Spicy kimchi dumplings and baby chairs on Jeongdong-gil: Tanbaek

I heard museum admission was free during Art Week, so I went to the Deoksugung Museum in the first week of September. It was crowded — partly because of the free entry that week, and partly because there are so many great exhibitions in Seoul this fall — so I ended up wandering around for over an hour, and by the time I came out I was starting to get hungry.

Wandering into a kalguksu spot on Jeongdong-gil near the Deoksugung stone wall path

I thought about just heading home, but instead walked along the Deoksugung stone wall path toward Jeongdong-gil. It was well past 1pm, but through the window of one place I could see people happily eating noodles. This has to be a good Deoksugung restaurant, I thought, and went in. The name was Tanbaek.

I was drawn in as if hypnotized. Once I saw the menu, it was exactly what I felt like eating that day, so I didn't hesitate. Gom-kalguksu, yukgaejang-kalguksu, warm pork jowl, kong-kalguksu — I decided to go with the gom-kalguksu and stepped inside.

Inside, the space was cleaner than I expected, with a second floor as well. There were quite a few people who'd made reservations or were waiting for a seat to open up.

Tanbaek's ordering system: QR pre-order, pay when you leave

The ordering system was unusual — you pre-order via QR code and pay when you leave. As soon as I sat down they brought water and kimchi, so I poured myself a glass, then scanned the QR code to order.

Here's the paper menu. There were extras like seasoned raw skate salad, kimchi dumplings, and mushroom rice, so you could keep your mouth entertained while eating. I wanted the mushroom rice, but it was sold out, so after some back-and-forth I went with the kimchi dumplings instead — the seasoned skate salad seemed like it would be a bit much to finish alone.

Here's what ordering at this Deoksugung restaurant looks like — I screenshotted the order that came up after scanning the QR code. You check everything against the pictures like this, then hit order and you're done!

Since I was dining alone that day, I ordered one gom-kalguksu and two kimchi dumplings.

The atmosphere from the 1st-floor bar table

I sat at the bar table on the first floor while I waited for my food. The way dishes were served, plus the neatly arranged bottles, glasses, and bowls, made for nice scenery while waiting.

The lights overhead looked like white cloth wrapped around in bunches, so instead of direct glare, the lighting felt naturally diffused in patches.

Baby chairs and space to hang coats

There are baby chairs on hand and space to hang up coats. I actually first found out about this place through a post from someone who'd been to the museum with their baby and then blogged about where they ate afterward — Tanbaek was the place they recommended. Having baby chairs in a space you wouldn't expect them is great news for parents traveling with young kids. If you're visiting with a baby old enough for a high chair, I'd recommend grabbing a corner seat by the window and setting up there comfortably.

The kimchi dumplings were spicy enough to make my nose run

The food arrives! The two kimchi dumplings came out before the gom-kalguksu. But these dumplings turned out to be a bit of an ambush for me. I'm not great with spicy food, and the moment I took a bite, my nose started running from the heat. Looking around at the other tables, though, everyone seemed to be enjoying them with satisfied expressions — so for people who love spicy food, this dish is probably a perfect match.

The gom-kalguksu broth looked rich but tasted clean

Next came the gom-kalguksu! It's a kalguksu made with a gomtang (bone broth)-style base, so I expected the broth to be heavy, but once I actually tried a spoonful, it was much cleaner and lighter than I'd imagined. There was no salty or overly strong aftertaste to worry about, so I finished the broth completely. The noodles were soft and chewy — exactly my type.

My own neat little meal! I snapped a photo to show off how well I can eat alone.

I wandered in by chance while walking along Jeongdong-gil, and it turned out to be an unexpectedly satisfying meal. Next time I'll come with someone who can handle spicy food and share the dumplings.

Chorolop! Enjoy your meals, everyone!