Sokcho Korean restaurant for 3-generation family meal: Jinsol Halmeoni

Why there's no sundubu in the main photo of a sundubu restaurant

This is a post about Jinsol Halmeoni Sundubu, a sundubu spot in Sokcho — yet there's no sundubu in the main photo?? The reason is that this Gangwon-do trip was with my in-laws, and my father-in-law had already eaten almost all of it before I could even get my camera out haha.

I was busy sitting at the kids' table looking after them, so this post ends up mostly about the bulgogi the kids ate ^^ Plenty of other bloggers have already written great sundubu reviews, so feel free to treat mine as the bulgogi-focused edition ^-^

Is parking convenient?

Jinsol Halmeoni Sundubu has its own lot, but with room for only about 10 cars it's not huge. That said, there's always someone there to help you park, so you don't need to stress about it before stopping by.

A menu that works well for three generations

Jinsol Halmeoni Sundubu is great for a three-generation visit. There's sundubu that the older generation loves, and bulgogi baekban the kids love, so it suits everyone at once. It's not just sundubu, either — buckwheat pancake, acorn jelly, potato pancake, and other Gangwon-do specialties round out the menu, so there's plenty of variety to try.

There are baby chairs too, so it's a good pick for families with young kids.

If you leave a Naver photo review, you'll get either acorn jelly or a drink.

A spread you could fill up on with just the side dishes

Here are the basic side dishes at Jinsol Halmeoni Sundubu. There are quite a lot of them — you could probably fill up on the side dishes alone.

Seaweed stem

I ate a lot of the seaweed stem. It's stir-fried mildly and cleanly, not too salty or strongly seasoned, so it doesn't overpower the soft and nutty Chodang sundubu or the spicy sundubu jeongol (hot pot). The crunchy, springy texture is still there, adding a fun contrast when eaten alongside the soft tofu dishes. It's one of many home-style side dishes made with the traditional touch of a Gangwon-do native — comforting and easy for anyone, young or old, to enjoy.

Buckwheat pancake(?) and white braised potatoes

I ordered buckwheat pancake (memil-jeonbyeong) separately, but what came as a side dish looked more like a buckwheat jeon (pancake)? I'm not totally sure. I thought it was delicious, but maybe because of the color, the kids wouldn't even try it.

The braised potatoes were impressive enough to make me think, ah, I really am in Gangwon-do. Unlike the usual red, spicy braised potatoes, these come out as a 'white braised potato' — pale and mildly seasoned.

Japchae

My husband, a certified japchae (stir-fried glass noodles) killer, went back for a refill.

Bulgogi baekban for two — how was the portion?

We ordered bulgogi baekban (bulgogi set meal) for two, and at first I was a bit disappointed — it looked like a small portion. But as we kept eating, it felt like a magic pot, because the bulgogi just kept coming no matter how much we ate. For my taste it was a touch salty, but the kids loved it.

Sokcho-style abai squid sundae

The squid sundae here is Sokcho-style abai squid sundae — fresh squid stuffed full of meat, vegetables, glass noodles, and other fillings, then pan-fried until golden. It's a popular side dish that pairs well with the light, nutty Chodang sundubu or the spicy sundubu jeongol and jjamppong sundubu, adding heartiness to the meal. It's fried cleanly, not too strongly seasoned, and good for sharing among a group.

The buckwheat pancake the older generation especially loved

The memil-jeonbyeong (buckwheat pancake) here has a chewy, soft buckwheat wrapper packed with a spicy, savory filling — my in-laws ate the whole thing haha. I didn't get to try a single piece. That's how much the older generation seems to love this menu item.

If you're passing through Gangwon-do on a trip like we were, why not stop by Jinsol Halmeoni Sundubu in Sokcho, a favorite especially among the older generation?