Date-night spicy kimchi dinner: Hanyang Dak Kalguksu, Songpa

I visited Hanyang Dak Kalguksu Main Branch, a well-known spot near Garak Market. It was the last stop of our date, haha. We'd been hanging around Garak-dong in the evening, and this hearty, hot bowl of kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) was the perfect way to end it.

Where is Hanyang Dak Kalguksu Main Branch, and where do you park?

Hanyang Dak Kalguksu Main Branch is on the 1st floor of a building, reached by walking out Exit 4 of Gyeongchal Hospital Station and heading into the alley behind Able Dermatology Clinic.

There's no dedicated parking lot. Naver Place lists the Gyeongchal Hospital parking lot as an alternative.

Here's the storefront. The dignity of a restaurant that stays open even during Chuseok holiday... this is exactly the kind of place that earns the title of a Garak-dong go-to spot, I have to admit.

Inside Hanyang Dak Kalguksu: seating and the Running Man autographs

Inside, Hanyang Dak Kalguksu Main Branch has a decent amount of space. It's also very clean!

This is the sign showing the origin of the ingredients. Most of them are domestic, as you can see.

Being a well-known restaurant, plenty of celebrities have stopped by. Apparently they filmed Running Man here — there are autographs from six members: Kim Jong-kook, Yang Se-chan, Haha, Ji Suk-jin, Song Ji-hyo, and Jeon So-min!!

These are unprocessed fresh noodles. We make our broth with the same care as brewing a tonic.

A line on the wall that shows real conviction. So, will the noodles and broth actually live up to that promise?

What we ordered: the suyuk set and spicy chicken gomtang

You order through the tablet on the table. Here's what we picked!

I ordered the Hanyang Dak Kalguksu + suyuk (boiled pork) set, and my girlfriend ordered the spicy chicken gomtang with rice. I got the suyuk set so we could share it!

The milky kalguksu broth and the spicy kimchi

First, the Hanyang Dak Kalguksu I ate... this is honestly the restaurant's best menu item, and it was seriously delicious. The broth is amazing. Honestly, if I hadn't already been full, I would've added a bowl of rice. And the kimchi here is great too.

They say the real soul of a good kalguksu place is its kimchi... Hanyang Dak Kalguksu Main Branch even lets you choose between spicy kimchi and mild kimchi. We obviously went spicy!!!! It was genuinely delicious — a kimchi that paired perfectly with the kalguksu.

Spicy chicken gomtang: how hot it gets once you stir in the dadaegi

Next up, my girlfriend's spicy chicken gomtang. It comes with rice. It starts out as a milky-white broth, but as you stir in the dadaegi (spicy chili paste) provided, the color gradually deepens like this. There's glass noodles too, and the portion feels really substantial. Above all, the broth is refreshingly good — seriously, the broth is amazing.

No wonder it's got a 4.1 rating on Kakao Map...

Finally, the suyuk! It was really tender and soft. Mild but with a natural meaty flavor, and it went great with the kalguksu too!

Is Hanyang Dak Kalguksu worth a date-night stop?

Hanyang Dak Kalguksu Main Branch, a go-to spot near Garak Market, is also easy to get to since it's right next to Gyeongchal Hospital Station. Honestly, every dish... the broth is amazing. If I hadn't been so full, I could've added two more bowls of rice, no joke. This is a place where that milky-white broth just keeps coming back to mind. Definitely going again!!!