Gangneung makguksu restaurant and Donghae Bambada rice wine: Gossi's

I went on a trip to Gangneung. After looking at the sea, I stopped for dinner at Gossi's Donghae Makguksu, a sundubu (soft tofu stew) spot known among locals in Gangneung.

📍 Gossi's Donghae Makguksu 🍽️ Type: Korean makguksu/sundubu 🕐 Hours: Daily 10:00–20:30 (there's a break time! Last order 20:00) 📌 Address: 25 Changhae-ro 350beon-gil, 1st–3rd floor, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do

Where is Gossi's Donghae Makguksu in Gangneung?

The main branch of Gossi's Donghae Makguksu takes up the 1st to 3rd floors of a building at 25 Changhae-ro 350beon-gil in Gangneung, specializing in makguksu and sundubu. It's the sundubu spot Gangneung locals recommend — Gossi's Donghae Makguksu.

The building's sign is big and bright, so I found it easily from a distance.

Menu and prices: how much is the set for two?

The 2-person set at Gossi's Donghae Makguksu is ₩39,000, and choosing perilla oil makguksu adds ₩1,000 while spicy sundubu kalguksu adds ₩2,000. With the rice wine on top, my total order came to ₩52,500.

There were so many options from mains to sides that I ended up just going with the set.

2-person set ₩39,000 Main choice 1: Perilla oil makguksu (+₩1,000) Main choice 2: Spicy sundubu kalguksu (+₩2,000) Total order came to ₩52,500.

Checking the menu separately, the à la carte perilla oil makguksu was ₩11,000. Water makguksu was ₩10,000 and pine nut sundubu was ₩13,000. There was also quite a variety of buckwheat gimbap (seaweed rice roll) types.

Inside Gossi's and the side dishes on the table

Every table at Gossi's Donghae Makguksu is neatly lined with white vinyl sheeting. It felt hygienic, so I could eat with peace of mind.

The basic side dishes are kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi), baek-kimchi (white kimchi), and yeolmu kimchi (young radish kimchi). When I poured the broth from the kettle into a cup, warm steam rose up.

I also ordered a bottle of the local rice wine, Donghae Bambada.

Kkamak-jang boiled pork included in the set

You have to have boiled pork with makguksu, right? The 2-person set at Gossi's Donghae Makguksu comes with kkamak-jang suyuk (boiled pork with black bean-soy sauce).

The meat wasn't tough at all — soft and tender, pairing really well with the makguksu. No gamey smell whatsoever, and it chewed smoothly.

How does the perilla oil makguksu taste?

The perilla oil makguksu at Gossi's Donghae Makguksu, a spot locals in Gangneung recommend, impressed me visually the moment it arrived. The noodles were piled high with fragrant roasted seaweed flakes and sesame seeds.

There was even a red sprout garnish on top as an accent, making it look neat and tidy. I grabbed a big bunch of noodles with my chopsticks and took a full mouthful.

Everything I ordered came out together at once, which made it easy to get a full shot.

The buckwheat's distinctive light texture spread with the fragrant scent of perilla oil. I wrapped a slice of the boiled pork from the set with some dried radish and ate it.

Bulgogi buckwheat gimbap (seaweed rice roll)

The bulgogi buckwheat gimbap at Gossi's Donghae Makguksu uses buckwheat noodles aged in a black vinegar sauce instead of rice. The gimbap was packed tightly and generously.

Taking a big bite, the texture was firm but my stomach didn't feel heavy at all afterward. It seems like it would work well as a diet-friendly meal.

It's unique in that buckwheat noodles aged in black vinegar sauce are used instead of rice.

Spicy sundubu jang kalguksu at Gossi's

The spicy sundubu jang kalguksu has a reddish, deep-colored broth right from the start.

It's topped generously with roasted seaweed flakes, chives, and minced garnish. Taking a spoonful of the broth, it was spicy yet deep in flavor.

It was packed with soft, fluffy sundubu (soft tofu) that was really savory. The broth soaked well into the kalguksu (knife-cut noodle) noodles, so I kept slurping it up.

It was carefully poured into a clear glass, and we lightly clinked glasses for a toast.

Is the set for two worth it at Gossi's?

Each dish in the set felt well put together, and the meal came across as made with care. Going with the set instead of ordering à la carte let us try a much wider variety. The perilla oil buckwheat makguksu especially... was just so, so much my style that I'd come back to Gangneung for it alone.

If you're looking for a good meal while traveling in Gangneung, it's worth a visit. I left the meal feeling happy and satisfyingly full. It's genuinely a spot locals in Gangneung recommend!!