Gwangju Korean restaurant for gosari gukbap: Sinjuokmi

Selected for the Blue Ribbon Survey as well, Sinjuokmi Suwan District branch is a great-value, filling choice if you are looking for sundae-guk (Korean sausage soup) or gukbap (rice soup) for a hangover-curing lunch in Suwan District.

Location and hours for Sinjuokmi Suwan District branch

Sinjuokmi Suwan District branch is at 52 Jangsin-ro 20beonan-gil, Jangdeok-dong 1584, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, and is open from 07:00 to 03:00.

With my child in Central Hospital, I was constantly focused on caring for my child and often missed mealtimes. To mark my mother's visit to see my child, my husband and I wanted a hearty lunch together for the first time in ages. While looking for somewhere good nearby, we ended up at Sinjuokmi, which is said to be so famous in Suwan District that everyone knows it.

The restaurant is in Suwan District's dining alley, and if you arrive by car, there is parking right in front, so you can visit without worrying about parking. There is no separate break time, so you can come whenever you like, and high chairs are thoughtfully ready for guests with children.

There are several review events available, so do not miss your chance to receive a purple sweet-potato puffed snack or a drink for taking part.

A gukbap restaurant worth visiting with children

In particular, they provide beef-bone broth as a service for young children, so I immediately thought this was somewhere I had to revisit with my child. They boil suyuk (boiled pork slices) four times a day, and their spicy sundae-guk uses Sinjuokmi's special seasoning from a 25-year secret recipe, making it just right for a hangover cure, too.

Self-service bar and open kitchen

Because the kitchen is open, I could watch the staff cooking. Looking at the busy self-service bar, I got the clear sense that the place is run with hygiene and cleanliness in mind. Feel free to help yourself to any side dishes you need.

The basic side dishes come first, so I only went to the self-service bar for somyeon (thin wheat noodles), chives, chili peppers, and onion.

Two gosari gukbap dishes as suyuk set meals

There were so many menu choices that I spent a while wondering what to get, then ordered the spicy gosari assorted-offal gukbap and spicy gosari glutinous-rice nurungji pork gukbap. For just ₩3,000 more, each could be made into a suyuk set meal, so of course I ordered them that way.

Glutinous-rice nurungji pork gukbap loaded with gosari

Since this is a gukbap with gosari (bracken fern), it was absolutely loaded with gosari. As a pork gukbap, it also includes Korean pork, but I would say the gosari is the star.

Rather than serving rice separately, this soup has nurungji (scorched rice) mixed in, filling your mouth with a wonderfully nutty flavor. Personally, I do not usually prefer gukbap with rice already in it, but Sinjuokmi's glutinous-rice nurungji was so fragrant that I was very happy with this bowl.

Spicy assorted-offal gukbap with no unpleasant smell

The spicy gosari assorted-offal gukbap was, naturally, packed with gosari. It also had plenty of pork head meat, small intestine, and oseori meat, making it feel even more substantial. I worried there might be an unpleasant offal smell, but there was none at all—just lots of spicy flavor.

The broth is wonderfully rich, and bringing over some somyeon from the self-service bar gives it another kind of appeal, so I definitely recommend trying it with the noodles.

The ₩3,000 suyuk set meal

Adding ₩3,000 turns your order into a suyuk set meal, so when I ordered both dishes as sets, a platter of suyuk arrived. Along with the boiled pork, they served liver and lung; because the suyuk is boiled four times daily, its tender texture is simply amazing.

Even the kimchi is delicious here, so it is great with kimchi, or with chili peppers for a spicy bite—it practically made me think of alcohol on its own. It is the kind of place where you come for a hangover cure and might end up wanting a hangover drink, so be careful! But if you are looking for delicious sundae-guk or gukbap in Suwan District, run over to Sinjuokmi Suwan District branch.