Jeonju Budget Kalguksu (chopped noodle soup) Venues for Cold Winter Days

 

When the cold Siberian wind starts hitting cheeks in the morning, it’s the season of kalguksu (chopped noodle soup). Today, I’ll introduce two venues that serve cheap but delicious kalguksu.

 

Nammun Sonkalguksu

The first venue is <Nammun Sonkalguksu>, located in the Nambu Market. It’s only about three minutes away from the Pungnammun Gate.

Despite its name “Nammun Sonkalguksu”, the venue serves, kalguksu, boribap (barley bibimbap), jjolmeon (spicy chewy noodle), donkatsu, wangmandu (big dumplings), and more. I ordered yetnal kalguksu (traditional-style chopped noodle soup) and pat kalguksu (chopped noodle in adzuki bean porridge). The venue has about 30 tables.

I was served a small portion of boribap as an appetizer. This restaurant, like many other local restaurants, seems very generous.

I loved the crunchy and fresh vegetables mixed with barley and rice. It was very mouth-watering.

The main dishes that we orderd (kalguksu and pat kalguksu) are served. For side dishes, kakduki (cubed radish kimchi), kimchi, and fresh chilli pepper seasoned with soybean paste. All the ingredients used here are locally produced.

Kalguksu here is really old-school. I visited the venue with my parents, and they told me the kalguksu here tastes just like what they used to eat at the Sunday markets when they were students.

Also, since kalguksu is ‘chopped noodle’, I really liked the chewy and rough texture of the noodle. I loved the broth too. I’ll remember the taste for a long time.

Next, I tried pat kalguksu. I love pat (adzuki bean), and I love anything that contains pat. The combination of pat porridge and the chopped noodle is fantastic. It’s also huge in portion.

Nammun Sonkalguksu has a parking lot. Parking is free up to 1hour for the customers to the venue. This place is great in terms of both taste, portion, and pricing!

 

​Nammun Sonkalguksu

Pungnammun 2gil 56, Wansangu, Jeonju

Opening hours: closed every Tuesdays

Menu: Yet Kalguksu, Pat Kalguksu, Boribap, Wangmandu, Donkatsu

 

Matjarang Pat Gohyangjip

Our second venue today is <Matjarang Pat Gohyangjip>. From the name of the venue, it seems like a gourmet restaurant. This venue is certified by the City of Jeonju as cost-effective.

I avoided the lunch hours to avoid the crowd. <Matjarang Pat Gohyangjip> is spacious and with many tables.

This is the menu. It’s surprising that kalguksu and sujaebi (dough flake soup) are only 4,000 won each. It’s cheaper than my university cafeteria.

 

Despite the low pricing, all the ingredients used in this venue are locally produced and are home-made. The owner is very serious about offering quality food.

 

I ordered Son Kalguksu (traditionally-style kalguksu) and Saeal Patjuk (adzuki bean porridge with glutenous rice balls). The side dishes are radish kimchi and danmuji (pickled radish). They go well with kalguksu.

 

Son kalguksu is served with the spicy seasoning on the top. I mixed the bowl well before tasting the first sip of the broth. It’s slightly spicy but filled with umami. The chopped noodle is also very chewy in texture. I pick up several strands of the noodle on my spoon, dunk the spoon into the broth, then taste everything together. Next, I try the noodle first, then I sip the broth separately. The anchovy broth, nicely chopped vegetables, and spicy chilli pepper go surprisingly well together.

Then I tasted saeal patjuk. I’m very serious about patjuk, since I love anything pat. And now, around the Winter Solstice, is the patjuk season. The adzuki bean porridge is very thick and the glutenous rice balls are pleasantly chewy. From the beginning to the end, I didn’t need to add extra sugar into the porridge.

I found a mirror from the 80s. The owner told me that it’s been there since the venue opened. The mirror seemed to testify the history of this venue.

The owners were very friendly, from the moment we entered and until we left. I highly recommend this place for the pricing and the taste too!

 

Matjarang Pat Gohyangjip

Address: Seohakro 32-4

Opening hours: 09:00-21:00 (closed on every second and fourth Sundays of the month)

Menu: Sonkalguksu, Sujaebi, Kimchi Kalguksu, Pat Kalguksu, Saeal Patjuk

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