Kalguksu near Suwon Station: kal-nakji, half-and-half mandu, Daseon

What did we order at Daseon Kalguksu Main Branch near Suwon Station?

At Daseon Kalguksu Main Branch (다선칼국수 수원본점), the two of us ordered 2 servings of kal-nakji and the half-and-half mandu (dumplings). It's a hearty kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) place near Suwon Station, so I wanted to leave a review of the visit. 🍜

On chilly days or whenever I'm craving hot broth, nothing beats kalguksu, right? This time I wanted something a bit more special than plain kalguksu, so we visited Daseon Kalguksu Main Branch in Suwon!

It's near Suwon Station, so it's easy to stop by when you're looking for a meal in the area, and I liked that you can enjoy dumplings as well as kalguksu. We ordered 2 servings of kal-nakji, which has spicy octopus in it, and the half-and-half mandu. Noodles and dumplings together seemed like a filling meal for two.

What is kal-nakji at Daseon Kalguksu?

Daseon Kalguksu's kal-nakji is a kalguksu with spicy octopus (nakji), so you get a hot, spicy broth and chewy noodles together. It was our main order! The name alone sounds a bit different from regular kalguksu, doesn't it?

Half the fun of kalguksu is slurping the warm broth. With spicy octopus added, it had a different appeal from the mild kalguksu I usually eat.

If you like spicy food, kal-nakji is worth trying at least once. The octopus makes it a fresher change from regular kalguksu, and I liked getting noodles and seafood in one dish.

We ordered 2 servings, and sharing the main dish while adding dumplings worked out well. It should suit anyone who loves kalguksu, and also days when you're craving a spicier broth!

How does kal-nakji taste with kimchi?

Eating Daseon Kalguksu's kal-nakji with kimchi made it even better. I think kalguksu is all about the balance of noodles and broth, and this kal-nakji let me enjoy the spicy broth and noodles together.

Kalguksu is quietly filling and satisfying as a full meal. With octopus in it, it felt different from the kalguksu I usually have. The spicy broth woke up my appetite, and the warm soup left me feeling comforted and full.

Kalguksu especially gets better with kimchi. I'd eat some noodles, add kimchi, take another sip of broth, and just keep going. Personally, kimchi matters to me when I visit a kalguksu place, and I liked the noodle-and-kimchi pairing at Daseon Kalguksu. One chopstick-full of noodles with kimchi, and I thought, this combo can't fail!

What comes in the half-and-half mandu at Daseon Kalguksu?

The half-and-half mandu lets you try both kimchi mandu and meat mandu, and we ordered it with the kal-nakji. If you love dumplings, it's hard to walk past!

Having just one kind can feel a little disappointing, so getting two kinds together made it fun to pick by taste.

Meat mandu and kimchi mandu

The meat mandu was familiar and satisfying. Eaten with kalguksu, it made the meal feel richer than noodles alone.

The kimchi mandu is the one for people who like that distinctive kimchi flavor. It has a different charm from the meat mandu, so it was nice to alternate. Bite by bite, I thought ordering the half-and-half mandu to try both was the right call.

Kal-nakji with half-and-half mandu

Above all, spicy kal-nakji and dumplings went really well together. When kalguksu alone feels a bit short but you don't want to add something too heavy, the half-and-half mandu is a good side. If you like the kalguksu-and-mandu combo, I recommend ordering them together!

Is Daseon Kalguksu Main Branch worth going back to?

I liked that Daseon Kalguksu Main Branch serves kalguksu with spicy octopus, and it was even tastier with kimchi. Adding the half-and-half mandu, with meat and kimchi dumplings in one order, made the meal even more filling.

Personally, I liked the kalguksu-and-kimchi pairing, and I was happy to get two kinds of dumplings together. The staff were friendly too, so it was a pleasant meal.

If you're near Suwon Station and craving spicy kalguksu, or want warm soup and dumplings together, give Daseon Kalguksu Main Branch a visit! Ordering kal-nakji with half-and-half mandu like we did should make for a generous meal. It's a place I'd happily return to next time I'm craving good kalguksu. 😊