Mapo Korean restaurant spicy kalguksu and fried rice: Deungchon

Spicy kalguksu for a Sangam office-worker lunch

I went for a weekday lunch at Deungchon Shabu Kalguksu Sangam Branch (등촌샤브칼국수 상암점), a kalguksu favorite I’d recommend for office workers in Sangam. Deungchon Shabu Kalguksu’s spicy, savory broth and fresh minari (water celery) are irresistible whenever I have them. And once you finish with the fried rice at the end, it feels like a completely satisfying meal! ☺️ I had another super-delicious lunch today.

Deungchon Shabu Kalguksu Sangam Branch is on the second floor of Woori Technology Building, 9 World Cup buk-ro 56-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea (서울 마포구 월드컵북로56길 9 우리기술사옥 2층). Hours are 11:00–21:30, and until 21:00 on Saturdays and Sundays.

Deungchon Shabu Kalguksu Sangam Branch is on the second floor of Sangam’s Woori Technology Building. The building’s underground parking offers one free hour on weekdays and three free hours on weekends and public holidays, so I comfortably drove over 😉

Comfortable window-side seating and ordering

Deungchon Shabu Kalguksu Sangam Branch had such a neat, comfortable atmosphere. The floor-to-ceiling windows made it feel wonderfully open. There were tables in several sizes, from two- and four-person tables to group seating. It looked like a nice option for family meals or group work dinners, too. We took a four-person table!

We could order and pay from the kiosk at the table. There were three kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) options—spicy, clear broth, and perilla seed—and you could add beef. Sides included potato dumplings and Korean pancakes. We ordered three portions of spicy kalguksu. Fried rice is included with the kalguksu menu.

Each table had soy sauce and wasabi. I used them as a dip for the minari, potatoes, mushrooms, and more. As you’d expect from a great kalguksu spot, the kimchi was wonderfully crisp and delicious ☺️

Our three portions of spicy kalguksu arrived in no time! The whole table was full, haha. Out came a pot piled high with minari, the kalguksu noodles, and the ingredients for fried rice!

Spicy kalguksu with minari and noodles

The spicy kalguksu broth was packed with minari, potatoes, and mushrooms. The vegetables looked so fresh. There was a generous amount of noodles for three people, too. The fried-rice ingredients included egg. After you cook and eat the kalguksu, a staff member takes the pot away and fries the rice separately.

We turned on the induction burner and got down to eating! 🔥 The spicy kalguksu broth began to bubble away.

The deep flavor of the beef-bone broth was amazing. That rich Deungchon Shabu Kalguksu flavor is always delicious.

The mushrooms had a wonderfully chewy texture, while the potatoes were nutty and soft—so good.

The minari was truly the key to Deungchon Shabu Kalguksu 😉 Dipped in wasabi soy sauce, its flavor was so appealing!

After we had eaten some of the vegetables, we added the kalguksu noodles. We cooked them for about five minutes, then slurped up the steaming noodles. The plump noodles had soaked up the spicy seasoning so well—absolutely delicious. This spicy kalguksu had such a wonderful spicy, nutty flavor. No wonder it’s a beloved lunch spot for Sangam office workers ❤️

Such a filling and delicious bowl of spicy kalguksu! ❣️

Egg fried rice prepared by the staff to finish

Now it was time for egg fried rice!! The egg fried rice here is seriously so good!

A staff member put the remaining broth into a large bowl, took away the pot, and fried up the egg fried rice. The hot, deliciously finished fried rice!! 😍

It was nicely fried, fluffy, and so appetizing. The savory fried rice with the remaining spicy kalguksu broth was a perfect combination!! After the fried rice, I was completely full. The three of us had a very satisfying lunch together.

Spicy kalguksu, fresh vegetables, and savory egg fried rice made for a perfect lunch ☺️ I had a lovely time at Deungchon Shabu Kalguksu Sangam Branch, a great Sangam restaurant!