Chungju pheasant restaurant course: Suanbo Daejanggun

During a trip to Suanbo, I tried pheasant dishes for the first time at Suanbo Daejanggun (수안보대장군). I chose a course that let me taste one ingredient prepared in several ways, from raw pheasant sashimi to hot pot and dumplings.

Would it suit a parents’ birthday or anniversary gathering?

Looking at the atmosphere and the food presentation, I thought it would suit a parents’ birthday or an anniversary meal. The pheasant dishes, which are not something I encounter often, were served neatly and made me feel as though I was being treated to something special.

Which course did I order, and how was the price?

I felt both anticipation and nerves when I heard that raw pheasant sashimi was included. The two of us ordered the Daewang Surasang course.

My order record says “Daewang Surasang ₩69,000 for two.” However, the original post does not make clear whether ₩69,000 was the per-person price or the total for two. The price range felt a little burdensome, but I was satisfied with it as a meal for a special occasion because I could try several pheasant dishes and the portions were generous.

What did the dongchimi and nourishing porridge taste like?

The first dish was dongchimi (radish water kimchi) made with pheasant-bone broth. It was cool and clean-tasting, with a subtle savory richness. I usually like dongchimi, and I finished all the broth served in the earthenware bowl.

The second dish was Jangsu Kkwongsam Boyangjuk, a nourishing porridge with pheasant broth, ginseng, mung beans, and more. It reminded me of chicken porridge, but it was hearty and had no gaminess. One bowl felt filling.

How were the raw pheasant salad and sashimi?

The third dish, osaek kkwong saengchae, was a salad with uncooked pheasant tenderloin. It felt unfamiliar at first, but to me it was like eating a salmon salad. The sharp mustard aroma also worked well with it.

The fourth dish was a pheasant sinsollo jeongol (royal-style hot pot). It contained pheasant broth and various vegetables; I added the pheasant meat that came later, then added sujebi (hand-torn dough flakes) at the end. The owner said it might taste lightly seasoned, but even for me, someone who tends to eat salty food, the broth was deep and well seasoned.

Next came raw pheasant sashimi, steamed abalone, and boiled octopus. Of these, the raw pheasant sashimi was the dish I was most curious about.

The fifth dish, raw pheasant sashimi, looked glossy enough to remind me of fish sashimi.

Dipped in sesame oil sauce, it felt similar to tuna or salmon sashimi to me. It was interesting that this unfamiliar pheasant meat brought familiar fish-sashimi flavors to mind.

I also enjoyed the sixth dish, steamed abalone and boiled octopus. Their neat presentation made me think of bringing my parents here or having a family-meeting meal before a wedding.

I put the remaining pheasant meat into the hot-pot broth. I expected it to be similar to chicken tenderloin, but it tasted different to me. Its mild flavor and chewy texture especially stayed with me.

How did the dumplings, wild-greens pancake, and japchae differ?

The seventh dish was pheasant dumplings. Their mild filling felt different from the dumplings I usually eat. I heard that many customers also take pheasant dumplings to go.

I heard that the eighth dish, a pheasant wild-greens pancake, is made with greens gathered directly from Woraksan. The pleasantly bitter wild greens went well with the minced pheasant meat.

The ninth dish, royal pheasant japchae (stir-fried glass noodles), was also served neatly. The pheasant meat fit naturally into the familiar japchae, and I enjoyed it.

Are the portions enough through the sujebi?

The final, tenth course was four-color basic side dishes and sujebi. I was already very full because each course had quite a lot of food, but I kept eating because I liked the chewy texture of the sujebi cooked in pheasant broth.

I preferred the texture of the sujebi when it was cooked just enough rather than simmered until soft. The side dishes were good, too. Although the price felt burdensome, it was a memorable meal for the varied flavors of pheasant dishes I was trying for the first time, the generous portions, and the neat presentation.

Where are the location, hours, and parking?

Suanbo Daejanggun is at 105 Mireuksonggye-ro, Suanbo-myeon, Chungju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do, South Korea. The original post lists its hours as 11:00–20:00, with a break from 15:00–17:00. It is closed every Wednesday, and parking is available in front of the restaurant.