10th visit to a Yongin kalguksu spot: garlic kimchi & misugaru dessert

Jangwongap Kalguksu Yongin Giheung Branch Address: 경기 용인시 기흥구 고매로 90 1층 (90 Gomae-ro, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea) Hours: Daily 10:30–21:00 (Break time 16:00–17:00) (Last order 15:00, 20:00)

A Yongin Giheung kalguksu spot I keep coming back to

Whenever I have business in the Giheung area, Jangwongap Kalguksu Yongin Giheung Branch is the place I end up stopping at most often.

This time too, I dropped by after visiting the Lotte Outlet, and it just happened naturally. Thinking about it, I've probably been here about ten times now.

There are so many

There are so many hyped-up restaurants these days, and plenty of them are one-and-done, but this place keeps popping into my head for some reason.

The food is delicious, the portions are generous, and the staff are kind, so every time I come I leave a satisfied meal behind.

If you're looking for a place to eat near Lotte Outlet Yongin Giheung Branch, I'd really recommend giving this one a try at least once.

An omakase-style kalguksu course that starts with shabu-shabu

Jangwongap Kalguksu is a bit different from a regular kalguksu (knife-cut noodle) place.

It's not just a single bowl of noodles — you go through shabu-shabu, kalguksu, then fried rice in order, so it feels almost like a full kalguksu course meal.

First you cook chadol baegi (thinly sliced beef brisket) and minari (water celery) in the broth, and the broth was rich yet clean, so it was satisfying right from the start.

There's actually a tip printed on the menu for the best way to eat it, and following the staff's advice, I dipped the chadol baegi in sesame oil — the nutty flavor really came alive.

Eating it with minari added a fragrant note too, and it was really delicious.

The noodles stretched like cheese, which was impressive

Jangwongap Kalguksu's biggest feature is its handmade noodles.

The noodles are served separately, and each table has an hourglass on it.

As instructed, you put the noodles in and wait until the hourglass runs out before eating — first-timers will probably find this whole process pretty fun.

Try it yourself and you'll see why it's famous

The noodles are really chewy and springy, and when you lift them up they stretch long like cheese. They don't go mushy — the elasticity stays right to the end, and the texture is genuinely great.

I think this noodle is exactly why it's called a Yongin Giheung kalguksu spot.

You have to try dipping the kalguksu noodles in sesame oil

There's a way of eating I personally recommend the most here — dipping the kalguksu noodles lightly in sesame oil.

At first I wondered why anyone would dip kalguksu in sesame oil, but once I tried it, it was genuinely delicious. The nutty aroma added to the noodles gave a totally different appeal from regular kalguksu.

Dipping just the meat is delicious enough, but dipping the noodles too made it even more satisfying.

It's even better with Uiseong garlic kimchi

Kimchi matters a lot when you're eating kalguksu, right?

The Uiseong garlic kimchi here really pairs well with the kalguksu. Eating the just-ripe kimchi with the noodles brings out a real burst of umami.

You can grab more from the self-serve bar if you run out! A sip of broth, a bite of noodle, a bite of kimchi — go through that cycle and you'll understand why everyone calls this a kimchi destination too.

Definitely order the whole shrimp seafood pancake

I ordered the seafood pancake again this time, and it was satisfying as always.

Having visited several times now, I've realized it would be a shame to just eat kalguksu and leave. I'd really recommend ordering the seafood pancake alongside it.

It's generously packed with squid and shrimp, and the pieces are pretty large too. Every bite has seafood in it, crispy outside and moist inside, so my chopsticks kept going back for more.

Personally, I'd say this is one of the more satisfying seafood pancakes among restaurants in Gomae-dong, Yongin.

Free perilla oil kkakdugi fried rice

After the shabu-shabu and kalguksu, they finish by making you a nutty perilla oil kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) fried rice.

The perilla oil aroma rises up gently and the crunchy texture of the kkakdugi stays alive, so I kept eating even when I was already full.

Eating kalguksu and then fried rice on top really feels like a solid, complete meal.

Snacks and misugaru after the meal, too

One of the reasons I love Jangwongap Kalguksu is the dessert.

After finishing your meal, you can help yourself to free snacks and misugaru.

After eating until full, a glass of cool misugaru really feels like a clean, satisfying finish.

On top of that, if you take part in the review event, you get an extra bag of snacks, so I'd definitely recommend joining in if you visit.

Overall thoughts

This meal reminded me all over again why I've visited more than ten times.

Handmade noodles that stretch like cheese, dipping in sesame oil, Uiseong garlic kimchi, whole shrimp seafood pancake, perilla oil kkakdugi fried rice — not a single dish fell short.

If you're looking for a place to eat near Lotte Outlet Yongin Giheung Branch, or looking for a Yongin Giheung kalguksu spot, or looking for a restaurant in Gomae-dong, Yongin, Jangwongap Kalguksu Yongin Giheung Branch is well worth a visit at least once.

I plan to keep coming back every time I'm in the Giheung area.