Kalguksu restaurant in Dongbaek, Yongin: summer kongguksu with a kid

Dongbaek kongguksu spot: in summer it's Baekcheongu Kalguksu, of course! A filling meal with a mandu set for me and my kid

Dongbaek E-mart restaurant Yongin mandu jeongol, kalguksu and kongguksu place Baekcheongu Kalguksu Yongin Dongbaek Branch We'd been out around Giheung in Yongin with my kid, and I suddenly wanted something cold and a tasty bibim guksu, so (kongguksu with kalguksu noodles, please!) we headed to this yummy place for bibim guksu too, yay~

What to eat with a kid? Baekcheongu Kalguksu in Dongbaek

The hotter it gets, the harder it is to decide what to eat with a kid. No spicy, nothing hot because it's too warm, but they still want something cold, and finding a menu that satisfies both of us isn't easy. Then I remembered Baekcheongu Kalguksu in Dongbaek. I'd heard a lot that it's famous for kongguksu (cold soybean noodle soup) in summer, so we went for lunch. I ordered kongguksu with ice floating in it, tangy-spicy bibim guksu (spicy mixed noodles), and handmade mandu (dumplings), and when it all hit the table, both our eyes lit up. The lunch was so satisfying that the time I'd spent agonizing over the menu felt well worth it.

Atmosphere and menu board

The restaurant is clean and bright, good for families, and solo diners were eating comfortably too. The tables are spaced generously so it never felt cramped, and the whole place seemed well kept. A big menu board is posted on the wall, which made ordering easy, and the menu was varied: seafood kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup), kaljebi (noodles with sujebi dough flakes), mandu jeongol (dumpling hot pot), plus summer-only kongguksu and bibim guksu. Prices weren't steep either, so it looked fine for a family meal out. The staff greeted us warmly the moment we walked in and offered things before we had to ask, so I was in a good mood even before eating. A friendly restaurant keeps you happy until you walk out, doesn't it?

What we ordered and the prices

• Seasonal bibim guksu mandu set ₩11,000
• Yeongwol seoritae noodle set ₩14,000

Dongbaek E-mart restaurant, a kongguksu place even kids eat well: Baekcheongu Kalguksu It's originally a seafood kalguksu and mandu jeongol place, but in summer, it's gotta be kongguksu!

The side dishes were neat and tidy too

Dongbaek E-mart restaurant, a kongguksu place even kids eat well: Baekcheongu Kalguksu The barley rice is what my kid especially loves Mix in some yeolmu (young radish kimchi) and it's heavenly + and slurp down that protein-packed soy broth, gulp gulp

What does the black bean kongguksu taste like?

The first thing to arrive was the black bean kongguksu with ice floating on top. Just looking at it chased the heat away. It was piled with black sesame seeds and topped with julienned cucumber and cherry tomatoes, so the colors were pretty too. I sipped the broth first, and a rich, nutty flavor filled my mouth. It wasn't too thin and was nicely thick, so the natural nuttiness of the beans really came through. The noodles were springy and went well with the broth, and thanks to the ice it stayed cold to the very end. On a hot summer day, this one bowl really felt like it cooled my whole body.

Kongguksu place near Dongbaek E-mart: Baekcheongu Kalguksu So yummy, yum yum

The mandu are really well stuffed too, you can tell they're not store-bought

Seasonal bibim guksu

The bibim guksu was better than I expected too. The red sauce looked quite spicy, but when I actually ate it, the sweet, sour and spicy flavors were nicely balanced. It was generously topped with julienned cucumber, cabbage, seaweed flakes and egg garnish, so the texture was great as well.

Green handmade mandu, a great combo for two

Dongbaek E-mart restaurant, a kongguksu place even kids eat well: Baekcheongu Kalguksu I'd never seen green mandu before, so it was a fun surprise, and when I took a bite the wrapper was chewy and the filling was packed full. It had plenty of garlic chives, meat and glass noodles, so it tasted nuttier the more I chewed, with a clean, mild flavor. It went well with the kongguksu, and eaten with the bibim guksu it softened the spiciness, so the combination was really good. My kid said the mandu was the tastiest thing and ate them happily, which made me oddly proud. If two of you visit, I strongly recommend ordering one kongguksu, one bibim guksu and the handmade mandu. The portions were generous, just right for two to fill up, and considering the price, it was great value too.

Walking out after the meal, I could see why people come here every summer. Cooling off with a rich bowl of kongguksu, reviving my appetite with tangy-spicy bibim guksu, and finishing with warm handmade mandu left me really satisfied. The food was good, but the friendly service made the meal even more pleasant.

It's a Dongbaek restaurant that's good with kids, and also suits a family meal or lunch with friends. I'd go back when I crave cold kongguksu in the sweltering summer, or tangy bibim guksu when I have no appetite. I want to try the seafood kalguksu and mandu jeongol again too once it cools down.