Yongin shabu-kalguksu with free parking and group seats: Yun Ujae

Whenever I pass through Dongcheon-dong or Gogidong I keep an eye out for new restaurants worth trying. This time our whole family went to a Gogiri-style kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) spot, Yun Ujae Shabu Kalguksu Gogidong Branch, and here's the review.

Where is Yun Ujae Shabu Kalguksu Gogidong Branch, and what are the hours?

Yun Ujae Shabu Kalguksu Gogidong Branch is at 1F, 3 Gogi-ro 173beon-gil, Suji-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do. It's open 11:00–20:50, with a break time Monday through Friday from 15:00 to 16:30. On weekends they say there's no break time at all.

Parking and waiting at Yun Ujae: how does it work?

You can use the free ground parking lot in front of the building. If it's full, there's overflow parking near the daycare center across the street. Waiting is handled through CatchTable.

Maybe because there are so many families, there's a bit of a wait on weekends. Thankfully there's a spacious waiting area inside the building with nice cool air conditioning, so it wasn't too hard to wait.

Inside the restaurant and the in-house noodle room

The restaurant was much bigger than I expected. The tables are spaced generously and there's a separate area for groups, making it a comfortable spot for a family meal.

On one side of the kitchen there was a self-made noodle room, and knowing the noodles are made from scratch dough made me even more excited to eat them.

What we ordered: red spicy broth and crispy seafood pajeon

• Red (spicy) shabu kalguksu — ₩11,500
• Crispy seafood pancake — ₩15,000

The meat was softer and leaner than at other shabu-shabu places, so the whole family could eat it comfortably. There were generous portions of oyster mushrooms and minari (water dropwort) too, so we picked out the vegetables one by one while the broth was boiling. The broth itself wasn't too spicy or intense, so it suited everyone's taste in the family.

Kimchi comes as a basic side dish, and kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) is self-serve from a side counter — it was crisp and refreshing, and went really well with the kalguksu.

Since we were wearing white clothes, we put on disposable aprons for the meal.

The spoons and chopsticks were also neatly prepared, which was satisfying from a hygiene standpoint.

Ordering the noodles half flat, half regular kalguksu

Our family ordered half flat noodles and half kalguksu noodles. We were curious so we split it, and it was really the right call! The texture of the flat noodles in particular was great — soft yet chewy, so I kept reaching for more.

The dipping sauce for the meat was sweet and tangy too, the kind of flavor that keeps you coming back for more.

It's packed with plump shrimp and seafood, and it's really crispy!

After finishing the kalguksu, we cooked fried rice in the leftover broth, and that was truly the finishing touch. Even though we were full, we kept reaching for the spoon.

Verdict: is Yun Ujae a good spot for a family meal?

If you're looking for Gogiri-style kalguksu, I'd recommend Yun Ujae Shabu Kalguksu Gogidong Branch. The prices are reasonable and the portions are generous, so it was really satisfying as a family dining spot. The wide restaurant with group seating also seems great for a large family gathering or a neighborhood meetup.

Maybe because the noodles are handmade, the texture was noticeably different, and the mild broth let us enjoy the meal comfortably to the end. Having the whole family eat well together was satisfying in itself. It's a Gogiri kalguksu spot I'd want to visit again next time I'm nearby. If you're trying to figure out where to take your family for a meal around Suji, Yongin, Dongcheon-dong, or Gogidong, I'd recommend giving Yun Ujae Shabu Kalguksu Gogidong Branch a try :)