Gangneung hangover soup restaurant with sikhye: Matdeurin sundubu

My friend and I took an overnight trip to Gangneung, and while sightseeing matters, the more important point for us is always the food :)

Food at tourist spots is often the same predictable menu, so this time I wanted to find a place with deep, gut-soothing flavor.

This time we visited Matdeurin Sundubu Haejangguk & Gamjatang (맛드린순두부해장국&감자탕) near Ojukheon. I went after reading a review that it started as a small shop in Gyodong Housing Complex back in 2009 and has kept its place as a local Gangneung favorite ever since.

Where is Matdeurin and how close is it to Ojukheon?

Matdeurin Sundubu Haejangguk & Gamjatang is located at 6 Jukheon-gil 85beon-gil, 1st floor, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do. It's open Mon–Sat 08:30–22:00 (last order 21:20), closed every Sunday. It's exactly a 3-minute walk from the main gate of Ojukheon, and about 5 minutes on foot from Gangneung Hanok Village Stay.

Gyeongpodae, Gyeongpo Lake, Arte Museum, and Chodang Sundubu Village are all within about a 10-minute drive, which made planning the day's route really easy ^-^

Inside Matdeurin: what the dining room is like

The interior was much bigger and more pleasant than I expected. The tables were spaced comfortably apart and there were plenty of seats, so it would work well for families or group gatherings too. There were already lots of local diners having breakfast-lunch when we arrived.

What two people ordered at Matdeurin

Since there were two of us, we ordered the restaurant's recommended combo: sundubu (kongbiji) beef tripe hot pot small size plus the handmade fresh pork cutlet.

Sundubu beef tripe hot pot, small (35,000 won)

The moment the hot pot arrived, a savory, delicious smell hit us right away. The thick kongbiji (soybean pulp) and white sundubu (soft tofu) really made it feel like we'd arrived in Gangneung. The sundubu and kongbiji are made with brine from the East Sea, which made me even more excited haha.

I took a spoonful of the broth first. It's based on a bone broth simmered for 72 hours, and the depth of flavor was different from the very first taste.

The nutty, thick richness particular to kongbiji had melted into the broth, so there was no chalkiness at all — it was savory and rich enough to taste almost like cheese!! (To the point where we both said, 'Wait, did they put cheese in this?')

The condition of the tripe and offal was excellent too. They said it goes through a hand-washing process, and honestly there was zero off-smell haha. It's grilling-cut tripe, so the more you chew, the more you get the nuttiness of the fat along with the chewiness of the meat.

Scooping up the soft, cloudy sundubu together with the tripe and eating it with the broth really soothed my stomach while filling me up. It felt like it cleanly cleared away all the drinks from the night before ^0^

Handmade fresh pork cutlet (15,000 won)

I ordered it as a side without expecting much, and I was honestly surprised how good this pork cutlet was...

They say they pound domestic pork loin by hand, coat it in handmade breadcrumbs, then fry it — the outside was crispy and the inside was juicy, so tender it was almost unfair ㅠㅠ

The signature sauce that came with it was insanely good too. It was on a completely different level from typical store-bought demi-glace sauce or the usual cutlet sauces!

Honestly, it was better than a lot of the mediocre pork cutlet places in Seoul that people line up for haha. I'd recommend ordering one whether you're bringing kids or coming with other adults ^^!!

Sikhye instead of a morning drink (3,000 won)

Lastly, I want to wrap up with a drink recommendation :D This place carries all the famous local liquors, so it's great for a meal-plus-drinks kind of place too, but since we came in the morning, we ordered sikhye (sweet rice punch) instead of alcohol.

It was 3,000 won of happiness haha. Cold sikhye pairs really well with the tripe hot pot, so if you want something other than alcohol, skip the cola and try this instead ><

If you're looking to soothe your stomach with a broth dish made from Gangneung's specialty sundubu during your trip, or want a restaurant that parents and kids alike can enjoy without complaints, I'd recommend stopping by Matdeurin Sundubu Haejangguk & Gamjatang, well known as a favorite near Ojukheon in Gangneung haha. It really lives up to being called a local Gangneung favorite!