Wangsimni Korean restaurant for minari gomtang: Geumnyeong Gomtang

Geumnyeong Gomtang at a glance

Geumnyeong Gomtang is at 11 Wangsimni-ro 20-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul. It is open daily from 10:00 to 22:00, with a break from 15:00 to 17:00, and is regularly closed every Sunday. Parking is not available.

A Wangsimni lunch on a cool day

As the weather turned cooler, I wanted a warm bowl of soup, so I headed to Geumnyeong Gomtang, a great Korean lunch spot in Wangsimni 💨 I made a quick visit during lunch.

From gomtang to minari pho

The menu at Geumnyeong Gomtang includes gomtang, minari gomtang, pho, and minari pho. Interestingly, Geumnyeong Gomtang also serves pho, including minari pho with minari (water parsley). I like pho too, so I’ll have to try the minari pho next time.

There is a label by the entrance showing the origin of the beef used in the gomtang. They say they use only top-grade Korean beef, 1+ and 1++, and simmer it fresh every day, so it gave me the impression that this was a place I could trust 🐮 The open kitchen was also very tidy and clean 🥄

A two-floor interior with large windows

The restaurant has two floors, and I liked that the clean interior and large windows looking outside kept it from feeling stuffy. I feel like gomtang would taste even better here on a rainy day 👏🏻 Even though it was lunchtime when we went, lots of people were eating. Everyone seemed to be having a meal with their coworkers.

Side dishes that went perfectly with gomtang

The side dishes were kimchi, kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi), dried shredded radish, and a sauce for dipping the meat. Kimchi and radish kimchi are essential with gomtang 🫜 The kimchi and kkakdugi were moderately fermented and not overly seasoned, so they went so well with the soup. You take only as much as you want and cut it up yourself.

Salt and pepper are also ready if you need more seasoning. The tiny pepper spoon was so cute that I couldn’t not take a photo. Add pepper to your gomtang however you like.

Toryeom-style gomtang served with the rice already mixed in

Our minari gomtang and regular gomtang arrived. Geumnyeong Gomtang makes toryeom-style gomtang, meaning the rice comes already mixed into the soup. Because it is prepared this way, every grain of rice is soaked in the broth and tastes so good 👍🏻 With other gomtang, adding rice can make the broth cloudy from the rice’s starchiness, but toryeom-style gomtang does not do that. I loved that the broth stayed clear even with the rice already in it 🌊

Let’s eat 🙇🏼♀️

Minari gomtang with a fragrant finish and rice cakes

The minari gomtang was packed with minari 🥦 It also had big pieces of meat, and the Geumnyeong Gomtang bowl came with tteok sari (sliced rice cakes) too. The minari fragrance had fully infused the soup, making it wonderfully flavorful. I didn’t expect minari and gomtang to pair so well, but after trying it, they really are a fantastic combination.

Clear gomtang loaded with scallions

The gomtang was full of scallions, which made the broth especially clean-tasting. With plenty of fresh scallions in the clear broth, it was refreshing and clean enough that I just kept eating. The beef in the gomtang was Korean beef, and perhaps because it had been simmered for so long, it was incredibly tender. It was soft without any chewiness or dryness at all.

A bite with rice, beef, and kimchi on top makes the ultimate hearty meal 👍🏻 The rice mixed into that clear gomtang broth was so delicious 😭 I didn’t even like scallions when I was younger, but now every soupy dish needs them to taste right. Maybe that’s what an adult palate is 🤣 After such a filling gomtang lunch, I didn’t think about snacks and stayed satisfied all afternoon.