Fried rice finish at Hanppong, a gamjatang restaurant in Dunsan-dong

This time I visited a new restaurant in Dunsan-dong, Seo-gu, Daejeon where you can get a hearty bowl of haejangguk (hangover soup) or hot pot-style soup: Hanppong. With gamjatang (pork bone soup), galbitang (short rib soup), dogani-tang (ox knee soup) and other guk-bap and haejangguk dishes on the menu, it's a great Dunsan-dong restaurant whether you're dining with a group or on your own.

◆ Good for groups, takeout, and delivery

Where is Hanppong, and is there parking?

Hanppong is located near City Hall in Dunsan-dong, Seo-gu, Daejeon — an easy spot to reach by subway or bus, and also walkable. The address is 27 Dunsan-ro 74beon-gil, Seo-gu, Daejeon, South Korea, 1st floor.

Interestingly, you can park both in front of and behind the building, and there are entrances on both sides too. Parking fits about 8 cars total, though the roadside yellow lines mean no parking there.

Inside Hanppong: atmosphere and interior

Since it's a fairly new restaurant, the interior was overall clean and tidy. Rather than loud music or a rowdy vibe, it had a cozy atmosphere that made for a comfortable meal.

There's a good amount of seating inside, so it's a fine spot for groups to order hot pot-style dishes like gamjatang for a work dinner or gathering, and equally good for solo diners who want to sit comfortably and eat alone — a solid Dunsan-dong restaurant, Hanppong.

What's on the menu at Hanppong

This is a Dunsan-dong restaurant getting word-of-mouth attention for its galbitang. There were many kinds of haejangguk and guk-bap — galbitang, dogani-tang, bone gamjatang, somari-gukbap (ox head soup) — good for eating solo, plus gamjatang and boiled beef platters for those wanting a drink alongside.

For those ordering hot pot dishes, you can add noodle sari (extra noodles), and alcohol is priced below the neighborhood average, making it a good spot for a meal with a drink on the side. Prices are reasonable and the portions are generous, so it's a satisfying, filling meal.

Silbi kimchi and diced radish kimchi on the side

When you're eating gamjatang or galbitang, the side dishes that matter most are the diced radish kimchi and kimchi. Order a main dish and you get a perfectly ripened diced radish kimchi and the spicy silbi kimchi Hanppong has become known for.

The diced radish kimchi had a refreshing, crunchy texture, and the silbi kimchi had a spicy, savory depth that paired well with the clear broth.

Aged kimchi galbitang, small size for 31,000 won: how was it?

What I ordered at this Dunsan-dong restaurant was the aged kimchi galbitang, small size. It costs about ₩31,000, only ₩2,000 more than regular pork bone gamjatang, so if you want a broth with tangy kimchi in it, this is the dish to get.

The aged kimchi gamjatang comes with nicely ripened aged kimchi and 5–6 big chunks of bone — the portion is so generous the broth nearly overflowed. The broth was deeply infused, with the aged kimchi's tang giving it a spicy yet clean finish.

The meat was so well boiled that it pulled off the bone easily — a light push and the bone opened right up, making it easy to pick the meat out from between the joints.

Wrapping the meat in the well-softened aged kimchi let me enjoy nutty and savory flavors at once, which made it even more delicious. There was also nicely boiled, crumbly potato in the pot — mashing it into the spicy broth added a nutty richness, giving the dish layers of flavor. A great gamjatang from this Dunsan-dong restaurant.

The fried rice finish, stir-fried by the owner

At the end, I was torn between ramen noodles and fried rice, but after seeing the owner bring ingredients over to another table and fry it up personally, I went with the fried rice. He brought over finely diced carrot and scallion, seaweed flakes, and a generous drizzle of sesame oil, then fried it all with just a little broth left in the pot — the result had both nuttiness and savory depth, and it was genuinely delicious.

Final thoughts on Hanppong

If you're looking for great gamjatang, galbitang, haejangguk, or guk-bap in Dunsan-dong, Daejeon, give Hanppong a try. Paired with the silbi kimchi and diced radish kimchi that come alongside, it's a warm, filling meal that leaves you satisfied.