Went to get one of my favorite Korean foods, Gamjatang (감자탕), at 평창할마이집 pyeongchang harmai jib with my newfound friends who guided me around central Seoul last week. I’m always excited to try a new restaurant serving gamjatang and rarely come out disappointed. When I searched for the best gamjatang restaurants around Yangjae Station (양재역) this place came up as a top result, so I just had to try it. You can access it by going out of exit 8 and it will be a tad behind the exit.
The restaurant is clean and comfortable. There are ample side dishes, but I didn’t find anything too amazing with any of them. One thing I’ve never seen before was the garlic sprouts which had the texture of a green onion, but a hint of garlic. There was also this cold soup that kind of had a fermented flavor, which might be radish water kimchi broth or 동치미. I wasn’t too fond of it. The kimchi wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t amazing either. It was somewhat bland and had a dehydrated feeling.
Gamjatang (감자탕) – 36,000 won for large
The large gamjatang comfortable served 5 of us, but we could’ve used a little more. I recommend it for 4 or so people. The veggies were very beautiful, especially the perilla leaves and mushrooms. Of course once it cooks down, it doesn’t really matter so much but the freshness is appreciated!
The broth was somewhat subtle for gamjatang and I typically prefer a more flavorful broth, but it was still very tasty. The potatoes were very soft, but solid.
The meat cuts were perfect and they pull easily away from the bone. There is always such a good flavor that comes out of the bones served in gamjatang and this one was no exception. The meat was very moist as well. There were no shattered bones which some bad places serve.
Stir Fry Rice Addition (볶음밥 추가) – 2000 won a serving
The stir fry rice is a perfect addition for anyone still hungry. Lots of bean sprouts and seaweed and it carries the same subtle flavor of the broth.
평창할마이집 is a solid place for gamjatang (감자탕). The price is reasonable and provides a hardy meal. I wish the side dishes had a little bit more flavor, but I wasn’t really wasting my appetite on them anyways. It’s always a treat to have gamjatang and I recommend it if you are curious about this tasty meal!
Finding the Seoul 
Oh have you tried another 감자탕? It was fun to read~ I like your restaurant review~ btw that side dish below garlic sprouts is called 동치미(dong-chi-mi) which means kimchi for winter~ it’s icy and tastes a little sour..right? our anchesters used to enjoy 동치미 in cold winter like fighting fire with fire..It was how to overcome the cold weather. well..why don’t you try 순두부(soon du boo) if you like tofu..? I think 감자탕 you introduced looks so tasty, but it has kind of unique flavor ~ that’s why some people can’t have it~ guess 순두부 is more gentle? to eat~
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Thanks for the suggestion Sophie! I’m actually shocked to find out I haven’t eaten 순두부 in the 6 months I’ve been here yet! I will have to put it on my list! Also, thank you for telling me about the 동치미!
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fried rice at the end is always the most delicious 😉
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Most definitely 🙂 It’s what I live for!
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