Hongdae Korean restaurant with ginseng gomtang: Baengni Gomtang

Mild Korean beef gomtang in a Hongdae alley

I heard that a new place serving gently simmered Korean beef gomtang had opened in Hongdae, so I went for lunch.

I thought, wow, there is a Korean restaurant near Hongdae serving gomtang this mild!

On top of the gomtang, there is a small piece of ginseng laid lengthwise. Perfect for a restorative meal. For me, gomtang is also something I eat when I have symptoms of anemia. Rather than medicine, a beef soup like this is actually much more effective for anemia. Long ago, when I bought anemia medicine at a pharmacy, the elderly pharmacist told me to eat beef, and that is when I started eating beef soup. It worked better than I expected, so I have not taken anemia medicine since then...

And handmade tteokgalbi (grilled minced beef patties) full of smoky char, which goes so well with the lightly seasoned gomtang...

Getting to Baengni Gomtang from Hongik University Station

Baengni Gomtang (백리곰탕) is near the Gyeongui Line Forest Park on the way from Hongik University Station toward Sinchon Station... This is not an area with lots of people passing through; it is a residential neighborhood with many villas, but it quietly has lots of cafés and good restaurants too.

It is the kind of neighborhood that makes you think, I cannot believe somewhere this quiet exists in Hongdae, and it is somewhere I would like to live at least once. Right in front are Gyeongui Line Book Street and Gyeongui Line Forest Park, and Hongik University Station is also just steps away.

When coming to Baengni Gomtang from Hongik University Station, head into the inner alley once you see the Podbbang headquarters.

It looks like it might be on the second floor, but enter via the sloped path on the left and you can go straight in.

Walk behind Baengni Gomtang and you will reach Gyeongui Line Forest Park.

There is a photo spot right in front. After eating at Baengni Gomtang, is it not a photo spot after all, but a place where you can actually print photos...?

An interior divided into two halls

Once inside, the restaurant is divided into two halls... I sat in the inner one.

The hall immediately visible from the entrance has four tables in total and feels open thanks to its large windows on both sides. The inner hall also has four tables, and it feels cozy.

One glass of Jangsu Makgeolli is free from 11 AM to 3 PM! Oh! I arrived a little after lunch, around 2 PM, so I could have a free glass.

Ordering Korean beef gomtang and handmade tteokgalbi

Gomtang made with 100% Korean beef.

Korean beef gomtang is ₩12,000, and Korean beef soy-sauce yukhoe bibimbap is ₩13,000. I first ordered one bowl of Korean beef gomtang for ₩12,000. Since it is Korean beef gomtang, I expected it to cost more, but ₩12,000 seems like a fair price.

For drinking dishes, Korean beef yukhoe is ₩29,000, while Korean beef hot pot is ₩39,000 for a medium and ₩49,000 for a large.

The side dishes are mini yukhoe for ₩9,000, mini suyuk (boiled beef slices) for ₩9,000, and handmade tteokgalbi for ₩9,000. I ordered one handmade tteokgalbi too.

Meat dumplings, chilled dressed suyuk, and sprouted ginseng with honey.

You can order a glass of makgeolli too, but I came in the afternoon, so mine was free!

There are sikhye (sweet rice drink) and iced tea as well.

The restroom is inside, and since this is a newly opened place, it is clean!

Gomtang topped with sprouted ginseng and tteokgalbi

You can get one piece of tteokgalbi through the review event, and the tteokgalbi is tasty... It goes really well with the gomtang.

The gomtang (₩12,000) and tteokgalbi (₩9,000) arrived. What is distinctive is that the gomtang comes topped with sprouted ginseng. It feels restorative! One comes on the tteokgalbi too.

The salted squid is delicious. It quietly goes so well with gomtang.

A glass of makgeolli came out too. This felt like a Korean restaurant where I had a hearty, healthful meal. Since it was a meat soup, I definitely was not hungry until late in the evening. It is also good after exercising when you need protein, and for people with anemia.