Namyangju loach soup restaurant: Chuojeong Namwon Chueotang

A loach soup restaurant near Gwangneungnae Terminal

Chuojeong Namwon Chueotang (추오정남원추어탕) is near Gwangneungnae Terminal. I recommend it if you are looking for a loach soup restaurant in Jinjeop or Gwangneungnae, and parking is free. Use whichever Chuojeong parking lot is more convenient, right in front of or behind the restaurant.

A spacious restaurant with everything from loach soup to fried dishes

They say the owner carefully simmers the soup every morning with domestic yellow-clay loaches. How could it possibly not taste good? There are loach soup, marinated crab, meal dishes, and fried items, so even people who cannot eat loach soup can choose something else.

The seating is spacious too, with meals available for up to 28 people, so I recommend it to anyone looking for a group gathering spot in Jinjeop.

The basic side dishes are lotus root, salad, and kimchi. For extra side dishes such as garlic chives, chilies, and minced garlic, use the self-service bar inside.

Blended loach soup with pot-cooked rice

After ordering and waiting a little, the Chuojeong loach soup arrived. That day, I ordered the basic loach soup and the sweet pumpkin pork cutlet.

There are whole-loach and blended-loach soup options, and I ordered the fully blended one. Pot-cooked rice comes as standard, so you can scoop the freshly cooked rice into a small bowl. After scooping it out, you can pour in hot water and enjoy nurungji (scorched rice), which I loved.

It is delicious as is, but it is even better with perilla seed powder, garlic chives, minced garlic, and chilies added to your taste.

I love garlic chives and garlic, so I piled them in. I think even people who usually cannot eat loach soup could enjoy it here! Loach soup is not only good for restoring your energy—it is seriously so tasty too, you know?!

The sweet pumpkin pork cutlet I order every time

Loach soup alone felt a little incomplete, so I added the sweet pumpkin pork cutlet. Every time I come to Chuojeong Chueotang, I order it with the soup. It is generously sized, and the cutlet is filled with sweet pumpkin mousse, so it is sweet and delicious. That is why I order it every time.

After a delicious bowl of Chuojeong Namwon Chueotang, I was full and felt completely re-energized, you know?!

I had such a pleasant meal over delicious loach soup. If you are looking for a group meal and loach soup in Jinjeop, why not stop by?