We eat rice every day. For office workers who spend more than half of their day outside, “what†to eat is an important concern. I have to go to a different restaurant every
day because I see places I like, and they often disappear.
What about Japan, a neighboring country close by? Japan, famous for its craftsmanship, is known to have over 15,000 long-established stores with over 100 years of history.
If you look at long-established stores that have been around for a long time, they do not reduce quality or close their doors even when changes occur in the existing environment. This is
because things you can buy with confidence at any time and the unchanging taste of food are the basis of business and trust with customers.
While maintaining tradition, long-established merchants keep pace with the changing times,
communicate with customers, and develop together. Even in Korea, there are stores that
maintain consistency through steady efforts even in the midst of various difficulties. It's a “hundred year shop†which means a shop that lasts a hundred years.
This time, we'll look at five of these stores. It includes not only condiments for decades, but also a rib
shop where you make your own ribs, a restaurant that recreates Japanese flavors , a limited edition restaurant where you can enjoy a hearty taste, and a bakery that evokes sweet memories. Here are some century-old restaurants showing Korea's craftsmanship.
1. Korean beef ribs recognized by the city, 'Hwaseong ribs' in Changwon
Image source: sooyoen_choi's Instagram
Image source: sooyoen_choi's Instagram
“Hwaseong Galbi†is a seasoned rib specialty store that has been in operation since 1972 and has been selected as a “Changwon City Designated Restaurantâ€, “Exemplary Restaurantâ€, and “Good Restaurant Story†restaurant. The owner added his own know-how to the rib cooking techniques he learned at a rib restaurant in Haeundae, Busan, when he was 20 years old, and has continued his current rib restaurant for 47 years. Based on the philosophy of “Don't mess with customersâ€, we serve food with the hope that ribs will become a work of art for someone.
Their signature menu, “Beef ribs,†marinated in a sauce developed in-house, has an appealing sweet yet savory flavor. The owner and his wife have been marinating ribs themselves for about 50 years. Marinating ribs, which starts at 5 a.m., consists of picking and buying beef ribs directly from the Gimhae livestock factory. After cleaning, such as cutting ribs and removing fat and tendons, it is marinated in a sauce made by adding soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar. Store ribs at room temperature for 3 to 6 hours and in a low temperature refrigerator for a day. At this time, the seasoning naturally spreads, softens the meat and doubles the sweet flavor.
Although it is an expensive food, the price of 21,000 won per serving of beef ribs (300 grams) has been maintained for decades for customers. The “rib soup,†which contains soft ribs and plenty of vermicelli, is also popular as a meal menu. There are also many people from other regions looking for marinated ribs and rib soup that remember the flavors of the past, so they are also preparing packaging and delivery services.
[Tips for eating food]
â–²Location: 36 Odongseo 7-gil, Masanhaappo-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do
â–²Opening hours: 12:00 – 20:30 every day, closed every Monday
â–²Price: Beef ribs 21,000 won, pork ribs 9,000 won
â–²Testimonial (called Shikigin Nanpyang): A charcoal-grilled rib restaurant! Sweet and tender meat! The magic that disappears as soon as you grill it happens, hehe, the rib soup is also very tasty. Be sure to try the rib soup too.
2. A trip full of strength with a crisp eel; Daegu's “Sumisenâ€
Image source: Minnji.k's Instagram
Image source: b.u.i.m.i's Instagram
“Sumisen†is a freshwater eel specialty store that has remained in place for 40 years. The interior of the store is decorated with Japanese-style bar seats, sake, and drinking glasses, making you feel like you've visited a Japanese izakaya. At the beginning of the business, the menu was sashimi, pork cutlet, and puk clear soup, but since the current boss took over the restaurant about 10 years ago, new menus of freshwater eel dishes, tonkotsu ramen, Nagasaki champon, various grilled dishes, and rice bowls have been added.
The signature menu is “grilled freshwater eel,†which is grilled by priming and steaming. The salty sauce blends harmoniously with the eel's natural light flavor that comes out as you chew it. The ingredients of sushi that only handle living things may vary depending on the supply and demand of ingredients for each season. “First octopus sashimi,†which adheres to the Japanese style, is also a popular menu. Boil the fresh octopus until tender, slice it thinly, and serve. Instead of cho-gochujang, you can enjoy the natural flavor of octopus that is chewy and not chewy by putting sambae-cho together.
Based on the management philosophy of “Preserving taste is not to be afraid of basic changes and innovationâ€, they continue their business by visiting and researching Japan every year and developing through steady exchanges with Japanese chefs.
[Tips for eating food]
â–²Location: 15, Dongbu-ro 30-gil, Dong-gu, Daegu
â–²Opening hours: 11:30 – 23:00 every day
â–²Price: Grilled freshwater eel 33,000 won, eel bowl 30,000 won
â–²Testimonial (Good for eating sweet crab): It was rumored to be an eel restaurant, but the rice bowl and ramen were also delicious. I recommend Kaisen-don, which is topped with fresh seafood such as tuna, salmon roe, sea urchin roe, shrimp, and squid! A seafood party is held in your mouth. It's not flickering!
3. Busan, 'Sherami', a luxury bakery familiar to the citizens of Busan
Image source: glimpseandgigglin's Instagram
Image source: lenalenaleee's Instagram
The original name of “Sherami†located near Goejeong Station in Busan was “Hyangmidang.†Now, after the boss's grandmother opened a business, the current boss went through her father and went to Tokyo Confectionery School to take over the store, and after studying for 3 years, she continues her current “Sherami.â€
The signature menu of this restaurant, where you can find healthy bread made from French flour and organic rye every morning, is red bean bread, bread bread, and apple pie. The characteristic of “red bean bread†is that it contains red bean paste made by picking red beans yourself and is not overly sweet. Even if you take a bite of “cream bread,†you can enjoy the smooth cream that fills your mouth. “Apple Pie†was the first place in Busan to develop recipes based on techniques learned from Japanese and French engineers. The crispy yet sweet pie has 64 layers of dense texture, and is fun to peel off layer by layer. Also known as the Seven Brothers of White Bread, White Bread, Wholemeal, Milk Milk, Sherami, Fresh Cream, Five-grain, and Chestnut are also popular. White bread developed in collaboration with Japanese chefs has a moist and soft flavor.
It is a place that strives to preserve the flavors of the past by continuing to supplement the notebooks written about how bread has been made since the beginning of the business. Through exchanges with foreign chefs, they get new ideas and present new products every time the seasons change.
[Tips for eating food]
â–²Location: 238 Nakdong-daero, Saha-gu, Busan
â–²Opening hours: 08:00 – 23:00 every day, 09:00 – 21:00 on Sundays
â–²Price: Red bean bread 2,300 won, cream bread 2,300 won
â–²Review (Food is full of yum): Sherami Bakery is a famous bakery in Busan, boasting a long history of over 40 years. You can enjoy various types of bread, homemade chocolate, yokan, etc.
4. Masan “Bulo Dinerâ€, filled with Masan specialties
Image source: injae_0904 on Instagram
Image source: injae_0904 on Instagram
“Bulo Diner†is a limited food specialty restaurant that has been managed by a family for the third generation, from grandmother in law to her mother-in-law to the current boss. In 1951, the boss's grandmother took over a restaurant in front of the former Masan Nam-dong police station, and the name of the restaurant was “Proletaria.†“Bulo†is a name that comes from a pronunciation similar to “proletarian,†and it contains the desire to become a “restaurant for the common people,†just like the meaning of proletaria. We are constantly working to maintain the image that our meal is not a formal limited meal, but a hearty meal that anyone can easily eat.
At the beginning of its opening, it used the nearby Masan Fish Market to sell seasonal fish soup, and since 1965, it has been operating as a limited restaurant. The restaurant's signature menu is “limited meal,†which uses homemade soy sauce and salted fish, which has a rich flavor. All food is prepared by shopping for fresh ingredients every morning at a nearby fish market. In addition to seasonal seafood such as guamegi, oysters, and shrimp, you can also find limited-edition dishes such as aged sashimi, sashimi sauce, half mizutaki, beef bulgogi, chapchae, various herbs, and salted fish.
At lunchtime, you can find menus that were sold in the early days of the business, such as “eel soup†and “fish soup,†and the unchanging traditional flavors remind customers of their old memories.
[Tips for eating food]
â–²Location: 12, Guburang 3-gil, Angang-eup, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do
â–²Business hours: 11:00-24:00 on weekdays
â–²Price: Mushroom Korean beef hot pot 13,000 won, mushroom stir-fried rice on a teppan 15,000 won
â–²Testimonial (Shikigin 2momo_cine): I stayed late looking for a restaurant that opened its doors, and it was nice that the portion was so plentiful. Hehe, I wanted to eat the hot pot, but it was delicious~~ I wanted to eat the wrapper and grate the rice, but it's a pity that I couldn't eat it because I was hungry.
5. 'Oebau' in Gyeongju, where you can relieve the fatigue of a difficult trip
Image source: nr_913's Instagram
Image source: p_sun_hee's Instagram
“Oebauâ€, located near Yangdong Village in Gyeongju, is a place that has been popular not only among local residents but also tourists for its consistent taste for 39 years. Currently, it has taken over the “Ilsung Restaurant†opened by the boss's mother in 1976 and offers healthy dishes using only Korean beef, handon, and selected domestic ingredients.
The signature menu is “Stir-fried Mushrooms on a Teppanyaki.†Domestic pork belly and octopus are mixed in a spicy sauce, then various mushrooms are placed on top, and finely chopped red and green peppers are placed on top. The sauce, which is said to have an excellent spicy flavor, uses a mixture of regular red pepper powder and cheongyang red pepper powder, and uses a mixture of beef bone broth and vegetable broth. The sauce that has been aged for about 4 days is spicy, but there is no burden on the stomach. For ripe dishes, I recommend putting various ingredients on lettuce and wrapping it in a large wrap. The tip is to eat it with lightly poached bean sprouts to add a crunchy texture. Also, teppanyaki fried rice, which is eaten by adding rice, sesame oil, and seaweed powder to the leftover seasoning, is a delicacy. The degree of spiciness is divided into 3 levels and can be selected when ordering.
Another popular dish, the hot pot, is a menu where you can eat mushrooms, Korean beef, and octopus, and is popular as a hearty meal because you can enjoy not only vegetables but also a refreshing, rich soup. Separate rooms are available, making it a perfect place for family, group gatherings and dinners.
[Tips for eating food]
â–²Location: 12, Guburang 3-gil, Angang-eup, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do
â–²Business hours: 11:00-24:00 on weekdays
â–²Price: Mushroom Korean beef hot pot 13,000 won, mushroom stir-fried rice on a teppan 15,000 won
â–²Testimonial (Shikigin 2momo_cine): I stayed late looking for a restaurant that opened its doors, and it was nice that the portion was so plentiful. Hehe, I wanted to eat the hot pot, but it was delicious~~ I wanted to eat the wrapper and grate the rice, but it's a pity that I couldn't eat it because I was hungry.
Hundred Years Store Magazine collaborates with the Ministry of Small and Medium Venture Enterprises and the Small Commercial Market Promotion Corporation.