Tanbaek, a New Restaurant in Jeongdong-gil: A Hanwoo Gom-kal-guksu Specialist
Lunch in Jeongdong-gil? I Recommend Tanbaek!
Jeongdong-gil is famous for its beautiful streets, like the walls of Deoksugung Palace, as well as its various restaurants, but honestly, it was also a bit burdensome to go there for lunch. There were many small-scale dining restaurants or old eateries, so it often made me hesitate to go there for a quick meal. But recently, I heard that a new restaurant, Tanbaek, specializing in Hanwoo Gom-kal-guksu, had opened in Jeongdong-gil, and I decided to visit it.
From the outside, the fancy interior and the sign highlighting Hanwoo Gom-kal-guksu caught my eye. Noodles that you can enjoy casually on beautiful Jeongdong-gil, I had no reason not to visit.
I've visited both for lunch and dinner, and it's a place where you can enjoy a simple meal for lunch and a variety of dishes, including their signature kalguksu, with drinks for dinner. Let me share my satisfying experience with both the menu and atmosphere!
Tanbaek's Space and Menu
Tanbaek is divided into two floors: the first floor has bar-style tables like a ramen shop, allowing you to watch the cooking process while eating, and the second floor has table seating for a more comfortable experience. The menu included a variety of options with the Hanwoo Gom-kal-guksu as the main dish, along with Jang-kal-guksu (spicy kalguksu), kimchi dumplings, boiled pork, and Suyuk (sliced boiled beef).
I ordered the Gom-kal-guksu and kimchi dumplings, and the Gom-kal-guksu was a dish with plenty of knife-cut noodles in a clear, transparent Hanwoo beef broth, similar to Gomtang (Korean beef bone soup). The subtle but deep flavor reminded me of Pyeongyang cold noodles, which was really satisfying. The kimchi that came with it also perfectly suited my taste.
The Kimchi Dumplings are Highly Recommended!
Actually, I ordered the kimchi dumplings thinking, "If they're selling this as a stand-alone menu, let's see how confident they are." But they were truly handmade dumplings with a lot of care put into them. The harmony between the dumpling skin and filling was excellent, and even some of the people I went with agreed that the dumplings were more delicious.
Can You Also Enjoy Dinner at Tanbaek?
It's a place worth visiting not only for lunch but also for dinner. At Tanbaek, they also offer menus such as boiled pork and Suyuk, which are perfect as side dishes with drinks, in addition to their signature Gom-kal-guksu. In particular, the clean and smooth flavors of the side dishes went really well with soju.
It's a place where you can enjoy a variety of side dishes with drinks in the evening. I think it's a good place for a light drink with friends or as a venue for company dinners.
In Conclusion...
If you have a chance to visit Deoksugung, Gyeonghuigung, or the Seoul Museum of Art, I would like to recommend Tanbaek in Jeongdong-gil. It's not hard to find as it's located next to Deoksugung, which is famous for its long lines. It's a great place where you can enjoy a simple and clean bowl of noodles for lunch and various dishes with drinks for dinner. Be sure to try the firewood-grilled chicken!
I often visit because it's near my office, and I actively recommend it to people around me. If you have a chance to be in Jeongdong-gil, it's a good idea to stop by!
