Jeju abalone rice restaurant worth a return visit: Jongdal Sudatteul

Why I went back to Jongdal Sudatteul

Jongdal Sudatteul (종달수다뜰) is an abalone rice place I loved on a Jeju trip several years ago. I enjoyed it so much that I made a note of the name, and on this Jeju trip I really wanted to go again, so here we are.

An easy stop near Yongnuni Oreum and Manjanggul Cave

The restaurant is in Gujwa-eup, close to Yongnuni Oreum (a volcanic cone) and Manjanggul Cave, so it fits nicely into a sightseeing route. If you are planning a trip around east Jeju, the travel route is easy and I'd recommend it for a meal.

Entrance garden and large parking lot

The first thing I noticed on arrival was the pretty garden. The lush green plants in front of the entrance and the Jeju-style scenery put me in a good mood before I even went in. It's a great photo spot too, and lots of people were taking souvenir shots.

The parking lot is also spacious, which is really convenient for travelers with a car. Many people tour Jeju in rental cars, so parking matters, and I was glad to park without any stress.

Jongdal Sudatteul's dining room and service

Inside, the restaurant is quite large and clean. Everything was tidy and the tables were spaced comfortably, so we could eat in peace. Above all, the staff guided us kindly, so I was happy from the first impression.

A self-service bar with free soy-marinated crab

The self bar has ssam vegetables (leaves for wrapping), plenty of side dishes, and even free ganjang gejang (soy-marinated crab). The self bar was the first thing that wowed me after sitting down. I usually expect just a few simple side dishes at a self bar, but this one was really varied. Besides the fresh ssam vegetables there were all kinds of side dishes, and I was amazed that the soy crab is free.

The set meals we ordered at Jongdal Sudatteul

This time we ordered the abalone rice with grilled hairtail set and the dombe-gogi (boiled sliced pork) with abalone rice set. I liked that there are several set options, so travelers can pick what suits them.

If abalone alone isn't enough for you, you can enjoy hairtail or dombe-gogi alongside it, which makes for an even more satisfying meal.

Stone-pot abalone rice topped with butter

The signature abalone rice comes in a hot stone pot (ttukbaegi) with butter on top and a generous helping of abalone over it. It looked great from the start. The aroma of the melting butter mixing with the abalone was so rich and nutty that it really got my appetite going.

I mixed the rice and took a bite, and I instantly understood why I couldn't forget this taste for years. The chewy abalone and the nutty butter come together for real depth of flavor. There's no skimping on the abalone either, so every bite tasted of the sea.

Thick, meaty Jeju grilled hairtail

The grilled hairtail we ordered with the abalone rice was also very satisfying. The flesh was thick and plump, which made me think, Jeju hairtail really is different. It was so moist that the meat flaked off with just a touch of the chopsticks, and the mild, nutty flavor filled my mouth.

There was no fishy smell at all that hairtail can have, and the fish was full of meat, so I stayed happy the whole meal. It goes really well with the abalone rice, too.

Black pork dombe-gogi with no gamey smell

The dombe-gogi here was also better than I expected. It keeps the rich flavor Jeju black pork is known for, yet has no gamey smell at all. The tender texture means I think people of any age would enjoy it.

It was even better wrapped in fresh ssam vegetables from the self bar, with a piece of dombe-gogi and a few side dishes. The crunchy vegetables and the meat go together so well that I kept reaching for more.

Finishing with nurungji from the abalone rice pot

Once we'd eaten most of the meal, I poured water into the stone pot the abalone rice came in to make nurungji (scorched rice soup), and it turned out to be a treat. It felt completely different from ordinary nurungji. The flavor of abalone and butter had soaked into the rice, so it was much richer and nuttier. I was happy to have something warm and toasty right to the end of the meal.

Free Gujwa carrot juice for a receipt review

After the meal I joined the Naver receipt review event. I just verified my receipt and got a Gujwa carrot juice as a gift. Maybe because it's made with carrots from the Gujwa area of Jeju, the carrot sweetness came through strongly and tasted wonderfully fresh. It worked perfectly as a post-meal dessert drink and wrapped things up neatly.

Is Jongdal Sudatteul worth a return visit?

Jongdal Sudatteul, which I returned to because of a good memory from several years ago, once again did not let me down as a Jeju abalone rice spot. The big parking lot, the clean restaurant and the friendly service, the self bar with fresh ssam vegetables and soy crab, the generous abalone rice, the plump grilled hairtail and the dombe-gogi with no gamey smell: nothing was lacking.

If you are planning a trip to Yongnuni Oreum or Manjanggul, I'd recommend it as a place to eat along the way. If you are looking for a filling, tasty meal while traveling east Jeju, this is a highly satisfying restaurant I'd want to visit again.