As we enter a full-scale holiday season, more and more people are preparing for their trips in earnest. If you want to enjoy a quiet moment in nature instead of the hustle and bustle of tourist spots, I recommend a trip to Chungbuk. There are plenty of places where you can enjoy nature, such as the cool Suok Falls in Goesan, starting with the cool Suok Falls in Goesan, Chungju Lake, known as the classic driving course, the Jincheon Nongdari, the oldest stone bridge in Korea, Okcheon's natural recreation forest full of phytoncides, and Sangsangsan Castle in Cheongju, where a thousand years of history live and breathe. Once you've healed your tired and difficult body and mind in a natural way, it's time to fill your stomach with strength! Here are 5 of the best restaurants in Chungbuk, where the beauty of nature is alive.
1. 'Saejae Hwangtobang' in Wonpung-ri, Goesan, a health food made with healthy ingredients
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“Saejae Hwangtobang†has a nature-friendly feeling with a building made of red clay and the surrounding plants. The interior of the store, which makes use of the feel of a hanok, has about 50 seats, and the outdoor seating that conveys the freshness of the wood has about 100 seats. We present healthy food with local food and ingredients grown and collected by ourselves. The signature menu, “Jijong Chicken,†uses free-range chicken raised by the boss and stands out for its chewy, crunchy meat. The fragrant soup made from natural Neungi mushrooms picked from Joryeongsan Mountain adds moisture to the chicken and goes well with it. The rich texture that fills your mouth is excellent when you bite off a thick layer of meat attached to a large bone. It's a great way to finish the meal with a hearty meal with the porridge that comes from removing the chicken and cooking it yourself in the leftover broth.
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: 1833 Saejae-ro, Yeonpung-myeon, Goesan-gun, Chungbuk
▲Opening hours: 09:00 — 20:00 every day, closed on Mondays
â–²Price: Free-range chicken 50,000 won, natural mushroom hot pot 13,000 won
â–²Testimonial (White Whale): You have to make a reservation and visit the local chicken mizutaki. Like a local chicken, the meat was really big, so it was fun to pick it up and eat it. The soup was also very rich, but the flavor was so strong that I couldn't help but get my hands on it. I ate it with rice cake, but it's full of ingredients and it's savory, so it goes great with makgeolli.
2. 'Kyungjingak', Okcheon Geumguri, a champon with a fiery flavor
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“Kyungjingak†is a small Chinese restaurant run by a family. In order to focus on the taste of the food, the menu was designed with a simple composition of 5 noodles, 3 rice dishes, and grilled dumplings. The signature menu is “champon,†made with lots of cabbage on top of a red soup. The characteristic is that when an order comes in, finely chopped cabbage and red pepper powder are added to the wok and stir-fried over high heat to take advantage of the intense aroma. The noodles are thicker than regular noodles, and the crunchy texture is attractive. The soup, which combines the sweet flavor of cabbage with the heaviness of lard, seeps between the noodles and adds a deep flavor.
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: 11, Jungang-ro 4-gil, Okcheon-eup, Okcheon-gun, Chungbuk
▲Opening hours: 11:00 — 18:30 every day, B/T (weekend) 15:00 — 16:30, closed on Mondays
â–²Price: Champon 7,000 won, fried rice 7,000 won (increased to 8,000 won each from July)
â–²Testimonial (Shikshin Choding Taste MSG): I made the soup with a vegetable base, and it was a good balance between the right weight and the aroma of fire. I liked the sweetness that spread naturally because it was full of cabbage. There was plenty of squid in it, and it was nice to eat it with the chewy noodles, so it had a rich texture! The fried rice served with champon was a classic fried rice because it wasn't greasy and was smooth!
3. The rich flavor of fresh trout, 'Namhan River Sashimi' in Jodong-ri, Chungju
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'Namhan River Sashimi' was selected as the first traditional food successor store in Daemulim, Chungcheongbuk-do. They prepare a variety of dishes using freshwater fish such as catfish, pagasari, sogari, trout, mackerel, and crucian carp. Over 15 years, they make various side dishes and spicy soups using sea salt without soy sauce. The signature menu, “Trout Bibimbap,†comes with shiny, scarlet trout and finely sliced vegetables. The fresh trout is sliced thick and has a rich, chewy flavor. At first, you can enjoy the natural aroma of trout and then eat it bibimbap style with vegetables, soybean flour, minced garlic, and soy sauce in a large bowl. Starting with crunchy vegetables such as cabbage, carrots, and lettuce, the three flavors of crunchy trout and spicy and sweet herbs form a perfect harmony. Homemade gochujang and soy sauce made with various ingredients enhance the overall umami.
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: 7, Hoban-ro, Dongnyang-myeon, Chungju, Chungcheongbuk-do
▲Opening hours: 11:00 — 21:00 every day, closed on Mondays
â–²Price: Trout bibimbap 26,000 won, catfish spicy soup (2 people) 30,000 won
â–²Testimonial (On the way to and from work): The vegetables on the bibimbap were a better match because they had less aroma and added a crunchy texture without overshadowing the flavor of the trout. Even though it's not on the menu, it's great to eat together because the soup is really cool, even though it's not on the menu, only known to regular customers. If you take a bite of sashimi sauce and a bite of spicy soup, it's really better than sake.
4. A taste that has been preserved by the three generations! Adding sincerity to the taste of time! 'Grandma's House' in Singye-ri, Jincheon
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“Grandma's House†located next to February Reservoir is more famous as a “greedy grandmother's house.†Only duck meat within 48 hours of slaughter using a direct sales method is imported and used. The signature menu is “black rice duck soup,†which is made by putting black miscellaneous grains such as duck, black rice, sorghum, black beans, and red beans in a cauldron and devouring it over a long period of time. Duck meat, which is deeply imbued with the rich color and savory flavor of mixed grains, boasts a tender texture. The combination of soft, light duck meat and soup with the healthy flavor of miscellaneous grains deliver a warm feeling. “Charcoal-grilled duck neck†is another popular menu item, where only about 12 grams of pork comes from one duck and grilling it with white charcoal from oak charcoal. The soft scent of charcoal enhances the flavor of the shoulder, which has just the right amount of elasticity. It's a great place to finish off refreshingly with “barley rice, gochujang, duck neck, duck neck, potato stew,†after eating it with duck soup and grilled chicken.
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: 18 Hwasandong-gil, Iwol-myeon, Jincheon-gun, Chungbuk
▲Opening hours: 10:50 every day — closed when materials are exhausted, B/T 14:30 — 16:00, closed on Tuesdays
â–²Price: Black rice duck soup (one fish) 60,000 won, charcoal-grilled duck neck (1 serving) 16,000 won, barley rice, pepper paste, duck neck, potato stew (1 serving) 16,000 won, barley rice, red pepper paste, duck stew (1 serving) 16,000 won
â–²Testimonial (Shikigami Fire Play 9119): I stopped by by chance when I went to golf, but it was so delicious that I go out to eat health food with my family during the summer months. The black rice duck soup, which is black like a gol system, has good duck meat on it, and the soup is really rich. After eating, I'm sweaty and I really feel like I'm taking good care of my body.
5. 'Bukil Il-guk' in Wooam-dong, Cheongju, with its moist juiciness and rich flavor
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“Bukil Il-yuk†is a butcher restaurant that has maintained its position in Cheongju Bukbu Market for 30 years. The boss and his wife have maintained the high quality of the meat by hand, from sorting the meat to slaughtering it. The signature menu “Assorum†offers a full range of 3 to 4 cuts, such as Korean beef sirloin, beef tenderloin, beef ribs, and pork chat. The configuration may change slightly depending on the situation of the day, but it consists of at least three parts. The meat you bought can be grilled and eaten at the “Buk-il Gomdang†right next door. The restaurant also has meal menus such as gomguk soup, beef stew, yukhoe bibimbap, and cold noodles that go well with meat. Please note that meat customers other than meals can use the restaurant after 2:00 on weekdays.
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: 11-5 Hyanggun-ro 41beon-gil, Cheongwon-gu, Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk-do
▲Opening hours: 07:00 — 21:00 (Bukil Il-yuk), 10:30 — 21:00 (Bukil Gomtang) every day, closed on Sundays
â–²Price: Platter (1Kg) 110,000 won, ribs (1Kg) 160,000 won
â–²Testimonial (My Neighbor's Dog): Since it's a butcher shop, the meat quality is definitely good, but it's nice to be able to enjoy it at a reasonable price. I ordered it as a group, but the marbling was good and the juice was bursting out. As a meal, I ate yukhoe bibimbap, and it was amazing because it had a lot of yukhoe on top.
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