Gangnam Korean restaurant for minari gukbap: Geumnyeong Gomtang

I wanted a warm Korean meal near Sinnonhyeon, so I visited Geumnyeong Gomtang Yeoksam Branch. It is easy to reach on foot from Sinnonhyeon Station, making it a good lunch spot, and this time I tried the minari gukbap and gomtang rice noodles.

The gomtang (Korean beef soup) itself was rich and delicious, but personally, I really loved how many side dishes came with it. Seasoned perilla leaves, doenjang-seasoned perilla leaves, cucumber, chili peppers, kimchi, and pickles—having each one alongside the meal made it feel much more complete.

Geumnyeong Gomtang Yeoksam Branch, a Korean meal spot near Sinnonhyeon

It is easy to walk to from Sinnonhyeon Station, so it looks like a solid option for lunch or for people working nearby. It is comfortable enough to come alone for a bowl of gomtang, while two people can order gomtang plus another dish and share.

Gomtang simmered with 1++ Korean beef

Geumnyeong Gomtang says it uses 1++ grade Korean beef. The information says the broth is simmered daily with medicinal herbs, and another feature is the torem style, where the rice is served already soaked with broth. The signature gomtang is ₩13,000. Gomtang can sometimes be simply mild, but here the broth had a noticeably deep beef flavor.

A spoonful of rice with the broth tasted naturally blended together rather than separate.

Does minari gukbap go well with gomtang?

One of the dishes I had this time was minari gukbap, rice soup with water dropwort. I wondered whether gomtang broth and minari would really work together, but the fragrant minari made the broth taste cleaner. If you like minari, this is definitely a combination you would enjoy. Take a spoonful of broth, then eat the minari and beef together, and the aroma really comes through—it felt a little different from ordinary gomtang. I think it would suit broth lovers or anyone looking for a Sinnonhyeon lunch.

Gomtang rice noodles for days when you want noodles instead of rice

The gomtang rice noodles we ordered alongside it were also memorable. They are a little different from typical Vietnamese pho: this dish uses Geumnyeong Gomtang's broth as its base with rice noodles added. The noodles were soft without becoming overly soggy, and there was a generous amount of beef on top, so it was filling as a full meal. If you want gomtang but feel like noodles rather than rice that day, this would be a great fit. It could also be a slightly different option for a Gangnam rice-noodle lunch.

The variety of side dishes made it even better

One thing I liked quite a lot here was the side dishes. There were seasoned perilla leaves and doenjang-seasoned perilla leaves, along with cucumber, chili peppers, kimchi, and pickles.

Since gomtang is naturally centered on the broth, one side dish can really change the feel of the meal as you eat. The seasoned perilla leaves made it taste a little richer, while the doenjang-seasoned leaves brought another savory, salty note, so it was fun alternating between them.

The kimchi and pickles also went well with the gomtang, so I found myself carefully enjoying every side dish too. Personally, I tend to be very satisfied with Korean restaurants that put together this kind of thoughtful banchan spread.

Also a good place for a solo meal in Gangnam

Geumnyeong Gomtang Yeoksam Branch seems fine for eating alone too, since its menu centers on one-bowl meals. Even just one bowl of signature gomtang is filling, and if you enjoy gukbap, it is an easy place to drop into when deciding on lunch.

There are so many restaurants around Sinnonhyeon and Yeoksam, but at lunchtime many can be overly crowded or feel expensive. When you want rice with warm broth, a gomtang place like this can feel more comfortable instead.

There are also boiled beef slices and seasoned pollock sashimi

Besides the signature gomtang, there are dishes such as boiled beef slices and seasoned pollock sashimi. The boiled beef slices are listed at ₩39,000 for two people, and the seasoned pollock sashimi is ₩14,000. If you are visiting with two or more people, adding an order of beef or seasoned sashimi to share could be nice rather than each having only a bowl of gomtang.

I had the minari gukbap and gomtang rice noodles this time, but next time I would like to try the boiled beef slices too.

When you are craving a warm Korean lunch near Sinnonhyeon

Geumnyeong Gomtang Yeoksam Branch felt like the kind of place that would come to mind when you want a warm bowl of soup near Sinnonhyeon Station. The rich gomtang broth was good, and the minari gukbap, fragrant with minari, was nice too. The gomtang rice noodles seem especially suited to people who prefer noodles over rice.

Above all, there were so many side dishes to enjoy—seasoned perilla leaves, doenjang-seasoned perilla leaves, kimchi, and pickles—that I did not get tired of the meal until the end. If you are looking for a Korean meal near Sinnonhyeon, a solo dining spot in Gangnam, or a slightly different Gangnam rice-noodle lunch, keep Geumnyeong Gomtang Yeoksam Branch in mind. Next time, I would like to have the signature gomtang or boiled beef slices as well.