Gamjatang restaurant in Nowon: small size and rice for two, Somunnan

My husband and I stepped out nearby for lunch. It was quite hot that day, but oddly enough I wasn't craving something cool — I really wanted hot broth and rice.

I'd been wanting gamjatang (pork bone stew) for a while, so we headed to Somunnan Gamjatang's main Junggye branch, known as a Sangye Station favorite.

Where is Somunnan Gamjatang, and where do you park?

Somunnan Gamjatang's main Junggye branch sits at 694 Deungneung-ro, 1st floor, Nowon-gu, Seoul. It's walkable from Sangye Station Exit 2 and right on the main road, so it wasn't hard to find.

There's also a second branch near Sangye Station. If you're driving, keep an eye out for the parking lot entrance — it's easier to find by going through the alley between E-mart and Hyundai Motors.

The exterior had that classic old neighborhood restaurant feel. It's known for having been around for over 30 years, so I imagine it has plenty of longtime regulars.

Inside Somunnan Gamjatang and what is on the menu

The dining room at Somunnan Gamjatang's main Junggye branch is spacious with plenty of tables, so we ate comfortably even with a busy lunch crowd. The menu had gamjatang, ppyeo-haejangguk (bone soup), sundaeguk (blood sausage soup), kimchi bone stew, and even samgyetang. Quite a few nearby tables were having the bone soup and blood sausage soup.

Maybe because of the good table turnover, the side dishes were fresh too, haha~^^

Pickled onions

Is the small-size gamjatang enough for two adults?

Since there were two of us, we ordered the small-size gamjatang with a bowl of rice. As soon as the pot arrived, the generous portion caught my eye — big bones topped with perilla leaves, enoki mushrooms, cabbage, potatoes, and vegetables piled high.

There was plenty of ground perilla seed on top too, so even before it started boiling I was already looking forward to a rich broth.

How the broth and pork bone meat taste at Somunnan Gamjatang

As it began to bubble away, the vegetables slowly cooked through and the perilla seeds and seasoning blended nicely into the broth. Taking a spoonful, it was spicy and refreshing without being overly salty or harsh.

The nutty perilla flavor mixed with the perilla leaf aroma kept me reaching for more broth even in the hot weather. The meat clinging to the bones was quite substantial too.

Once fully cooked, the meat was soft and moist enough to pick off easily with chopsticks. There was almost no gamey smell, so it was clean and pleasant to eat.

It was good dipped lightly in mustard sauce, or dunked in the broth for an even juicier bite. ^^

Cabbage, potatoes and sujebi dough you tear in yourself

There was plenty of cabbage and perilla leaves in the gamjatang too. The cabbage, soaked in broth, was soft and well-cooked, and eating the fragrant perilla leaves together with the meat made for a great combination.

I also fished out the fluffy, well-cooked potatoes here and there. After eating a fair amount of meat and vegetables, we tore off pieces of dough and dropped them into the pot as dumplings.

The deeply infused broth soaked into the chewy dumplings and paired really well with the gamjatang.

We got to enjoy meat, cabbage, potato, and dumplings all evenly from one pot.

A filling lunch in Nowon, Seoul

Eating the rice alongside made us properly full. One bite of spicy broth, one spoonful of rice, then topping it with meat and cabbage — the bowl of rice disappeared fast. The small size looked like a lot at first, but as we kept fishing things out, we just kept going back for more.

Is Somunnan Gamjatang worth it for a Sangye Station lunch?

Somunnan Gamjatang's main Junggye branch left an impression as a Nowon gamjatang spot with generous portions and tender meat.

With a spicy, savory broth and a good spread of cabbage, perilla leaves, potato, and dumplings, it made for a properly filling lunch.

Being a 30-year-old restaurant, it seems a lot of people come by for takeout too.

And finally, coffee afterward^^ you know how it is.

A good place to visit if you're looking for a Sangye Station or Junggye-dong restaurant, or want to eat your fill of hearty gamjatang.

Next time, I'd like to try the samgyetang or blood sausage soup that a lot of other diners were ordering.