Ansan seolleongtang restaurant with refillable fernbrake: Morakmorak

Hi, this is G&D Pick, where I write honestly about places I've actually visited, eaten at, and tried myself. Going back to the same restaurant a second time isn't as common as you'd think. There seem to be certain places you just end up returning to even if the first visit was only okay. Morakmorak Seolleongtang, in the basement of Star Plaza in Seongpo-dong, Ansan, was one of those places for me.

This was my second visit. After the first time, I kept thinking about the broth, and eventually made my way back.

Why I returned to Morakmorak Seolleongtang in Ansan

On my first visit to Morakmorak Seolleongtang, I had the spicy braised pork ribs. The sauce was rich and the meat was tender, and that memory stuck with me. So this time I decided to try the signature dish that's actually in the restaurant's name.

When you're looking for lunch near Ansan Jungang Station, you eventually end up walking toward the market building. Enter through the back gate of Star Plaza, take the escalator down to the basement, and the restaurant is inside the food court.

How to find Morakmorak in the Star Plaza basement, and opening hours

If it's your first time, it's faster to look for the escalator than the sign. If you see the food court directory on your way down, you're on the right track. The building entrance had a sign saying it opens at 9 AM and closes at 9:30 PM, while Morakmorak Seolleongtang's own hours were 10 AM to 8:30 PM.

• 🍚 Morakmorak Seolleongtang (Star Plaza, basement level 1)
• ⏰ 10:00–20:30 · Last order 20:00
• 🔥 Takeout available for all menu items

Ordering seolleongtang at 9,000 won and pork kimchi stew at 10,000 won

This time at Morakmorak Seolleongtang I ordered seolleongtang for ₩9,000 and Hanwoo pork kimchi stew for ₩10,000. The sign said takeout was available too.

Standing in front of the restaurant, a menu poster fills an entire wall. It seems easier to decide what you want beforehand. Once you sit down, the self-serve side dish counter is right there in view.

Refilling the self-serve fernbrake namul twice

Kimchi, kkakdugi (radish kimchi), and ssam vegetables were laid out self-serve, and next to them was fernbrake namul (seasoned bracken fern). Honestly, at first I figured it was just a regular side dish. But this turned out to be the most memorable part of this visit. The fernbrake wasn't tough and was seasoned lightly, which made it perfect to eat with rice.

I ended up refilling it twice, haha. It was a cycle of a spoonful of seolleongtang, then a bite of fernbrake, over and over.

How was the seolleongtang broth, beef and thin noodles?

Morakmorak Seolleongtang's broth was milky white and not salty.

It was barely seasoned at all, so I added salt and green onion to adjust it to my taste. The meat came thinly sliced, and there was a generous amount of thin noodles. Since the broth wasn't intense, it made for an easy lunch. Slurping it down while it was hot left my stomach feeling comfortable afterward.

Does the Korean pork kimchi stew work alongside seolleongtang?

The Hanwoo pork kimchi stew, by contrast, had a deep, dark color.

It had big chunks of tofu and a fair amount of meat to chew on. If I'd only ordered the seolleongtang, it might have felt a bit plain, but having both together made the rice disappear fast. If you like spicy food, this pairing works well.

What stood out at Morakmorak, and what fell short

The taste that stuck with me most at Morakmorak Seolleongtang was the moment I emptied the fernbrake plate twice. It's not that common for a side dish to be more memorable than the main.

There were downsides too. Since it's in a market building basement, the open layout means outside noise carries right in. It might not suit people looking for a quiet spot to talk. There's also a grill fixture built into the table, which made the seating feel oddly spacious for just eating soup.

If I go again, I think I'll try the special seolleongtang instead of the regular one. It's listed as having double the meat and noodles, which has me curious.

Two things to check before visiting Morakmorak Seolleongtang

There are two things worth checking before you visit. One is that last order is 8 PM, and the other is that since it's in the basement, you might get a little lost finding it the first time. It's probably best to check parking on site.

After coming back twice, I think I understand a bit why this place kept coming to mind. If you're searching for an Ansan seolleongtang restaurant, this is a Seongpo-dong spot worth stopping by at least once.