Insa-dong hanok restaurant: mul makguksu & kimchi jeonbyeong, Goshine

What kind of place is Goshine Donghae Makguksu in Insa-dong?

Goshine Donghae Makguksu (고씨네동해막국수) Jongno branch is the directly run Seoul branch of the Gangneung, Gangwon-do original. Even in Insa-dong, you can enjoy light makguksu (buckwheat noodles) made in-house from Gangwon-do buckwheat, plus chodang sundubu (soft tofu). The weather's been lovely, so we went out on an Insa-dong and Anguk date, and with the day getting warmer I wanted cool makguksu, buckwheat jeonbyeong (thin buckwheat crepes) and buckwheat gimbap (seaweed rice rolls). Healthy, light Korean food~~

In pricey Insa-dong, you get Korean food with in-house noodles and domestic ingredients for just over ₩10,000. Great value~~~ 👍👍 Near Anguk Station in Jongno, Insa-dong, I'd recommend this hanok (traditional Korean house) spot for a get-together or a date.

Hanok exterior and interior atmosphere

The Jongno branch is the first hanok restaurant across from Ssamzigil in Insa-dong. It's the Seoul branch of the second-generation Goshine Donghae Makguksu in Gangneung, Gangwon-do, a place with real hand-made noodle skill.

Wow~~~ it's even prettier once you step inside this Insa-dong hanok restaurant! It has an open-port-era Joseon feel like the set of the drama Mr. Sunshine, which got me so excited. From the rafters to the pillars to the lattice doors, hanok are so beautiful~~

A foreign friend would love this pretty hanok, haha 🌸🌸 Producers of "Welcome, First Time in Korea?", are you watching? You have to book Goshine Donghae Makguksu as a meal location~~ 😃😃

Can you go for group gatherings or family meals?

In the inner building of the Jongno branch there are several room-style dining halls holding up to 40 people, so it looks good for group gatherings, family meals and company dinners.

Goshine Donghae Makguksu menu and prices

At the Jongno branch, makguksu costs ₩10,000–14,000, buckwheat gimbap ₩6,500–7,500 and buckwheat jeonbyeong ₩9,000, and there's also a good-value 1-person meal + suyuk (boiled pork) set for solo diners.

• 1-person set ₩22,000–30,000 (good-value set for solo diners, meal + suyuk)
• 2-person set ₩37,000–53,000
• Mul makguksu (cold broth noodles) ₩10,000
• Perilla oil makguksu ₩12,000 (100% domestic organic perilla oil, cold-pressed)
• Bibim makguksu (with pollock sikhae, fermented pollock) ₩13,000
• Cold pine nut sundubu makguksu ₩14,000
• Clear chodang sundubu ₩10,000
• Spicy chodang sundubu ₩12,000
• Avocado stone pot bibimbap ₩14,000
• Beef bulgogi stone pot bibimbap ₩16,000
• Salad buckwheat gimbap ₩6,500
• Flying fish roe buckwheat gimbap ₩7,000
• Cream cheese buckwheat gimbap ₩7,500
• Kkamakjang suyuk, medium (2–3 people) ₩29,000
• Tofu mushroom hot pot ₩35,000
• Beef bulgogi mushroom hot pot ₩43,000
• Kimchi buckwheat jeonbyeong ₩9,000
• Gondeure (thistle) buckwheat jeonbyeong ₩9,000

The perilla oil makguksu uses 100% domestic perilla oil, and the dishes are made with local Gangneung chodang sundubu, so you get a healthy, authentic Gangwon-do taste at an Insa-dong hanok restaurant in Jongno. There are also hot pot dishes that make good snacks for a drink with dongdongju (rice wine).

What we ordered at Goshine Donghae Makguksu

This day we had mul makguksu, pollock sikhae bibim makguksu and the 1-person suyuk set, and added cream cheese buckwheat gimbap and kimchi buckwheat jeonbyeong. Here's a preview shot of today's spread!! Generous, right? 😃😃

What does the mul makguksu broth taste like?

The mul makguksu (₩10,000) isn't made with dongchimi (radish water kimchi) broth but with a simmered fish broth, with a deep, rich savoriness that's really refreshing.

Since the noodles are made in-house, the buckwheat noodles are smooth, light and nutty. Total thumbs up 👍 👍 👍 With yeolmu kimchi (young summer radish kimchi) and pickled radish on the side, it was tangy and even better.

Is the pollock bibim makguksu very spicy?

The bibim makguksu with pollock sikhae (₩13,000) is spice level 1, not spicy at all, with more sweetness coming through.

It comes with a huge amount of pollock sikhae, and you get the nuttiness of perilla oil together with a spicy-sweet flavor. The seasoning isn't spicy at all (level 1) and tastes sweeter, so it's a heat level that foreigners and kids can eat without worry ❌️🌶 (To me it tasted a little sweet.)

How big is the suyuk in the 1-person set?

This is the suyuk included in the 1-person set. For the price the portion of suyuk is generous, and it even comes with pollock sikhae. I was so touched~~~ 🩷🩷🩷

The suyuk is thickly cut and so juicy and moist, it was really delicious~~ 👍👍 I wanted a drink of dongdongju so badly.

Top it with pollock sikhae and eat it together with the suyuk and it's even better.

Cream cheese buckwheat gimbap

The cream cheese buckwheat gimbap (₩7,500) we added 😃

The buckwheat gimbap has buckwheat noodles instead of rice, so it's light and low in calories, and I'd recommend it as a healthy diet menu ✨️✨️

Kimchi buckwheat jeonbyeong

The kimchi buckwheat jeonbyeong (₩9,000) comes out freshly pan-fried and warm, with a generous kimchi filling. Eating Gangwon-do food without kimchi jeonbyeong would be a shame~~ It's warm from the pan, and the kimchi filling is packed in so generously that it looks really tempting.

It also goes well as a snack with makgeolli or beer, and the spiciness with the nuttiness of the jeonbyeong was totally my taste 🌸🌸

Highlights of the Goshine Donghae Makguksu Jongno branch

• Healthy ingredients like 100% domestic perilla oil, domestic produce and chodang sundubu brought in from Gangneung make the food careful and neat
• Healthy Korean food at ₩10,000-range prices in pricey Jongno Insa-dong, a top value hanok restaurant
• A stylish hanok atmosphere like a drama set, a really pretty restaurant

The food, the price, the atmosphere and the friendliness were all satisfying. Stop by Goshine Donghae Makguksu, a hanok restaurant in Jongno, Insa-dong.

Goshine Donghae Makguksu location, parking and hours

The Jongno branch is at 1F, 3 Insadong 12-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 250m from Anguk Station Exit 6, the first place on the side alley next to Ssamzigil on Insa-dong's culture street. Parking isn't available, so use public transport.

• Getting there: 250m from Anguk Station Exit 6, first place on the alley beside Ssamzigil on Insa-dong's culture street
• Parking: Not available
• Address: 1F, 3 Insadong 12-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
• Hours: 11:00–21:30
• Takeout available, corkage free, vegan menu, hanok room dining