40-year-old Sokcho tofu house: sundubu set with grilled tofu, Yetgoeul

What kind of place is Yetgoeul Sundubu in Sokcho?

Yetgoeul Sundubu (옛고을순두부) is a 40-year-old soft tofu (sundubu) restaurant in the Sapyeong sundubu village area of Sokcho, and it makes its tofu in the restaurant every day. They say the tofu is made with domestic soybeans and deep ocean water from the East Sea.

Sokcho is as famous for sundubu as it is for seafood by the sea. At Yetgoeul Sundubu you can enjoy tofu dishes like jjamppong sundubu (spicy seafood soft tofu stew) in a generous set with nurungji (scorched rice) pot rice. It opens early, so breakfast is possible, and it's dog-friendly too.

Hours, parking and location

Yetgoeul Sundubu is open daily from 07:00 to 20:00, with a break from 15:30 to 17:00. Breakfast is available.

• Address: 114 Wonamhaksapyeong-gil, Sokcho, Gangwon, South Korea (Nohak-dong 1055-14, Sokcho)
• Nearby: located inside Sapyeong Soybean Flower Village (Sundubu Village)
• Parking: there's a dedicated parking area in front of the restaurant.

Exterior and nearby hotels

Sapyeong Sundubu Village is close to Hanwha Resort, Sono Delpino, Kensington Resort and others. If you're staying near Seoraksan, it's an easy trip. Since it opens early, it's also nice for breakfast or a hangover meal.

Atmosphere and the dog-friendly area

It's a 40-year-old veteran restaurant, but the interior is bright and clean. With regular tables (no floor seating), anyone can eat comfortably. Mostly 4-person tables, and they're roomy enough that even when we ordered several dishes it didn't feel cramped.

Yetgoeul Sundubu is a restaurant in Sokcho where you can bring your dog. The area for dogs is separate, so both dog owners and regular diners seemed able to enjoy their meals.

Menu and what we ordered

The tofu dishes at Yetgoeul Sundubu come with pot rice included.

Chodang sundubu made with domestic soybeans and deep ocean water is a must-try. It's said to be a great Sokcho jjamppong sundubu spot, so we ordered that too. And to balance out the mildness, we added grilled dried pollack as a side.

Grilled dried pollack (₩15,000)

The grilled dried pollack (hwangtae-gui) at Yetgoeul Sundubu is ₩15,000. Inje in Gangwon is nearby, and since it's made with pollack from there, I figured the flavor would be guaranteed, so I added it.

If the tofu dishes feel nutty but a little plain to you, adding the grilled pollack for some variety is a good idea.

It was a tasty side: the pollack's signature fluffy yet chewy texture and savory depth, with a sweet-spicy sauce on top.

Chodang sundubu (₩14,000), made with domestic beans

The chodang sundubu at Yetgoeul Sundubu is ₩14,000 and comes as a set with nurungji pot rice.

They recommend eating the chodang sundubu plain, with nothing added! It's soft, curdy sundubu unlike what you buy at the store, the kind of shape you only get when it's made in-house. It tasted warm and comforting, with the nuttiness of the soybeans.

Abalone jjamppong sundubu (₩19,000)

The abalone jjamppong sundubu at Yetgoeul Sundubu is ₩19,000. It's jjamppong sundubu, nicknamed "jjamsun," with sundubu made from 100% domestic soybeans.

The abalone jjamppong sundubu had abalone, squid and shrimp in it, and the seafood was fresh.

With sundubu jjamppong you end up spooning up the tofu and broth together, so the broth really matters. It was pleasantly spicy without being harsh, so you can still taste the nuttiness of the sundubu. Loved it! 👍

What banchan come with the Yetgoeul Sundubu set?

The Yetgoeul Sundubu set comes with grilled tofu, jeon (savory pancakes), kimchi, jangajji (pickles), seasoned chili peppers, seasoned dried radish strips, seasoned shiitake, seasoned dried pollack strips, bujikkaengi namul (seasoned greens) and kongbiji jjigae (soybean pulp stew). Only the main changes; the rest of the lineup is the same.

The side dishes that come with it are generous.

If you run out of banchan, you can get more. They put out portions on plates in advance, which felt hygienic.

What I especially liked at Yetgoeul Sundubu: even if you order only chodang sundubu or jjamppong sundubu, the set banchan include grilled tofu and bean-curd stew, so you get to try tofu in lots of different forms.

Sweet pumpkin and jujube pot rice, and nurungji tea

Freshly cooked pot rice with sweet pumpkin and jujube, eaten with the tofu and all the different banchan. Delicious.

We finished with warm nurungji sungnyung (scorched rice tea). Eating tofu dishes with pot rice was really filling, too. Homemade sundubu from good ingredients, and we enjoyed every bite. :)

Yetgoeul Sundubu at a glance

• Tofu made in-house: a 40-year-old tofu restaurant.
• Made with good ingredients such as domestic soybeans and deep ocean water.
• Set menus that include nurungji pot rice.
• Dog-friendly restaurant: a separate dining area is set up for diners with dogs.