Gangneung hanjeongsik: sundubu and miyeok-guk in one set, Saimdang

When traveling around Gangneung, chodang sundubu (soft tofu soup) or seafood come to mind as the city's signature foods, but sometimes what you really want is a proper Korean set meal with plenty of side dishes and a warm soup. This time I wanted exactly that kind of meal, so I visited Saimdang Bueok (사임당부엌) in Gangneung.

Saimdang Han-sang set: choosing sundubu or miyeok-guk

The Saimdang Han-sang set at Saimdang Bueok lets you choose one soup — either chodang sundubu or miyeok-guk. Since we visited as two, one of us ordered sundubu and the other ordered miyeok-guk, so even though we were eating the same set, we got to taste both soups.

Looking at the menu, what caught my eye wasn't a single-dish order but a full table setting where several dishes come together at once. When traveling, I like tasting a little bit of everything, and Saimdang Bueok's table setting felt exactly like that.

As the dishes started arriving one by one, the table turned out to be much more generous than I expected. It wasn't just a main dish sitting alone — grilled fish, a meat dish, japchae, and various namul, kimchi, tofu and jeotgal (salted seafood) side dishes were all set out together.

Once everything was up on the table, the phrase "han-sang" (table spread) really fit. These days it's not easy to find a Korean restaurant that serves this many side dishes, so being able to eat such a variety at once made for a satisfying, filling meal on the road.

How the Chodang sundubu tastes at Saimdang Bueok

I started with the sundubu. Saimdang Bueok's version came in a large bowl, generously filled with pale broth and soft, cloud-like tofu curds. It looked nothing like the red, spicy sundubu jjigae most people picture. Rather than a strong seasoning, this was a style that let the plain, clean taste of the tofu itself shine.

Scooped up with a spoon, the soft tofu broke apart naturally, and the texture in the mouth was quite smooth. It wasn't spicy or strong, so it went well alongside the other side dishes. After eating something heavily seasoned like meat or kimchi, a spoonful of sundubu felt especially calming.

Coming to Gangneung, you end up eating sundubu at least once, and I liked that ordering the Saimdang Han-sang let me enjoy it as part of a fuller meal. Rather than eating sundubu alone, having it alongside several other Korean side dishes made it a more substantial meal.

Miyeok-guk: a broth like Korean home cooking

For the other set, we chose miyeok-guk. As you can see in the photo, it arrived in a large bowl generously packed with seaweed. If you like warm, brothy Korean food, this has its own appeal, different from the sundubu. The soft texture of the seaweed and the warm broth paired well with rice.

If you're visiting as two, choosing one sundubu and one miyeok-guk like we did is a good approach. Picking just one option can leave you curious about the other, but ordering both and sharing bites let us enjoy the Saimdang Han-sang in a more varied way.

Grilled fish and the hot-plate meat dish

One of the standout dishes in the Saimdang Han-sang was the grilled fish. A whole fish, grilled to a golden brown, arrived on a large plate. The surface was cooked to a mouthwatering finish, a classic side dish that goes well with rice. Since the sundubu and miyeok-guk were both relatively mild, adding the grilled fish made the whole meal feel much fuller.

There was also a meat dish served on a hot plate. Seasoned meat came piled generously with onions and other vegetables, and it looked appetizing the moment it landed on the table. The sweet-salty seasoning soaked well into the meat, making it a great match for rice. Eating a bite of the seasoned meat after the mild sundubu made for a clear, satisfying contrast.

The meat was good on its own, but pairing it with the accompanying vegetables made it taste even cleaner. With both fish and meat included in the set, the meal felt balanced rather than leaning toward one or the other.

Japchae, scallops and the side dishes

Japchae (stir-fried glass noodles) was part of the spread too. Glass noodles were stir-fried with carrots, chives and wood ear mushrooms, coming out with a glossy sheen. Japchae isn't a particularly bold dish, but it's the kind of menu item your hand naturally reaches for in a Korean spread. The chewy noodles and vegetables added yet another texture among the other side dishes.

Scallops also stood out. Served one by one in their shells, the scallops added a small extra touch of fun to the table. Having seafood alongside familiar Korean dishes like grilled fish, meat, and sundubu made the spread feel more varied than expected.

There were quite a few side dishes as well. Kimchi and namul, plus spicy seasoned dishes, tofu and vegetables filled up the table. In particular, the spicy side dish served with perilla leaves went well with rice, and alternating it with the mild sundubu made the different flavors complement each other nicely.

There was also a seasoned tofu side dish, where the soft tofu and seasoning worked well together. With namul on top of everything else, we naturally ended up eating vegetables too, not just meat and fish.

Looking at the whole spread, it felt less like one flashy main dish carrying the meal and more like a table designed to let you taste a variety of Korean dishes evenly.

Is Saimdang Bueok good for a family meal?

Saimdang Bueok's table setting also looked suitable for visiting with family. There's something for everyone from kids to adults, so if you're looking for a Korean restaurant while traveling in Gangneung with your parents, this style of table spread seems like an easy, low-pressure choice.

What I liked most this time was being able to taste such a wide range of dishes with just one order of the Saimdang Han-sang.

I'd eat a bite of grilled fish, then a bite of meat, add some japchae and namul, then have warm miyeok-guk. On the other side of the table, spoonfuls of soft sundubu were paired with spicy side dishes — even though it was one meal, there was fun in mixing up the combinations as we ate.

When traveling, you can end up chasing only bold flavors or famous dishes, but stopping in the middle for a proper Korean set meal like this felt easy on the stomach and satisfying.

Who this Gangneung set meal suits

Gangneung is famous for sundubu, so if you want to try it but feel like a meal of sundubu alone wouldn't be enough, a set like the Saimdang Han-sang should suit you well. You get to taste sundubu alongside grilled fish, meat, japchae and several side dishes all at once.

On the other hand, if you prefer a warm, home-cooked-style meal with broth, choosing miyeok-guk is also a good option. I'd recommend visiting as two like we did, ordering one sundubu and one miyeok-guk, and sharing them.

This time at Saimdang Bueok in Gangneung, we ordered the Saimdang Han-sang and split it between sundubu and miyeok-guk, and it turned out to be a pretty filling meal during the trip.

If you want to eat sundubu in Gangneung but also want Korean dishes like grilled fish and meat, this is worth a visit. Anyone who likes a generous table with many side dishes served all at once will probably be even more satisfied.

Good food matters on a Gangneung trip, but it's also nice to have at least one meal built around a warm soup and a table full of side dishes. Getting to taste both sundubu and miyeok-guk, along with a good variety of side dishes, made this Saimdang Han-sang at Saimdang Bueok a memorable meal.