Army stew restaurant in Ochang, Cheongju that won over a ham skeptic

I think I've found a genuinely healthy restaurant. I went with friends I hadn't seen in a while to Handmade Ham Gorae Budae Jjigae Ochang Main Branch (수제햄 고래부대찌개 오창본점), an army stew place in Ochang, Cheongju. I don't normally like ham much, but the words "handmade ham" spoke to me, so I booked a table on the spot.

Gorae Budae Jjigae Ochang: hours and parking

The restaurant is at 13 Jungsimsangeop 2-ro, Ochang-eup, Cheongwon-gu, Cheongju, Chungbuk, and it's open from 10:30 a.m. to 21:20. Break time is 16:00–17:00, last order is 20:40, and there's a free parking lot behind the building.

• Address: 13 Jungsimsangeop 2-ro, Ochang-eup, Cheongwon-gu, Cheongju, Chungbuk
• Hours: 10:30–21:20
• Break time: 16:00–17:00
• Last order: 20:40
• Parking: free parking lot behind the building

What's the atmosphere like inside and out?

A cute pink whale greets you right at the entrance. The first thing you notice is a banner that shows the philosophy of the owner, who makes the ham himself~ You can feel from the entrance that this is a restaurant committed to healthy flavors.

Cooking built on nature really spoke to me! You can feel the owner's philosophy of making healthy food expressed all around the dining room.

Is there a wait at lunchtime?

It gets crowded at lunch and the wait can get long, so avoiding peak hours seems like a good idea. The place was packed with customers! Looking around, everyone seemed to be enjoying their food, so my friends and I waited with high hopes, glad we'd come.

The new Gorae Daewang Kkotsobulgogi: how did it taste?

This time we ordered Gorae Daewang Kkotsobulgogi (giant flower beef bulgogi), the new menu item at Gorae Budae Jjigae.

Side dishes and chonggakmu kimchi made by the owner

All the side dishes here are reportedly made by the owner himself. The chonggakmu kimchi (small whole radish kimchi) was so good I got a refill; it had that deep, mom's-cooking flavor.

The rice bowls are generously sized too, just right for mixing. The rice itself was good, and mixing it with seasoned radish strips or beef bulgogi is really delicious.

Loads of mushrooms and a deep, refreshing broth

The giant flower bulgogi hot pot comes packed with healthy mushrooms, and the broth is deep and refreshing, the kind that settles your stomach.

The handmade ham flower and how to eat the bulgogi

The meat came out separately. Just look at the giant flower bulgogi, with a flower made of handmade ham on top of the meat. Seeing such a prettily shaped flower, I couldn't help but gasp.

A staff member came over, put the meat on for us and showed us how to eat it. The nicely cooked bulgogi, lightly dipped in seasoned soy sauce, is a total rice thief. The bulgogi is well seasoned on its own so it's great as is, and it's good mixed into rice with the sauce too.

Unlimited rice and ramen refills at Gorae Budae Jjigae

Ramen noodles and rice are both unlimited refills here. You can add ramen to the refreshing broth, and the well-cooked rice was so good I went back for more.

Partway through, the kind-faced owner came over himself to ask whether everything tasted good and even brought more side dishes. Seeing his face made me trust the place even more. He runs the restaurant with a healthy philosophy, and seeing how warmly he looks after customers, I thought, I should become a regular. haha

The care put into a delicious meal seems to shine through in the certificates on the wall. Gorae handmade ham budae jjigae makes a healthy meal from a healthy philosophy. You fall for the healthy flavor, and you fall for the owner's devotion to his customers.

Can you get Gorae Budae Jjigae handmade ham to go?

Yes, the restaurant sells handmade ham and army stew for takeout. After a good meal you start thinking of your family at home, right? That's why I saw lots of people buying some to take back after eating.

It's handmade ham you can feed your kids and parents with peace of mind, so this is a perfect restaurant for a healthy meal with the whole family.

Dessert after the meal

After eating, you can pick the coffee you like and have ice cream too.