Gomtang restaurant in Seongdong, Seoul: 3-minute lunch at Geumnyeong

While wondering what to have for lunch in Wangsimni, I visited <Geumnyeong Gomtang (금녕곰탕)>, a place popular with office workers. Truly great local spots are always known by the people who work nearby, and the steady stream of office workers made me think, yep, this really is the real deal.

Outside Geumnyeong Gomtang

Geumnyeong Gomtang is a well-known spot among Wangsimni office workers.

Even from the outside, it had the feel of an old-school local institution, so I immediately thought, this place must be good. I went in with my expectations nice and high.

An interior split between the first and second floors

The interior is divided between the first and second floors. We arrived early, but as we ate, office workers started coming in one or two at a time, and before long it was full. It is not a huge place, but there is seating upstairs too, so it seemed like tables turn over quickly.

Upstairs was also kept really neat. When I think of gukbap (rice soup) or gomtang places, I tend to picture somewhere a little worn-in, but I loved how clean Geumnyeong Gomtang was inside.

A varied menu, from gomtang to boiled beef slices

📍 Please refer to the photo above for the menu 📍 Gomtang is Geumnyeong Gomtang’s signature, as its name suggests, but the menu was more varied than I expected. Along with classic gomtang, there are beef rice noodles, mul suyuk (plain boiled beef slices), seasoned pollock sashimi, and more—great not only for a filling lunch, but also for having mul suyuk with a drink in the evening, I think?

The basic side dish: kimchi

The basic side dishes are neat and simple, exactly as they should be. There is well-fermented kimchi in a jar, and I’m seriously giving it first place among all the kimchi I’ve eaten this year.. It has been a while since I had kimchi that paired this perfectly with gukbap.

How quickly did the minari rice noodles arrive?

I think only about 3 minutes had passed since we ordered when the food was already here, and I was so surprised. A quick meal is everything for office workers, and I could see why this place is so popular.

Rice noodles at a gomtang restaurant—such an unusual combination, right? The noodles arrived piping hot, and the gomtang-based broth went so well with them. It is less aromatic and cleaner-tasting than typical Vietnamese pho, so I think even older diners would enjoy it without finding it too intense.

For someone like me who usually prefers noodles to rice, this was the best menu item 🤎 The deep yet clean gomtang broth with noodles was so easy to slurp down without feeling heavy. And it was loaded with minari (Korean water celery), so the aroma was amazing..

As a rice-noodle lover, I think I could eat this every day if you told me to. The meat on top was Korean beef, and it was so tender with absolutely no off smell that I could instantly tell it was high quality—I finished it in no time..

With plenty of minari and meat piled onto the noodles, it could not possibly have been more filling..! If you usually prefer noodles to rice, I recommend trying the rice noodles 😋

Special minari gomtang

I found my gomtang for life.

The gomtang comes with the rice already mixed into the soup. The moment it arrived, the scent of minari rose from the warm broth, and there was such a generous amount of rice that I wanted to bring my dad here. But can you believe this dish came out in just 3 minutes..?

There were rice cakes inside too, so it felt a little like eating tteokguk (rice cake soup), and with the rice, it was just perfect for a substantial meal. The food comes quickly, it is hot and filling, and it tastes great—no wonder office workers love it ~

I dipped the meat in the sauce that came with it, and it was so soft and tender that it felt like I was at an upscale Korean beef specialty restaurant—I wanted more.. 🤎 Next time, I need to come in the evening and try the mul suyuk too!

If you are looking for a clean, filling lunch around Wangsimni or Hanyang University, I recommend Geumnyeong Gomtang for its delicious hot broth 🖤