Weekend date at a Hanam Misa Chinese restaurant: abalone rice soup

Why we picked nurungjitang for a weekend lunch date

My husband and I were on a weekend date and spent a while deciding what to eat for lunch. Instead of our usual go-tos, I found myself craving something that would warm me up from the inside out.

That's when nurungjitang (scorched rice soup) came to mind, and we ended up at O Hyeongje Hwangje Nurungjitang Hanam Misa Main Branch. The bubbling rice soup came loaded with abalone and seafood, making for a hearty meal. The portions were bigger than I expected and it stayed warm until the last spoonful — a Hanam restaurant that satisfied on every front.

The dining room and parking lot were both spacious, so it seemed like a good pick for a Hanam Misa family gathering or a meal with parents too.

O Hyeongje Hwangje Nurungjitang Hanam Misa: hours, address and parking

• Location: 616-1 Misa-daero, 1st floor, Hanam-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Hours: 11:00 - 21:20 (daily)
• Parking: Plenty of parking

Inside the Hanam Misa restaurant: space and seating

The first thing I noticed walking into O Hyeongje Hwangje Nurungjitang Hanam Misa Main Branch was how spacious it felt. Even with several tables set up, there was still plenty of breathing room.

It was a comfortable setting for the two of us to eat in, and the space seemed to suit everyone from date-night couples like us to families. If you're scouting a spot for a Hanam Misa family gathering, the roomy layout is definitely a plus.

Seating matters when you're eating with parents or a bigger group. Overall, it had that clean, comfortable Chinese-restaurant vibe that's easy to relax in.

What I appreciated most was the ample parking. Family outings often mean multiple cars showing up together, so not having to stress over parking from the get-go was a real plus.

The menu and our order: two bowls of abalone rice soup

Once seated, we could check the menu comfortably right at the table. The signature dishes were, unsurprisingly, the various rice soups.

The options ranged from seafood rice soup to seafood abalone rice soup and mung bean abalone rice soup. We wanted abalone in the mix, so we settled on abalone rice soup — and ordered two bowls, one each for my husband and me.

At first we debated adding another dish, but the rice soup itself didn't look small, so we decided to just start eating and see. Looking back, we're glad we didn't add anything. Neither of us is a light eater, but one bowl each left us completely full. If you're craving something a little different from the usual jjajangmyeon or jjamppong at a Hanam Chinese restaurant, rice soup is a solid choice.

Basic side dishes and the self-serve bar

Before the main dish arrived, the basic side dishes came out first.

Napa cabbage kimchi, chive salad, radish kimchi, various namul, and salad — quite a variety. What I especially liked was that there was a self-serve bar for grabbing extra side dishes.

Being able to grab whichever side dish we wanted, in whatever amount we needed, was really convenient. We kept adding a bit of side dish here and there between bites of rice soup, and honestly kept reaching for more.

Abalone rice soup in a stone pot that stayed hot to the last bite

After a short wait, the abalone rice soup finally arrived! It came out still bubbling in the stone pot, and just looking at it felt warm.

Up close, it was loaded not just with abalone and seafood but also bok choy, mushrooms, and more. The rice crust pieces were large too, so from the moment it landed on the table, I could tell the portion was generous. Best of all, the heat stayed consistent the entire time we ate.

At first it was so hot we had to blow on each spoonful. My husband and I tend to talk a lot while we eat, so we're not fast eaters — but even after a long stretch of chatting, it was still warm until the very end, which I really liked.

How the crispy rice texture changes as you eat

The real charm of nurungjitang is how the texture shifts over time. At first, the crispy bits of scorched rice are still intact, so you get that satisfying crunch. As time passes, they soak up the thick sauce and turn soft and moist. Eating it crispy at first and then soft later gave the same rice crust two completely different feels.

With abalone and seafood scattered throughout, picking out each piece as we ate was part of the fun. Pairing the chewy seafood with the softened rice crust in one bite made for a good texture combo. Mixing in the bok choy and mushrooms here and there kept things from feeling one-note all the way through.

One bowl each: was it enough for two?

At one point my husband suddenly said, "This is seriously a lot."

This is seriously a lot.

I felt the same — the more I ate, the more I realized just how substantial the portion was. We're both decent eaters, but one bowl each left us properly full. Even people with bigger appetites would probably find this plenty filling as a full meal.

Just as memorable as the rice soup itself were the basic side dishes.

A bite of warm, soft rice crust followed by crunchy kimchi was a great pairing. The chive salad and radish kimchi worked well mixed in too, resetting the palate each time and keeping me reaching for more. The side dishes themselves were good enough that we went back to the self-serve bar for seconds.

Final verdict: what kind of day O Hyeongje Hwangje Nurungjitang suits

We stopped in for a casual lunch during a weekend date, and ended up with a portion that was more filling and warming than expected. What stuck with me most was that, thanks to the stone pot, it stayed warm all the way to the last bite.

O Hyeongje Hwangje Nurungjitang Hanam Misa Main Branch, visited on a weekend date — with abalone, seafood, and vegetables all packed in, a single bowl was plenty filling. Above all, coming out bubbling in a stone pot and staying warm to the end was what I liked most.

It also seemed like a great fit for a Hanam Misa family gathering. If you want a warm meal with your parents or a place with generous portions, it's an easy recommendation. On a day when you're craving something other than jjajangmyeon or jjamppong, this warm rice soup hits the spot — a good pick if you're looking for a rice soup spot or Chinese restaurant in Hanam to enjoy an unhurried meal with family.