Stroller-friendly shabu-shabu restaurant in Sangam: Deungchon

Why Deungchon Shabu Kalguksu Sangam Branch for lunch in Sangam-dong?

Deungchon Shabu Kalguksu Sangam Branch is a shabu-shabu kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) restaurant on the 2nd floor of the Woori Technology building on Wolgyecheon-ro 56-gil in Mapo-gu, and we went on a weekday lunch with my husband and baby. We had to take our baby to a nearby clinic that day, so we combined the errand with an outing.

A weekday outing with my husband and baby to eat lunch in Sangam-dong at Deungchon Shabu Kalguksu. I don't think my husband and I had ever eaten at a Sangam-dong restaurant together before, but since we had to visit a baby clinic nearby, we decided to give it a try haha.

We both usually like shabu-shabu and have been to Deungchon Shabu Kalguksu a few times before, and that day I was craving hot broth again. So we drove over for a Sangam lunch. Parking is a really important factor when you have a baby, and this Sangam restaurant had no worries there since parking is available in the building's underground lot.

Can you bring a stroller into Deungchon Shabu Kalguksu?

We arrived right at lunchtime and the restaurant was already packed with office workers. There was exactly one seat left, by the floor-to-ceiling window, and we were shown there. Overall the place was clean and the tables weren't cramped together, so it was an easy atmosphere to eat in even with a baby stroller.

Ordering the red broth set for two, plus extra meat

At Deungchon Shabu Kalguksu you can choose between clear broth and red broth, and every time we've come, we've picked red broth without a second thought. The two-person set includes noodles, rice, minari and everything else, but note that the meat has to be ordered separately!

Not long after ordering, the noodles and rice came out first, along with the broth loaded with minari.

How to cook the shabu-shabu meat at the table

There were instructions for the tastiest way to eat at this Sangam restaurant, so we followed them and started boiling. Once it started bubbling, we turned the heat down a notch, added the meat we'd ordered, and just ate it right away — done!

We put in as much of the thinly sliced meat as we wanted to eat and swished it gently in the boiling broth. Since it's thin, it cooks fast, so it's best not to boil it too long — pull it out as soon as it's just cooked. Eating the cooked meat with vegetables in the hot broth, the tender texture of the meat matched beautifully with the spicy stock. The savory flavor plus the spiciness made my chopsticks keep going back for more.

I don't really like vegetables so I didn't try them, but my husband said they were a must-try. He said the vegetables, once fully cooked, wilt slightly and turn soft, soaking up the broth's flavor so well that they're delicious even on their own haha.

How the broth changes once the kalguksu noodles go in

Honestly everything was good, but the part of this Sangam lunch I look forward to most is the kalguksu noodles! Once you add the noodles, the broth tastes far richer than it did at first. We put the noodles in, let them simmer, and waited for them to cook — from that point on, it felt like a completely different dish.

While eating the shabu-shabu, the clean, savory flavor of the vegetables was the star, but once the noodles went in, the spicy, rich broth mingled with the noodles for a much more filling meal. Taking a bite once the noodles were cooked, the spicy stock had soaked in well between the strands, so the more I chewed, the richer the broth flavor came through. The noodles weren't overcooked and still had a nice chewy bite, which made them even better to eat. Above all, the spicy broth went really well with them. It warmed me up from the inside, so even though it was just a Sangam-dong lunch, it felt very satisfying.

Fried rice or porridge? Why the fried rice finish won

And at this Sangam-dong restaurant, it doesn't end there — you have to finish with fried rice made in the leftover broth. You can choose between fried rice and porridge, and we went with fried rice that day. We asked the staff and the fried rice came out quickly; eating it with the remaining stock felt even more appealing than porridge would have... I want to eat it again already.

Is the set for two enough food for two adults?

Ordering the two-person set for a Sangam lunch turned out to be more filling than expected — plenty to eat until you're stuffed. When the pot first arrived, I wondered if it would be enough for the two of us, but as we cooked and ate through it bit by bit, we got fuller and fuller haha.

Being able to enjoy several different things in one sitting made it a satisfying meal, and the set felt well put together. I haven't tried the clear broth at this Sangam restaurant, Deungchon Shabu Kalguksu, yet, but I'd like to give it a try next time haha. And if you like spicy food, I think you'd enjoy this place even more.

If you're craving something hot and want kalguksu and fried rice together, Deungchon Shabu Kalguksu seems like a solid choice, right? We finished our meal completely full that day, and left without leaving a single bite behind haha.