Hadonggwan's gomtang is still made the same way it always has. Well, at least the first one is. The broth is rich yet not overpowering and the quality of the rice is top notch. It's a very good lunch but I do question it's inclusion in the Michelin Guide. Mainly because the focuses is only on the main dish which they haven't changed for over 70 years. Without the backstory, it might not live up to expectations. It's a great baseline dish for Korean cuisine, but I feel it's more nostalgia than being the pinnacle of Korean cuisine. I was lucky to interview the family that runs the restaurant and the have a meticulous way on sourcing ingredients and in preparation. The dining experience itself is jarring. Once you enter, you are asked how many people. Then you must order at the counter and pay before you sit. 2 minutes later your food comes out without any explanation. Water is self service as well. I do recommend visitors to go there, but understand it is quite bali bali (fast, fast). Oh, and again, I only recommend the first shop and not the franchises. [Naver Map]
Hadonggwan Myeongdong Main Branch
12 Myeongdong 9-gil Jung-gu Seoul
