Weeknight company dinner at Cheongun, a Dangsan bossam restaurant

When the weather turns chilly, don't you keep craving a spicy noodle soup? I'd always just walked past Cheongun Bossam even though I'm in Dangsan a lot, and this time I finally went in.

With the five-layer bossam set I got tender bossam plus spicy dongjuk (clam) kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup), and it's exactly the kind of Dangsan Station spot that comes to mind when the weather cools down — I want to recommend it.

Where is Cheongun Bossam near Dangsan Station?

Cheongun Bossam is a bossam restaurant in Dangsan-dong 6-ga, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. It's open daily from 11am to 10pm.

We visited around 8pm on a weekday, and the place was so full it looked packed to capacity.

Most of the tables were company dinner groups, and you could immediately tell it's a spot people also pick for family gatherings and work dinners. They apparently boil the bossam fresh every morning, which gave me the sense that everything is prepared carefully with fresh ingredients.

What comes in the five-layer bossam set at Cheongun Bossam, and what does it cost?

We ordered the small five-layer bossam set for 35,000 won. It's a set menu that comes with bossam and kalguksu together, and the portion was plenty filling for two people.

The bossam pork was boiled until soft, and wrapped with the accompanying lettuce it was clean and light rather than greasy — easy to keep eating.

The slices were a good, satisfying thickness too — you could feel the juices as you chewed, but the texture stayed soft rather than tough.

What does the dongjuk clam noodle broth taste like?

The name 'dongjuk kalguksu' might sound unfamiliar. Dongjuk (동죽) is a clam similar to Manila clams but with bigger meat and a deeper savory flavor. It mostly comes from West Sea mudflats and tends to give a richer, deeper broth than regular clams.

Because it's simmered with these dongjuk clams, the broth itself had a naturally deep savory flavor. The soup is on the clear side, but with thinly sliced cheongyang chili peppers stirred in, the spiciness hit right from the first spoonful.

It had been a while since I had a broth this spicy while still being this clear. It's the kind of spicy that makes you think of soju — exactly the flavor Korean diners would love. If you're craving something hot and spicy on a chilly night like these these days, this is exactly the right menu.

Eating bossam and kalguksu together: the verdict

To sum up, Cheongun Bossam is a Dangsan Station spot where you can enjoy soft bossam and spicy dongjuk kalguksu together. What I liked most was not having to choose between bossam or kalguksu separately — the set lets you enjoy both together in one filling order.

I'd always just walked past this place before, and after this visit I found myself wishing I'd come sooner. They also have a lunch menu and other varied options, so I'd like to come back again.

Who should book Cheongun Bossam for a group dinner?

• Anyone looking for a company dinner or gathering spot near Dangsan Station
• Anyone craving a spicy broth when the weather turns chilly
• Anyone who wants to enjoy soft bossam and noodles together

If you want genuinely good kalguksu paired with tender bossam near Dangsan Station, I'd recommend visiting Cheongun Bossam. As the weather cools down these days, it's the kind of place that naturally comes to mind when you're craving a warm broth. When you eat bossam, do you prefer it with kalguksu or makguksu?