gomtang vs. samgyetang kalguksu — which should you pick?

I got the dak gomtang, mom got the samgyetang kalguksu. Somehow the broths are similar yet different~ A chicken broth simmered thoroughly for over 12 hours cleared me right up inside!

If you're a noodle person, I'd recommend the dak kalguksu / if you're a rice person, go for the dak gomtang~~!

Honestly, I think I liked the dak gomtang even more than the samgyetang. The menu is varied too, and since it's so close to home right by Gyeongchal Hospital Station, I bet locals from Garak-dong and Songpa-dong come here often! Recommended for a family meal out.