Cheomdan, Gwangju Chinese restaurant with cold jjamppong: Bobae

I couldn't decide what to have for dinner in Cheomdan, so my husband and I headed to Bobae Restaurant Cheomdan branch (보배반점 첨단점). It's already famous as a Cheomdan Chinese restaurant and well known as a local favorite in Wolgye-dong, so we went in with high hopes, haha.

Bobae Restaurant Cheomdan branch: open 24 hours, 3 hours of free parking

The restaurant is open 24 hours, so you can visit whenever you like, which is a really big plus. If you use the parking lot behind the shop, parking is free for 3 hours, so we could eat in comfort.

Atmosphere and seating

Walking in, the first thing I noticed was the clean interior.

Some people picture Chinese restaurants as a bit old-fashioned, but this one is bright and tidy overall, and I thought it would be great for a family meal out.

The tables are spaced widely, so you won't bump into the next table and it's comfortable to eat.

There's also a kids' set meal (a baby-friendly meal) for people visiting with children, and we saw plenty of families there.

The menu and what we ordered

The menu is really varied too. There are meals, main dishes, sides and even drinking-snack sets, so I thought it works for lunch, a family outing, a company dinner or a night out drinking.

This time we ordered seafood white jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup, in a clear white broth), fried rice and cold jjamppong. The food came out quickly after we ordered, so we didn't wait long.

How was the seafood white jjamppong?

I tried the seafood white jjamppong first. The broth was so clear and refreshing that I was wowed from the very first spoonful, haha. It's not a fiery style; you taste the deep, cool flavor of the seafood itself. It was generously loaded with mussels, squid and other seafood, and I was happy the whole way through!! Very happy!!

The broth was so good I kept spooning it up. Now I see why it's called a Cheomdan favorite. The noodles were nicely chewy, soaked up the broth well and never went soggy, so the texture was great to the end. Even just the broth made me feel better inside, so I thought it would be a wonderful hangover cure too, haha. Eating it, I understood why the steamed rice is free, hahaha. The broth is so good you naturally want to drop rice into it!!

Fried rice, mixed with the black bean sauce

Next came the fried rice. It comes with jajang (black bean) sauce and jjamppong broth on the side, and this combination is really good. The grains were fried fluffy and separate, and with the first bite I caught a faint smoky wok flavor. There was plenty of shrimp too, so it was fun to chew. Fried rice really is best mixed with jajang sauce, lol. The salty sauce and the fluffy rice went so well together. I think the fried rice alone would make a satisfying meal.

My first cold jjamppong

And then the one I was most looking forward to: cold jjamppong. It was my first time trying it, so it felt a little unfamiliar, but it was far tastier than I expected, haha.

Chewy noodles in a cold broth made it a perfect dish for hot weather. The tangy, cool flavor left my mouth feeling fresh, and the more I ate, the more I kept thinking about it. Good, good!!

The noodles were springy with a great bite, and the broth wasn't harsh, so it was easy to enjoy. I only meant to try one bite, but before I knew it my chopsticks kept going, haha. My husband kept saying the cold jjamppong was much better than he expected.

Worth going back?

Next time I'd order the cold jjamppong again. What I felt during the meal is that the food is good, but the upkeep of the shop and the service are also really satisfying, which is why we keep coming back!! Parking is easy, and being open 24 hours means you can eat late too, which is a huge plus. It's good for family meals, meals with friends, and eating alone without any pressure, so I think that's why I go even more often!

If you're looking for a Chinese restaurant in Cheomdan, Bobae Restaurant Cheomdan branch should satisfy you. I especially recommend trying the seafood white jjamppong and the cold jjamppong, haha. For anyone searching for a Cheomdan Chinese restaurant or a 24-hour place in Cheomdan, this is one I recommend with confidence.