Hwaseong shabu-shabu dinner with kids: Deungchon Kalguksu

After a fun outing in Dongtan, we visited Deungchon Shabu Kalguksu Gran Passage Branch (등촌샤브칼국수 그랑파사쥬점) for dinner with the kids.

When having a family meal around Dongtan Lake Park, you end up looking for dishes the kids can eat too. That day, we wanted something warm and brothy, so we chose shabu-shabu.

Deungchon Shabu Kalguksu is also a familiar place for anyone looking for shabu-shabu in Dongtan, since you can enjoy shabu-shabu, kalguksu (knife-cut noodles), and fried rice all in one meal.

We went with our two- and five-year-olds.

Evening waits and high-chair availability

This place tends to be busy at mealtimes, and there can be a wait during the evening peak.

There were lots of families when we visited, including quite a few tables with young children.

Perhaps because it is in a great spot for dinner followed by a walk around Dongtan Lake Park, it seemed popular for both family meals and dates.

If you want to eat comfortably without waiting, it may be best to visit just outside the evening peak. When it gets really crowded, they can even run short of high chairs, haha. Luckily, we got one.

Perilla seed kalguksu with the kids

Thinking about a dish the children could enjoy too, we chose perilla seed kalguksu.

The distinctive nutty, smooth flavor of perilla seeds made it relatively easy to share with young children who do not handle strongly seasoned food well.

Of course, it is best to check the seasoning and temperature and portion it out separately for children, but simply having a non-spicy option made this an easy choice for a family meal.

With shabu-shabu, we could have vegetables and meat together, then finish with kalguksu, so it was a pretty substantial meal.

The rice balls belonged to the kids

We also ordered a rice ball for the children. They had fun shaping it with their own hands and eating it, so mealtime felt like play too.

Our five-year-old was so excited to eat the rice ball they had made themselves. When dining out with kids, adult food and kid food often need to be separate, but that day, having perilla seed kalguksu and rice balls made the meal relatively easy.

Kimchi that pairs beautifully with kalguksu

But the kimchi is seriously delicious @.@

And something I really have to praise is the kimchi! I think a kalguksu restaurant needs good kimchi, and this one was exactly to my taste. It was crisp and paired so well with the noodles that I kept reaching for more.

A meal before or after a Dongtan Lake Park walk

We visited in the evening, but if you are looking for somewhere to eat around Dongtan Lake Park, I think it would work well for lunch too.

Filling, from vegetables and meat to kalguksu

The menu is not especially difficult to choose from when visiting with children. If you are planning a meal before or after a walk at Dongtan Lake Park, it is a good place to pair with it.

From family meals to dates

Shabu-shabu is great with kids, but it is also the kind of meal that has a different feel when two people visit together.

So I think it is a decent choice for anyone looking for a date spot in Dongtan too!

With warm broth, meat and vegetables, followed by kalguksu and fried rice, it is a meal you can take your time enjoying.

It works well for a family meal with children like ours, and it is also an easygoing place for a relaxed date for two.

A Dongtan shabu-shabu dinner with the kids

This visit was dinner with the children, and overall, we were satisfied. I especially liked that we could prepare perilla seed kalguksu and rice balls for our two- and five-year-olds, while also having vegetables and meat with the shabu-shabu.

Most of all, I keep remembering that delicious kimchi. Kimchi really is important with kalguksu, haha.

If you are looking for shabu-shabu in Dongtan, considering a family meal near Dongtan Lake Park, or deciding on a date meal, Deungchon Shabu Kalguksu Gran Passage Branch is worth considering at least once.

There may be a wait at dinnertime, so if you visit with children, I recommend avoiding the peak a little! Still, the kids ate the vegetables, meat, kalguksu, and juk (rice porridge) so well that I would visit again~

I want spicy Deungchon kalguksu, but I suppose I need to hold off a little longer for meals out with the kids~~^^ We came out really full. Everyone was kind too, even while they were busy.... ~~~