Hadongkwan (Myeongdong)
(하동관)
One of the most famous restaurants in Korea, much of the restaurant’s claim to fame is a story that involves President Park Chung Hee in the 1970’s: When he was away on a trip to Jeju Island, he requested a bowl of gomtang (beef broth soup) to be flown down for his breakfast. He probably missed his grandmother’s cooking. And that’s the exact reason Hadongkwan is so famous; it reminds them of their grandmother’s cooking. While the dish is just beef broth, rice and slices of beef, the soup here is special. While most gomtang restaurant soups are cloudy, Hadongkwan’s is filtered for a clear, heart-warming and refreshing taste. And even with all that extra work, it’s still that home-style Korean comfort food that really sticks to your bones on cold winter days, or when you’re sick. It’s the type of soup that makes you feel loved. The gomtang is available in two different varieties–regular and special (special includes slices of tripe). Be wary of the lunchtime lines, the open times and the days they’re closed.
Note: There’s another Hadongkwan in Yeouido.
Gomtang - Beef Soup (곰탕)
