Late-night clam kalguksu for two, second visit: Seosan Dongjuk

Today I went to a kalguksu (noodle soup) spot in Yulha, Jangyu 🍜 — Seosan Dongjuk Kalguksu.

Seosan Dongjuk Kalguksu hours and parking

• Hours: Daily 10:00–21:00 (last order 20:00)
• Address: 19 Deokjeong-ro 201beon-gil, 1st floor, Gimhae, Gyeongnam, South Korea
• Groups welcome
• Free parking (dedicated lot behind the restaurant)
• Reservations and takeout available

Why I came back a second time

A kalguksu place opened near my neighborhood and I visited once back when it first opened — I remember it being really delicious~ It suddenly came to mind today, so this was my second visit to Seosan Dongjuk Kalguksu!

Oh!! And about a month ago I was running along Yulha Café Street dripping with sweat, and someone had put a cooler full of ice water on the walking path. Turns out it was Seosan Dongjuk Kalguksu, put out for the neighbors... That kind of small gesture is really touching, you know..♥

Interior and seating

Anyway! As soon as we walked in, the staff greeted us warmly. The place is really spacious and clean, perfect for a meal, and the interior is a tidy white-and-wood tone haha

There's a range of seating from 4-person tables to group seating, so it'd be great for friends, couples, or family visits~~ And even though it was an hour before closing, there were quite a lot of customers???!! It's apparently already well known as a great kalguksu spot, seems true.

Each table has chopsticks, tissues, paper cups, and seasonings already set out.

Menu and tablet ordering

Ordering is done via a tablet at the table! There are three menu items: clam kalguksu, ognakse seafood pancake, and clam soup. For alcohol there's soju, beer, and makgeolli — I almost ordered a makgeolli to go with the pancake but held back lol. There's clam soup too, so it seems like a good spot to come for a drink with your meal haha

The two of us ordered two servings of clam kalguksu and one ognakse seafood pancake

The basic side dishes are kimchi and diced radish kimchi, plus a sauce for the pancake. The kimchi and radish kimchi here are really tasty..👍

Ta-da✨ This visual I'd been missing…🥹 The portions are really generous lol (for reference, two women ate this and it was so much we left a little bit)

Clam kalguksu for two — how was the broth?

The clam kalguksu comes out whole in one pot. They say the fresh clams are brought in every morning and cleaned by hand, giving the broth its deep, refreshing flavor!! The broth here doesn't taste like MSG at all — it's clean and mild, and it kept coming back to my mind ㅠㅠ

Chewy noodles, plenty of fresh clams, and fragrant crown daisy greens...♥ We ate so happily lol. My mom kept praising it too, wondering how clams alone could make such a deep, rich flavor haha

Adding a bit of spicy kimchi on top.. perfect match!! Even when full, it was so good I kept eating lol

Ognakse seafood pancake with chojang

Next up is the seafood pancake, which is a must with kalguksu. The pancake here is really crispy and delicious, so I definitely recommend ordering it together!!

It's loaded with squid and shrimp, absolutely not the cheap, floury-tasting kind of pancake!!

There are 3 sauces served alongside, and each has its own charm, but I especially loved dipping it in chojang (vinegar-chili sauce).. I used to only dip pancake in soy sauce, but ever since coming here I've gotten hooked on the pancake-and-chojang combo..^^

To sum up

Another full, satisfying meal done!! From the kalguksu packed with fresh clams for a deep, refreshing flavor, to the crispy, seafood-loaded ognakse pancake, everything was satisfying at Seosan Dongjuk Kalguksu 👍 Above all, the friendly staff made the meal even more pleasant~ If you're looking for a great kalguksu spot in Gimhae, definitely pay a visit :)