Gonjiam kimchi jjigae, rice cake add-on & nurungji: Oneuldo Utja

When people say Gonjiam restaurants, this is the first one that comes to my mind, so I headed to Oneuldo Utja (오늘도웃자) Chowol for dinner.

Where is Oneuldo Utja Chowol, and what about parking?

Oneuldo Utja Chowol is at 43-1 Sansu-ro, Chowol-eup, Gwangju-si, Gyeonggi-do (1st floor), open every day from 11:00 to 22:00. Takeout, group seating, parking and baby chairs are all available.

I came to this Gonjiam spot that's famous for its kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew). There's a big, roomy parking lot right in front, so parking and walking in was easy.

What are the atmosphere and seating like, and does it work for groups?

The restaurant is spacious and comfortable, with partitions set up between the seats, and it can easily handle groups of 6 or more. I liked the partitioned seating, such a thoughtful touch.

Maybe that's why it's so popular with locals and office workers nearby. There's even a wait at lunch and dinner time, with so many people coming and going.

Oneuldo Utja Chowol menu and what I ordered

On the menu, the kimchi jjigae + pot rice set is reasonably priced, and there's a good range of duruchigi (spicy stir-fried pork) dishes too.

• Giant cheese egg roll ×1
• Soda ×1
• Kimchi jjigae + pot rice ×2

Free self-serve side dishes and rice refills

On one side of the restaurant there's a free self-serve side dish bar, and you can get unlimited extra rice too, which is why this place is known as a great-value spot.

How was the kimchi jjigae at Oneuldo Utja Chowol?

The kimchi jjigae was hearty, packed with big chunks of roughly cut pork. The smell the moment it arrived was seriously good. Wrapping the meat in kimchi and eating it in one bite was amazing!!

Loaded with tofu, assorted vegetables and meat, the jjigae looked so delicious, and the mix of spicy heat and tangy, well-fermented kimchi was honestly just amazing!! My kids don't particularly like kimchi jjigae, but when we come to Oneuldo Utja they go into full mukbang mode and gobble it up, so it's a really great place for a family meal!!

Is the giant cheese egg roll a must-order?

When you visit Oneuldo Utja, the giant cheese egg roll with its overwhelming look is just beyond words!! So much cheese it doesn't just fill the roll, it comes oozing out, and the cheese is rich yet mild, so paired with the egg it's unbelievably good!!

It came with mayonnaise and ketchup, and I can't tell you how many times I dipped in and munched away.

Pot rice with the kimchi jjigae, and nurungji too

At Oneuldo Utja, pot rice (solbap) always comes with the kimchi jjigae, and if you run short, you can grab free extra rice from the free self-serve bar!!

The pot rice was seriously sticky and glossy, just crazy good!! Even plain, it was sweet and so tasty. I scooped out what I'd eat and made toasty nurungji (scorched rice) with the rest, and the smell of it was really lovely.

Finishing dinner with my sister, with extra tteok-sari

My sister and I ate like crazy, then finished by adding chewy tteok-sari (rice cakes), and I can't tell you how much we enjoyed this kimchi jjigae at Oneuldo Utja!!

For group gatherings, family meals and family dinners, Oneuldo Utja Chowol was very satisfying. If you all visit together, I think you'll get to enjoy really delicious kimchi jjigae.