Yongin Korean restaurant for kalguksu: Jangwongap Kalguksu

Is it well located for a meal before or after shopping at Lotte Outlet?

I visited Jangwongap Kalguksu Yongin Giheung Branch (장원갑칼국수 용인기흥점) after going shopping at Lotte Outlet Yongin Giheung Branch and looking for somewhere nearby to eat. I paired three servings of basic kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) with whole-shrimp seafood pajeon (Korean savory pancake), and the portions made for a satisfying meal.

The address is 90 Gomae-ro, Giheung-gu, Yongin, Gyeonggi, South Korea, on the first floor. It was close to the outlet, making it a convenient spot for a meal before or after shopping.

There were parking spaces in front of the restaurant, which made visiting by car convenient.

How do you register for the wait, and what is the seating like?

At the time of my visit, I registered on the waiting device after entering, then wrote the items I wanted on a paper order form. There was a separate waiting area, so I could wait comfortably.

There were also ppeongtwigi (puffed rice snacks) to have while waiting or after the meal. There was a good variety, which made choosing one fun.

The interior was clean, with relatively generous spacing between tables. It looked suitable for a meal with friends or a family outing.

What did I order, and how much did it cost?

In addition to kalguksu, there were dumplings and pajeon, as well as brisket and shabu-shabu options. That day, I chose the basic kalguksu because I wanted to try the noodles themselves.

The restaurant also had instructions on how to eat shabu kalguksu.

• Three servings of basic kalguksu: ₩30,000
• Whole-shrimp seafood pajeon: ₩13,500

These prices were current at the time of my visit. Since I ordered three servings of basic kalguksu, even the pot itself felt generously portioned.

How do you eat the basic kalguksu, and how did it taste?

The kalguksu noodles and kimchi came together. Since the restaurant makes its own fresh noodles, I was looking forward to their texture.

The kimchi also suited my taste well.

I could get more kimchi at the self-service station. I went back for three more servings.

Before adding the noodles, I cooked minari (water dropwort) and oyster mushrooms in the broth, then took them out to eat first. As the vegetables and mushrooms steeped, the broth seemed to grow deeper in flavor.

After eating the minari and mushrooms, I added the kalguksu noodles. They were pleasantly chewy and went well with the broth. The broth was neither overly salty nor heavy, so it was easy to keep spooning up with the noodles.

How was the whole-shrimp seafood pajeon with the kalguksu?

The whole-shrimp seafood pajeon was ₩13,500. It felt like an easy addition to order with the kalguksu, and I liked that it was generously filled with seafood.

The whole shrimp made it enjoyable to eat. The edges were crisp while the inside was moist, so it paired well with alternating bites of kalguksu.

Along with whole shrimp and squid, it also contained octopus. With three servings of basic kalguksu and the pajeon, it was generously portioned enough to share among several people.

Can you have fried rice and dessert after the kalguksu?

After the kalguksu, I had the complimentary perilla-oil kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) fried rice. When I asked a staff member, they brought perilla oil, kkakdugi, and the fried-rice ingredients.

The nutty flavor of the perilla oil came through clearly. Even though I was already full from the kalguksu and pajeon, I kept reaching for the fried rice.

After the meal, I also had the prepared misutgaru (multigrain powder) slush. It was nutty and cool, a good way to finish such a filling meal.