Bangbang Intersection Office Workers' Restaurant | Josungeum Dakdoritang 30 Years of Tradition Real Taste My Honest Review

A Day Craving Dakdoritang, Thanks to a Friend's Strong Recommendation

On a Tuesday afternoon, tired of the repetitive lunch menu at work, I remembered Josungeum Dakdoritang, which my colleague kept recommending. "It's really delicious here, you have to try it at least once!" they kept saying, so today I mustered up the courage to head to Bangbang Intersection.

Honestly, it's not often that you buy dakdoritang, right? You usually make it at home or order chicken... but there are days when you crave something spicy. Especially in weather like this, you think of hot soup, haha. Today, I'm leaving an honest review of my visit, completely paid for by myself!

It's located on the second floor of the Deventi building near Bangbang Intersection. When I took the elevator up, I found a surprisingly clean entrance!

Location and Directions

It's conveniently located between Gangnam Station and Yangjae Station. I walked from Gangnam Station on the Shinbundang Line, which took about 10 minutes. It's even closer if you get off at the Bangbang Intersection bus stop.

It's on the second floor of a building, which was a bit confusing at first, but it's the building with the Deventi Cafe on the first floor. There's an elevator, so you can go up comfortably!

Waiting Time and Store Atmosphere

I arrived around 12:30 PM on a Tuesday, and the tables were almost full. Fortunately, there was no waiting, but if I had been 5 minutes later, I might have had to wait. It's a well-known place among office workers!

The store was more spacious and cleaner than I expected. When you think of a dakdoritang place, you might imagine an old-fashioned interior, but this place has a modern yet cozy atmosphere. There are mainly tables for four, and it seems like a good place for company dinners or group gatherings.

Interestingly, it's a no-kids zone! It seems they want to maintain a quiet atmosphere. Because of that, the store was surprisingly calm and comfortable.

Menu and Ordering

The menu is really simple. There are only two options: medium dakdoritang (for 2-3 people, 35,000 won) and large dakdoritang (for 4 people, 47,000 won). Additionally, you can add ramen noodles or rice cakes for 2,000 won each, pancakes for 3,000 won, and fried rice for 3,000 won.

I went alone and ordered the medium. I was worried it might be too much, but the staff said, "The medium is enough for 2-3 people, so if you can eat a lot, it should be fine."

Basic Side Dishes and Pancakes

The basic side dishes include kimchi, onion pickles, and stuffed cucumbers. But what's special here is that pancakes are served as a basic side dish!

The pancakes, thinly fried with various vegetables like onions and carrots, had a really nice crispy texture. Eating these while waiting for the dakdoritang to boil kept me from getting bored, haha.

The kimchi was well-fermented and had a spicy taste that stimulated my appetite. The cabbage kimchi was particularly unique. It felt like warm stir-fried cabbage, but it was delicious in a mysterious way!

Finally, the Arrival of Josungeum Dakdoritang

The dakdoritang finally arrived! It looked really appetizing. The red, rich broth was filled with large pieces of chicken, potatoes, and rice cakes.

The staff kindly explained, "Boil the chicken for about 4 more minutes, and you can eat the rice cakes and potatoes first."

When I took my first sip of the broth... wow, this is the taste of Josungeum. It was spicy but not overwhelming, and I could feel the depth of flavor. It seems the secret of 30 years of garlic fermentation is in this taste.

Perfect Potatoes and Chewy Rice Cakes

The most impressive thing here was the potatoes! They were perfectly cooked, fluffy, and well-seasoned all the way through. They say you can judge a dakdoritang place by how well they cook their potatoes, and in that regard, Josungeum is truly commendable!

The rice cakes are included by default and are really chewy and delicious. As a rice cake lover, I really enjoyed this, haha. Biting into the well-seasoned rice cakes was pure happiness.

The chicken was tender without any gamey taste, and I was especially surprised that the chicken breast wasn't dry. It must be because the chicken goes through a maturation process.

The Joy of Adding Ramen Noodles

Midway through, I couldn't resist adding ramen noodles. The noodles were blanched and added right away, so they cooked quickly.

The spicy broth combined with the ramen noodles... it was a perfect match! After eating this, I felt really full. The portion was really large for one person, haha.

Ending with Fried Rice

Even though I was full, I couldn't miss the fried rice! It's a rule to have fried rice after dakdoritang, haha.

They fry the rice in the remaining broth, and it's a delicacy. The spicy seasoning permeates each grain of rice, making it really delicious. They also sprinkle finely crushed seaweed on top, adding a nutty flavor.

As I took a spoonful of the fried rice, I thought, "Ah, this is why people keep recommending this place."

Value for Money and Overall Impression - My Honest Review

The total came to 40,000 won for a medium dakdoritang (35,000 won), ramen noodles (2,000 won), and fried rice (3,000 won). It might seem a bit expensive for one person, but if you share it with 2-3 people, the value for money isn't bad.

The portion is really large, and more importantly, it's a real restaurant where you can taste the 30-year tradition. The deep flavor of the secret seasoning inherited from Grandma Josungeum is definitely different from regular dakdoritang.

Visit Tips and Recommended Points

Location

2nd Floor, 22 Gangnam-daero 62-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (Bangbang Intersection Deventi Building)

Business Hours

Mon-Fri 11:00-21:30 (Last order 20:30) / Closed on Sat-Sun

Phone Number

02-568-6603

Parking

Underground parking available in the building

Honest Final Evaluation

It's been a long time since I exclaimed, "Wow, this place is delicious!" It's a restaurant that made me feel that way. I thought dakdoritang wasn't a particularly special dish, but Josungeum is really different.

The broth, in particular, is exquisite. The spicy yet deep flavor keeps you eating, and the potatoes were perfectly cooked and really delicious. The phrase "30 years of tradition" isn't just for show.

If you're an office worker near Bangbang Intersection, this is a must-visit restaurant. I plan to go again with my colleagues next time!

I'm really happy to have such a great restaurant near my office. Next time, I'll come with friends and try the large size! This was an honest review, and I highly recommend it.