Yeoksam beef soup restaurant: water dropwort gomtang with kimchi

Why a warm Korean lunch near Sinnonhyeon led to Geumnyeong Gomtang

I was trying to figure out lunch near Sinnonhyeon and ended up craving warm broth, so I went to Geumnyeong Gomtang Yeoksam Branch, a Korean restaurant near Sinnonhyeon. Gomtang (Korean beef bone soup) is one of my favorite Korean dishes — not too intense, and you get meat, rice, and broth all in one hearty bowl.

Geumnyeong Gomtang Yeoksam Branch location and hours

Geumnyeong Gomtang Yeoksam Branch is located at 1 Bongeunsa-ro 4-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea, 1st floor, 88m from Exit 4 of Sinnonhyeon Station. It's open 10:30–22:00 and closed every Sunday.

There are so many food options around Sinnonhyeon that it's almost harder to decide what to eat. That day, instead of something spicy or greasy, I wanted Korean food with warm broth poured over rice. So I picked Geumnyeong Gomtang Yeoksam Branch, a Korean restaurant near Sinnonhyeon. Gomtang is easy to eat solo and works fine for a group too, so it felt like a low-pressure lunch choice.

Inside Geumnyeong Gomtang Yeoksam Branch: clean and comfortable

Walking into Geumnyeong Gomtang Yeoksam Branch, I found wood-toned tables and chairs that gave the whole space a relaxed feel.

The restaurant was tidy overall, with plenty of tables — good for solo dining or grabbing lunch with coworkers. The area for grabbing side dishes was also kept clean and organized.

What the minari gomtang special comes with

Today's order was the minari gomtang special from Geumnyeong Gomtang Yeoksam Branch.

When the dish arrived, a generous heap of green minari (water dropwort) sat on top of the broth — it looked delicious just from the sight of it. It wasn't just a light garnish either; there was enough that a spoonful of broth would bring up minari along with it every time, which was perfect for someone like me who loves minari.

What toryeom style means: broth poured over the rice

One thing about Geumnyeong Gomtang Yeoksam Branch, a Korean restaurant near Sinnonhyeon, is that the gomtang is served toryeom-style, meaning the rice and broth come together naturally, so each spoonful gives you the warm broth flavor and rice at once. I started by eating a few pieces of meat on their own before mixing in rice. Then I took minari and meat together and sipped some broth — the distinct fragrance of minari came through and made the whole bowl feel fresher.

Adding kimchi to the gomtang broth

You can't have gomtang without kimchi. After a spoonful of warm broth with rice and meat, adding a piece of kimchi brought a crunchy texture that paired really well. Even without a huge spread of side dishes, if the kimchi is good, a bowl of gomtang disappears fast.

I started off eating the meat and minari separately, but partway through I properly mixed the rice into the broth and ate it with kimchi. Warm broth, rice, meat, fragrant minari, and kimchi all together — that was exactly the hearty Korean meal I was after.

Verdict on Geumnyeong Gomtang Yeoksam Branch

The minari gomtang special at Geumnyeong Gomtang Yeoksam Branch, a Korean restaurant near Sinnonhyeon, was a satisfying choice for someone who loves minari like me. It came loaded with fragrant minari and enough meat to make the bowl filling on its own. Above all, it's the kind of familiar Korean meal — warm broth over rice with kimchi on the side — that makes for a low-pressure lunch.

If you're around Sinnonhyeon or Yeoksam looking for a warm soup dish, an office lunch, or a solid solo meal, this place is worth remembering. Next time I visit, given how much I like minari, I'll probably order the minari gomtang special again.