Chicken noodle restaurant in Seongnam: samgye kalguksu at Cheongdam

When the weather turns chilly between seasons, I think that is when we really need to take care of our health. While looking for a good place to eat around Bokjeong-dong, I visited Cheongdam Dak Kalguksu (청담닭칼국수).

Cheongdam Dak Kalguksu near Bokjeong Station

Cheongdam Dak Kalguksu is within walking distance of Bokjeong Station and near Dong Seoul University, so I heard that plenty of people come here for lunch. It is regularly closed every Saturday, and break time is from 15:00 to 16:30.

You cannot park in front of the restaurant, but there is a public parking lot directly across the street, where you can park cheaply.

Cheongdam Dak Kalguksu menu and prices

The menu includes chicken kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup), samgye kalguksu, chicken gomtang, and dumplings. You can choose from egg, seaweed, and scallion toppings.

• Cheongdam Dak Kalguksu (egg) ₩11,900
• Chicken kalguksu (seaweed topping) or chicken kalguksu (scallion topping) ₩10,900
• Samgye kalguksu ₩14,900
• Chicken gomtang ₩11,500
• Large meat dumplings, kimchi dumplings, or galbi dumplings ₩6,900

Solo seats and a self-service bar

There are regular tables as well as seats that are great for dining alone, so I thought it would be a nice option when you want a simple lunch by yourself.

You can help yourself to side dishes at the self-service bar. Baby spoons and forks are available too.

I am a kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) person, so I brought back plenty of the refreshing kkakdugi. The dish I ordered was samgye kalguksu.

Samgye kalguksu with half a chicken

The menu I chose that day was samgye kalguksu (chicken ginseng soup noodle soup). It even came topped with a cute little ginseng root, and I thought it must be really popular on boknal, Korea's hottest summer days.

The chicken kalguksu looked delicious too, but I was curious about the samgye kalguksu because even its name felt a little special, so I ordered it. It felt like eating kalguksu and samgyetang at once, making it a great choice when you want a hearty meal.

There was a generous half chicken in it.

The rich chicken broth had perilla seeds in it, giving it a lovely nutty flavor.

It also came with kalguksu and rice. The kalguksu noodles in particular were house-made, soft, and easy on the stomach.

The chewy noodles and chicken were such a delicious combination. With large pieces of chicken in it, it was more filling than having noodles alone. It is also a good menu choice when visiting with children.

If you like samgyetang and kalguksu, I think samgye kalguksu is worth trying at least once—just as its name suggests, it is for people who enjoy both samgyetang and chicken kalguksu. It was a bit different from a bowl of samgyetang, and having kalguksu alongside it made for a satisfying meal. Especially on days when you feel sluggish like these, having warm broth and chicken together somehow makes you feel energized, doesn't it?

For a hearty lunch in Bokjeong-dong

If you are looking for a hearty lunch in Bokjeong-dong, Cheongdam Dak Kalguksu felt less like a restaurant with a flashy atmosphere and more like a comfortable place to drop by for a warm bowl of kalguksu. It did not feel awkward to dine alone, and it also looked like a good spot to visit with family or acquaintances for chicken kalguksu or samgye kalguksu.

For anyone like me who usually enjoys kalguksu but wants something a little more substantial, I would recommend the samgye kalguksu. Next time, I want to try the basic chicken kalguksu too.