Summer cold jjamppong and stone-plate jajajang set with parents in

Dolpanseok Jjamppong Paju Simhaksan Branch

1F, 8-38 Dolgotji-gil, Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea Hours: Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri 11:00–21:00 / last order 20:00 Sat, Sun 11:00–21:00 / break time 16:00–17:00 / last order 20:00 - May close early if ingredients run out

There's a hot stone-plate jajajang spot near Simhaksan in Paju that I just couldn't stop thinking about, even after some time had passed. So this time I brought my parents along for a repeat visit. This place is known for jjamppong and jajangmyeon that come out still bubbling on a stone plate — let me share exactly what the taste and portions were like 🙌

Near Simhaksan and Lotte Premium Outlet in Paju — what about parking?

Dolpanseok Jjamppong Paju Simhaksan Branch sits near Simhaksan mountain and the Lotte Premium Outlet in Paju, making it a great stop after shopping or a stroll. Parking can be a worry when heading out to eat near Simhaksan, but this branch has a large lot right in front, so you can park with no stress at all!!

Inside the restaurant

Dolpanseok Jjamppong Paju Simhaksan Branch has a wide, open interior with a good variety of table sizes, making it perfect for group gatherings or family meals.

And thanks to the partitions between tables, you can eat without being bothered by neighboring tables — I didn't feel self-conscious at all even visiting with kids.

The menu and what we ordered

Dolpanseok Jjamppong Paju Simhaksan Branch has a wide range of menu items: nurungji stone-plate jjamppong, nurungji stone-plate jajangmyeon, samgye seafood nurungji tang, chili pesto stone-plate jajajang, handmade jungbosha, cold jjamppong (summer only), handmade pork & chicken soup (dakgangjeong) set, stone-plate mapo tofu, shrimp fried rice, dumplings, and more. We wanted to try a variety, so we ordered the good-value stone-plate jajajang + pork & chicken soup set, plus the summer-only cold jjamppong.

✔️ Every table has a tablet, so ordering is super convenient!

Side dishes that come with green onion kimchi

These are the side dishes at Dolpanseok Jjamppong Paju Simhaksan Branch. As you'd expect at a Chinese restaurant, pickled radish and onion come standard, but what really sets this place apart is the green onion kimchi (pa-kimchi)! It's spicy and sweet, and eating it with the jajajang cuts the richness beautifully — it was so good I refilled it several times.

Unlimited rice-with-meat self-serve corner

At Dolpanseok Jjamppong Paju Simhaksan Branch, the rice with meat topping is unlimited refill, making for a richer, more filling meal, and it was nice being able to help ourselves easily at the side-dish self-bar too.

And finally, a hearty spread arrived.

Stone-plate jajajang + pork & chicken soup set — ₩42,000

From the moment the food arrived it was a feast for the eyes! The stone plate was the first thing that caught my attention. The jajajang we ordered comes served on a huge stone plate, and just the sight of it sizzling away on the table got my saliva going! Unlike regular jajangmyeon, seeing it bubble away on that big stone plate felt genuinely different — my parents got a kick out of it too.

Another charm of the stone-plate jajajang is that, since it's served on a hot stone, you don't have to worry about it going cold — you can enjoy it warm for a long time. As the jajajang keeps simmering on the hot stone, the rich sauce and noodles blend together beautifully, so we got to enjoy it warm and delicious the whole way through.

The nurungji at the bottom of the stone plate is a special treat

After finishing off the jajangmyeon, if you gently scrape the stone plate, you'll find crispy nurungji (scorched rice) stuck to the bottom — and it's a real delicacy, more than you'd expect! The nutty, crunchy texture adds a whole different dimension to the stone-plate jajajang. And the portions are generous, so a filling meal is guaranteed no matter what! (Wear stretchy pants when you visit, haha.)

Cold jjamppong (summer only) — ₩10,000

The summer-only cold jjamppong came loaded with all kinds of seafood, and it looked absolutely delicious from the first glance.

The ice-cold broth carried a rich savoriness from the seafood, and the spicy yet clean-tasting broth was great! Even cold, the signature smoky wok-hei flavor and umami of jjamppong were fully intact, giving it a distinctive charm.

Handmade pork & chicken soup (dakgangjeong) set

The handmade pork and chicken soup dishes are cooked to order, so the fried coating stays wonderfully crisp. Take a bite and the juices burst out!! Getting two different flavors in the handmade pork & chicken soup set meant we got to try a nice variety.

Dessert corner

After the meal, coffee, rice crackers, and yogurt were all set out for dessert, making it a satisfying finish all around.

To sum up

Today's post covers my visit to Dolpanseok Jjamppong, a well-loved spot near Simhaksan in Paju. I'd been happy enough on my first visit to come back, and this time bringing my parents along made the meal even more meaningful. Beyond the delicious food, there was the fun of watching the jajajang bubble away on a giant stone plate, and the special treat of scraping up the leftover nurungji at the bottom afterward! There was more than one kind of enjoyment packed into a single meal. Dolpanseok Jjamppong Paju Simhaksan Branch is a great choice for a family meal, and definitely worth a visit if you're after something more unusual than the usual menu!