Strangely enough, Chinese cuisine in Korea has a variety of images, from cheap to luxurious. From popular yet affordable foods such as “jajangmyeon,†“champon,†and “sweet and sour pork,†as well as traditional Chinese course meals. Jajangmyeon is originally a food derived from the Chinese “jakjangmyeon†where Chinese miso is grated on noodles, and Chinese workers at Incheon Port added caramel and water to transform it into a food that suits Korean tastes. This jajangmyeon spread all over the country, starting with Incheon, and was completely absorbed by the common people. ' As you can see from any song such as “My Mother Said I Hate Jajangmyeon,†Jajangmyeon was also an object of admiration in the days of terrible deprivation, and it was also a typical common people's food that it was customary to lay out a newspaper on the chin and rub jajangmyeon on moving day. Today, in the second installment of the à la carte menu, we'll meet the common people's, by the common people, jajangmyeon for the common people, and his best friend, champon restaurants.
1. With just one bowl, I do my best to make food that will make you shed tears. Gongdeok “Shinseonggakâ€
Shinseonggak, which opened in 1981, is a place that specializes in 60s-style handmade jajang. “I want to do everything in my power to make food that makes anyone living in the global community shed tears after eating just one bowl.†October '88 Lee Mun-gil. 'October '88. It's a little special that sticks to the entrance, and if you read the old operating philosophy and walk into the store, your attitude about lunch may change slightly. After all, the signature menu is “jajangmyeon.†When you enter the entrance, you can easily see people eating only jajangmyeon along with the savory smell of roasted chunjang. The main characteristic of this jajangmyeon is the soft, chewy, handmade noodles that are taken directly to a certain size and the homemade sauce. In the case of sauce, pork, potatoes, cabbage, onions, etc. were added, and water and starch were used to soften the flavor of Chunjang. Some enthusiasts say it's a “real old-fashioned jajangmyeon†flavor, and the flavor is nicknamed “jajangmyeon,†which is rather easy to eat because it's not sweet or salty. Business closes as soon as supplies run out, so if it's a little late for lunch, make sure to call before visiting. Also, it is said that it is closed on Sundays, so be sure to check it out when you visit.
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â–²Location: 2-463, Singongdeok-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul â–²Opening hours: 11:30 to 16:00 on weekdays, closing when ingredients run out (average closing at 16:00), closed on Sundays â–²Price range: Jajangmyeon 5,000 won, soy sauce, udon, champon 6,000 won, sweet and sour pork 15,000 won, gyoza 4,000 won â–²Review (Sunhong Hwang): It's not a house with gorgeous characteristics, but it's a taste I keep looking for. This is because rather than feeling that the proportion of vegetables is high, they are clean, and the sincerity of faithfully adding ingredients and shaking and frying them with sincerity is combined with the sincerity of stir-frying noodles from time to time. Thanks to this, you don't feel like emptying a bowl even on a bad day, and they serve clean food that you can easily wake up and take a walk even after eating.
2. The umami and fire flavors, the sharpness and the coolness all coexist. Fuguang “Zhonghua Gardenâ€
Zhonghuayuan is a pretty old Chinese restaurant in the Yeonsinnae area. It was originally famous as a place to eat in line, but after the broadcast of the episode “Champon,†the Three Heavenly Kings of Baekjongwon, it became very famous. Champon is definitely the signature dish of this restaurant. The noodles are thin, soft, and have a nice texture, and the rich filling ingredients and 4 types of chili oil add a unique umami and fire flavor to the soup. In addition to champon, the seafood stew served on a teppan is also a popular menu. The sound of a well-heated grill begins to arouse the taste buds, and you can enjoy the refreshing yet rich flavor of the soup due to various seafood, various mushrooms, and hearty rice crackers. Originally, the nurungjitang was popular as a snack, but this place's unique seafood nurungjitang is also recommended as a snack. Depending on the ingredients of the day, the business closes relatively early between 6:30 and 7 p.m., so be aware when visiting.
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â–²Location: 281-128, Bulgwang-dong, Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul â–²Opening hours: 11:00 – 19:00 every day (closed on Mondays) â–²Price: Seafood nurungjitang 23,000 won, champon 5,000 won, jajangmyeon 4,000 won, fried rice 6,000 won â–²Review (White Whale): A restaurant that was originally only known to me came out on the air, and it became so famous! Samseon champon and seafood noodle soup are a must!
3. On the back street of Gwanghwamun, there is a jajangmyeon restaurant that never changes. Gwanghwamun 'Dongseonggak'
Dongseonggak is a second-generation Chinese restaurant that opened in 1968. It is located on the opposite side of Sejong Center for the Performing Arts at Gwanghwamun Station and has been serving as a source of inspiration for a long time. The signature menu is “jajangmyeon.†The meat and vegetables are plentiful, making the most of the chewy texture, while the noodles are thin and soft, so they blend well together. It's a icing on the cake when eaten with the somewhat rustic grilled gyoza made directly here. In addition to jajangmyeon and basic dishes, there are many special menus unique to this place that use a variety of ingredients. The most unique item on the menu is “menbosha,†and you can think of menbosha as a Chinese-style salty rusk deep-fried with minced shrimp balls inside a loaf of bread cut into square slices. I recommend eating it as a snack with basic food and alcohol. In addition to this, there are many Chinese pork feet and special menus that aren't on the menu. It's also a good idea to get detailed explanations and menu recommendations from the boss through a private specialist before visiting.
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â–²Location: 18 Dangju-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul â–²Business hours: 11:00-22:00 every day â–²Price: Sweet and sour pork 20,000 won, jajangmyeon 5,000 won, champon 5,000 won, menbosha 60,000 won, Chinese pork foot 35,000 won â–²Review (I'm a cute little girl): This house is over 50 years old! A special menu known only to those in the know! When I heard the boss's explanation about menbosha, I noticed that the crispy yet salty menbosha lay right in front of my eyes
4. 60 years tell me the deep taste of the sauce. Myeongdong 'Gaehwa'
Gaehwa is a traditional Chinese restaurant located near the Chinese Embassy between Myeongdong Station and Hoehyeon Station. It's been 60 years since it opened, but it still has a casual atmosphere, but it's not shabby, so it's a great place to casually enjoy a bowl at any time. Typical menus include “Soy Jajang†and “Uni Jajangmyeon.†Regular jajangmyeon is also delicious, but soy jajang itself feels more starchy than water and doesn't have any moisture, so it's very popular. If you grate the large meat and onions together and take a bite, you can feel the richness unique to this place's sauce. Uni jajangmyeon, on the other hand, has no ingredients other than finely minced meat, so it's a good idea to focus on the flavor of the noodles and natural sauce. In addition to this, I also recommend Kanpunggi, which is a slightly spicy blend of dried red pepper and garlic. At first, the scent of pepper stimulates the salivary glands first, and when you take a bite, the crispy but not hard fried batter blends with the meat. Because of the spicy sauce, it's nice that it doesn't bite easily.
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â–²Location: 107, Myeongdong 2-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul â–²Opening hours: 11:30 – 23:00 every day, (Last Order: 21:25, closed on holidays) â–²Price: Soy sauce 6,000 won, Uni Jajangmyeon 6,000 won, Samseon Soy Sauce 8,000 won, Samseon Champon 8,000 won, Kanpunggi 28,000 won â–²Review (Seokshin Kwon's appeal): I think this house is the worst for Uni Jajangmyeon. Every time I go to Myeongdong, I go there frequently~
5. Winter oyster champon is a combination of coolness and refreshment. Euljiro 3-ga 'Andongjang'
An Dongjang opened in 1948 and is the oldest Chinese restaurant in Korea. For this reason, when you enter this place, you can catch a glimpse of the signs of time all over the place, the old signs hanging on the walls, the elderly who appear to be regulars, and some handwritten menus. The signature menu is “oyster champonâ€, where oyster champon, which can be said to be a winter delicacy, was first created, and you can choose between refreshing and spicy flavors according to your taste. If oyster champon from other Chinese restaurants is rich and has a rich flavor, Andongjang's oyster champon is characterized by its refreshing flavor. A hint of Chinese cabbage in the chicken broth captures the bitterness of the oyster and gives it a refreshing flavor. The relatively large scale of 1 to 3 layers has the advantage of fast food rotation and being able to eat safely without long waits on weekdays.
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â–²Location: 315-18, Eulji-ro 3-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul â–²Business hours: 11:30 – 21:30 (open all year round, Last Order: 21:00) â–²Price range: Oyster champon/spicy oyster champon 9,000 won, jajangmyeon 5,000 won, soy sauce 7,000 won â–²Review (I think about eating and eating abs): The day after drinking, I can't help but think of Gulpong here. Surprisingly, there are a lot of people who don't know this is an old house! A place worth visiting if you're nearby!
**This content was created by referring to restaurants in the book “The Happiness of a Meal†**
The happiness of a meal
Author Kim Seok-dong
Publication Korea Broadcasting
Released 2016.05.16