Cheongju Korean restaurant for cockle pot rice: Sorori Sotbap

Sorori Sotbap at I'Park Seohyeon Plaza in Gagyeong-dong

The exterior of Sorori, a popular spot at Gagyeong-dong I'Park.

I was so happy that Sorori Sotbap, famous on Cheongju's Seongan-gil, had opened at I'Park Seohyeon Plaza in Gagyeong-dong. I was especially excited to try Sorori's beef short rib pot rice, which has sold more than 100,000 bowls. Unlike the Seongan-gil location, this directly operated Gagyeong branch means no parking worries. Use the Seohyeon Plaza building parking lot—it is spacious enough that even parking beginners will be fine. When leaving, enter the last four digits of your license plate on the tablet for two free hours.

An open kitchen and a wonderfully cool dining room

The interior has an open kitchen, with retro and Japanese-inspired décor. The powerful air conditioning made it incredibly cool inside. It was so nice to find a place that was properly cool, which feels rare these days. Two air conditioners were running full blast. Everything was clean, so it would be great for a date, too. It would also be comfortable for a lunch gathering.

You can order from the tablet at your table, and pay immediately when ordering as well. The tablet also explains how to enjoy the pot rice deliciously.

• Beef short rib pot rice ₩16,000
• Cockle pot rice ₩12,000
• Hours: 11:00–20:30
• Break time: 15:00–17:00

A self-service corner with extra rice

There is a separate self-service corner. There is rice in the rice cooker, so you can have more if you like. It also has fresh napa cabbage geotjeori (lightly seasoned kimchi) and various pickles.

Cockle pot rice cooked as soon as you order

At Sorori, a popular spot at Gagyeong-dong I'Park, the rice is cooked after you order, so there is a wait. They are particular about using only rice from the Chungbuk region, and it tastes fantastic. They use a rice taste analyzer for strict quality control. This is a place that takes pot rice seriously. There were stacks of Jincheon rice by the entrance. When the rice is this good, you hardly need side dishes.

The tender signature beef short rib pot rice

The beef short rib pot rice, with more than 100,000 bowls sold, looked as appetizing as you would expect from the signature dish. It was so tender that it seemed to melt away in my mouth. They simmer the pot-rice broth every morning. They also make their short rib sauce in-house by blending a variety of vegetables and fruit.

A neat individual set meal

The pot rice comes as an individual set meal, so it felt neat and tidy. The pot rice, miyeok-guk (seaweed soup), salted squid, pickles, and more paired well together.

There are so many delicious pot rice options—beef short rib, abalone, crab meat, Korean beef large intestine, mackerel, cockle, mentaiko, and more—that I think it would be fun to try them one by one, like collecting stamps.

For an even tastier bowl, mix the pot rice with the soy sauce, furikake, and separately served butter on the table. They are particular about their sesame and perilla oils, too. They use only sesame and perilla oils traditionally pressed by a mill they contract with.

A mini kettle arrives with the pot rice. Transfer the rice into a bowl, then pour the hot water from the mini kettle into the pot.

Settle your parking before leaving

After your meal, do not forget to validate your parking before you leave. There is also mouthwash for a quick rinse.

Sorori Sotbap Gagyeong Direct Branch (소로리솥밥 가경직영점) is a great restaurant at Gagyeong-dong I'Park. Along with its signature beef short rib pot rice, there are many different pot rice dishes to choose from. The powerfully air-conditioned space was comfortable and cool. The food has excellent flavor thanks to delicious Chungbuk rice and mill-pressed oils. The individually served pot-rice sets were neat and tidy.