Garak Market gopchang mixed platter and 2,000-won stew: Midang

When you look for a gopchang place in Garak-dong, you want generous portions and lots of different cuts in one go, right? Midang Hanwoo Gopchang (미당한우곱창), where I went this time, solved exactly that. You get a wide range of Hanwoo (Korean beef) offal, and the staff grill it for you, so the meal was relaxed and I was really happy with it.

Where is Midang Hanwoo Gopchang and who is it good for?

Midang Hanwoo Gopchang is a beef gopchang (small intestine) restaurant on the 1st floor at 47 Yangjae-daero 62-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, and it's close to Garak Market Station, so it's easy to reach. I heard it already has a word-of-mouth reputation for Garak Market gopchang.

It seemed popular for company dinners with nearby coworkers, family meals, and evenings out with friends.

Besides gopchang, the menu has gopchang hot pot, Hanwoo mungtigi (raw beef), hoe bibimbap (raw fish rice bowl) and more, so it looked fine for a regular meal too. If you're always hunting for Garak Market restaurants, this one is worth keeping an eye on ><

Is Midang Hanwoo Gopchang spacious and comfortable?

The first thing I noticed walking in was how roomy it is! The tables are spaced out generously, so it hardly felt like sitting right next to the neighbors.

Gopchang places can be crowded or stuffy, but this one didn't feel that way at all, which made it even more comfortable.

It looked good for company dinners and group gatherings, and quite a few families came in too. The interior is kept clean, so the whole meal felt pleasant.

How big is the mixed gopchang platter and what's in it?

What I ordered was Midang Hanwoo Gopchang's mixed beef offal platter! At first I thought the price was a bit high, but once I saw the actual amount, I completely changed my mind.

It looked like nearly three servings, that's how generous it was. And the lineup is really varied!

• Gopchang (small intestine)
• Daechang (large intestine)
• Makchang (abomasum)
• Yanggit-meori (top of the tripe)
• Beolljip-yang (honeycomb tripe)
• Yeomtong (heart)

Tasting so many kinds of Hanwoo offal meant I never got tired of it all the way to the end. I was especially impressed that it included honeycomb tripe, which is hard to find elsewhere!

What side dishes come with it, and is the doenjang stew free?

The standard side dishes are a special sauce, kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi), seasoned raw crab (yangnyeom gejang) and cheonyeop (omasum). The sides to eat with the meat were really well done.

I'm told beef liver is served on weekdays too, so keep that in mind. The gopchang never got greasy because you eat it with these sides, and the combination was great.

The doenjang stew (soybean paste stew) isn't included by default, but it was ₩2,000 so I ordered it, and it's a total bargain. Highly recommend~!

Do you grill the gopchang yourself, or do the staff?

At Midang Hanwoo Gopchang, the staff grilled the gopchang for us from start to finish.

They explained when each cut tastes best and even cut them into bite-size pieces, so we could just enjoy it.

Thanks to that, there was no worry about messing up the grilling, and we could eat everything at the perfect moment. This kind of service really adds to the satisfaction.

How did each beef offal cut taste?

Gopchang (small intestine)

The gopchang here was packed with gop (the creamy fat inside). One bite and a rich, nutty flavor fills your mouth, and the texture was tender, not tough. So good!

I immediately understood why it's famous for Garak Market gopchang.

Honeycomb tripe (beoljip-yang)

Honeycomb tripe isn't something you come across often, so I was looking forward to it, and the chewy-yet-tender texture was lovely. The more you chew, the more the nutty flavor comes up, so I kept reaching for more ><

Daechang (large intestine)

Isn't the daechang incredibly thick just to look at?

It's full of rich, fatty flavor but not greasy, and it went really well with the charcoal aroma. Delicious.

Makchang and beef heart

The makchang and heart had no off-smell at all, and you could tell every cut was fresh.

Alternating between the different cuts meant I never got bored until the end. I guess that's why so many people keep coming back to this Garak-dong favorite ><

Is the kkakdugi fried rice worth ordering to finish?

I ordered kkakdugi fried rice to finish at Midang Hanwoo Gopchang, and it's a real treat. I was already pretty full, but I couldn't give up on the fried rice.

After all that gopchang, the tangy-sweet flavor tidies up a mouth that might feel a little rich!

The crunch of the kkakdugi is still there and there's a nutty note on top, so it works really well as a closer. After the fried rice, it felt like a proper full meal ><

Midang Hanwoo Gopchang: final verdict

What I liked most about Midang Hanwoo Gopchang was the lineup that lets you taste many kinds of Hanwoo offal at once, and the generous portion.

The staff grilled for us so we could eat comfortably, and every cut was fresh with no off-smell, so it was delicious to the end. With the spacious, comfortable room, it suits company dinners, family meals and get-togethers with friends.

If you want proper Hanwoo gopchang near Garak Market, it's a good place to visit!

• Location: 1st floor, Unit 103, 47 Yangjae-daero 62-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul
• Hours: Daily 10:00–23:00 (last order 22:00)