Seongnam Korean restaurant lunch: dakgaejang at Gangnam Gyoja

When you are looking for somewhere to have lunch in Seohyeon, Bundang, I think choosing the menu can be the hardest part. Especially when you want something filling without being too heavy, and a place where everyone in a group can pick what they are craving. This time, I visited Gangnam Gyoja Bundang Seohyeon Branch (강남교자 분당서현점), a great lunch spot in Seohyeon-dong.

Lunch with both noodle and rice dishes to choose from

When I think of Gangnam Gyoja, kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) and gyoja mandu (dumplings) come to mind first. But the Bundang Seohyeon Branch has not only noodle dishes but also hearty rice-friendly dishes such as dakgaejang (spicy chicken soup) and seolleongtang (ox-bone soup), so there were quite a few lunch options.

That day, we ordered dakgaejang, bibim guksu (spicy mixed noodles), and gyoja mandu.

There were two of us, so we considered ordering just two dishes. But since we had come to Gangnam Gyoja, it would have been a shame to skip the gyoja mandu—so of course we ordered dumplings too, haha.

Dakgaejang with a spicy, warming broth

First, the dakgaejang! Its red broth looked properly spicy from the moment it arrived, and it immediately made me want rice. The broth, simmered with chicken, came generously topped, making it a filling dish all on its own.

The broth was spicy, but not aggressively hot; it also had the deep flavor distinctive to chicken stock, making it perfect with rice mixed in. You know those people who feel they have only had a proper meal at lunch if they eat Korean food with broth? I would recommend the dakgaejang as a Seohyeon-dong lunch for them. It was satisfyingly filling with a bowl of rice, so it would suit an office-worker lunch too.

Spicy, sour bibim guksu

While the dakgaejang was warm and spicy, the bibim guksu definitely woke up the appetite! The seasoning coated every strand evenly, and after mixing it up, I loved its spicy, tangy, and slightly sweet flavor. Personally, I get tired of noodles quickly if the seasoning is overly sweet or tastes only of gochujang (Korean chili paste), but the seasoning here was just right to pair with the dumplings, so I kept reaching for more. A bite of dakgaejang followed by a bite of bibim guksu made a surprisingly good rotation between a warm dish and a cool, spicy one.

If you are visiting with two or more people, rather than ordering the same dish each, it might be nice to order one brothy dish and one mixed-noodle dish like this and share them.

Gyoja mandu on the side at Gangnam Gyoja

And the gyoja mandu I had been looking forward to most! As one of Gangnam Gyoja's signature dishes, these were steamed dumplings served in convenient bite-sized pieces. The wrappers were soft rather than overly thick, and they were packed with filling, so the savory flavors of meat and vegetables came through more with every bite.

They were delicious on their own, but personally, I recommend having them with the bibim guksu! After the spicy, sour noodles, one mild and moist gyoja mandu made the balance of flavors feel just right.

A plate of gyoja mandu also works well as a side to share among several people, so I think this is a nice menu lineup for anyone looking for a Seohyeon-dong lunch gathering spot. Overall, I liked that Gangnam Gyoja Bundang Seohyeon Branch had more varied meal options than I expected from its image as a kalguksu specialist.

From lighter noodle dishes like kalguksu and guksu to a hearty dish like dakgaejang, plus gyoja mandu that is easy to share, this is a convenient place to choose from even when the people you are with have different tastes! Most of all, I liked that we could leave feeling comfortably full without the meal being too heavy. If you are looking for an office-worker lunch in Seohyeon, craving noodles and dumplings, or seeking somewhere relaxed to eat with your parents, Gangnam Gyoja Bundang Seohyeon Branch could be worth a visit.

If you visit as we did, I also recommend the dakgaejang + bibim guksu + gyoja mandu combination! From spicy broth to spicy-sour noodles and moist dumplings, it let us enjoy everything at once, and we were very happy with the pairing.