Sangdong Chinese restaurant with a self-serve rice cooker: Glory Works

I suddenly had a craving for spicy jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup) and headed to Glory Works in Sangdong, Bucheon. This time I went all in and ordered seafood jjamppong, shrimp fried rice, and fried dumplings — you can't really do Chinese food without dumplings.

Glory Works / Address: 115 Giljju-ro, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, Sigma Tower 1F / Hours: 11:00 - 21:00 (break time 15:00 - 17:00, last order 14:30 / 20:30) / Takeout, high chair, separate men's/women's restrooms, delivery, parking available (3 hours free)

Where is Glory Works, and where do you park?

This Sangdong restaurant sits right in front of Exit 8 of Sangdong Station, so it's easy to find. The building parking lot is also well set up and gives 3 hours free, so it's a good option if you're driving over too.

Inside Glory Works and how to order at the table kiosk

Walking in, the vibe was comfortable enough that I could settle in without any fuss. The space was clean and pleasant with plenty of room between tables, so it'd work well for a family meal or a group of friends too. Ordering is done through the kiosk on the table.

The menu board at Glory Works. They serve a wide range of Chinese dishes. We ordered seafood jjamppong, shrimp fried rice, and fried dumplings. Personally, if there are two of us, I like the combo of one noodle dish plus one rice dish with dumplings added as a side.

A rice cooker at the self-serve bar: as much rice as you want

The self-serve bar at Glory Works had pickled radish and jachai, and — of all things — a rice cooker, so you could eat as much rice as you wanted without ordering a separate bowl. Order seafood jjamppong and you basically get jjamppong bap (rice mixed into the broth) too, two birds one stone. Amazing...

What does the seafood jjamppong broth taste like?

Seafood jjamppong. As always, jjamppong gets your appetite going the moment it lands on the table with that spicy aroma rising off it. Taking a sip of the broth first, it was spicy with the savory depth from the seafood layered in — the broth felt quite rich.

I tend to prefer jjamppong that has that fresh, clean seafood flavor alongside the spice rather than just being spicy for spice's sake, and this one was great with the noodles. Picking out seafood here and there as I ate added variety in texture, which beat just eating noodles the whole time. If you're looking for a jjamppong option in Sangdong, this is worth checking out first.

Shrimp fried rice at Glory Works: light and fluffy, grain by grain

Shrimp fried rice. Fried rice that's too oily or soggy tends to get old after a few spoonfuls, but this one had that fluffy, separated-grain style where each grain stayed intact, which I liked. The first bite brought out the nutty flavor typical of good fried rice, and the shrimp scattered throughout kept the texture from getting boring.

If the jjamppong is bold and spicy, the shrimp fried rice is comparatively mild, so switching back and forth between the two worked perfectly.

Fried dumplings, added as a side

Freshly made fried dumplings really are best eaten while the outside is still crisp. Biting in, you first get the crunch of the crisply fried dumpling skin, followed by a moist filling inside — the phrase "crispy outside, tender inside" fit perfectly.

They're good plain, but dip them lightly in soy sauce and the extra saltiness keeps you reaching for more. Personally, I also liked popping one in whenever the jjamppong's heat started building up. If the main dishes alone feel like a bit too little, this is an easy, shareable side to add on.

Is Glory Works in Sangdong worth a visit?

Ate well again today :) A hearty round of seafood jjamppong, shrimp fried rice, and fried dumplings at Glory Works in Sangdong, Bucheon. If you're in the mood for familiar Chinese food like jjajangmyeon or jjamppong and want a Sangdong spot where you can order a few dishes and eat until you're full, Glory Works is worth a visit :)