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Discovering the Delights of Samnaksa Food Street in Anyang

Welcome, fellow food enthusiasts! Today, we’re embarking on a virtual culinary adventure to a hidden gem just south of Seoul: Samnaksa Food Street in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province. Initially, I didn’t have huge expectations for this area, thinking maybe just a few places would be decent. But let me tell you, this neighborhood is incredible. It’s practically a 100% hit rate for delicious restaurants!

Exploring the Neighborhood: Google Search and Initial Impressions

Before diving into the specific restaurants, let’s take a quick look at what Google reveals about the area. A search for “Samnaksa restaurants” or “Samnaksa Food Street” shows a variety of options, with many Korean-language reviews and blog posts. The general sentiment leans positive, highlighting the diverse range of Korean dishes available and the authentic atmosphere. Images showcase bustling streets lined with restaurants, tempting visuals of various dishes, and happy diners.

The Google reviews seem to back up my initial assessment: this is a place where you can’t really go wrong when choosing where to eat. The area has a warm and inviting atmosphere and has some natural beauty to it as well.

Restaurant Reviews: A Taste of Samnaksa

Let’s delve into some specific restaurants that truly stood out during my exploration:

1. Wonchau: A Noodle Paradise (원차우)

First up is Wonchau, a haven for lovers of handmade noodles, especially Jajangmyeon (black bean noodles), Jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup), and Tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork). The restaurant is spacious and comfortable, with both open seating and private rooms.

I ordered the essentials: Jajangmyeon, Jjamppong, and Tangsuyuk. The Jajangmyeon was a classic, featuring finely chopped ingredients and a rich, savory sauce. The noodles, made fresh by hand, were incredibly chewy and perfectly coated in the flavorful black bean sauce. It wasn’t overly sweet, focusing on the savory and nutty notes of the Chunjang (black bean paste). Delicious!

The Tangsuyuk wasn’t the super-crispy kind but rather a delightful balance of crispy and slightly chewy. The pork quality was excellent, with no unpleasant smell. The sauce was perfectly sweet and addictive, pairing exceptionally well with the Jajangmyeon.

Finally, the handmade Abalone Seafood Jjamppong was a visual masterpiece, packed with plump abalone, meaty blue crab, clams, snails, and fresh vegetables like bok choy and bamboo shoots. The broth was fiery and flavorful, with a prominent smoky taste. Clean and refreshing, it’s a Jjamppong that many will undoubtedly fall in love with. The noodles perfectly absorbed the broth’s flavor, ensuring a delightful taste in every bite.

2. Spicy Octopus Delight: A Local Favorite (낙지정식)

This restaurant, prominently advertising its octopus specialties, is spacious, clean, and has clearly been featured on television many times. I ordered the Octopus Set Menu for two and the Grilled Octopus Skewers (Nakji Horonggui).

The Octopus Set Menu was an absolute feast. The side dishes were outstanding, including a flavorful clam stew (Hwangge-tang), seasoned greens, and grilled croaker. The clam stew alone was worthy of three bowls of rice, boasting a natural sweetness derived entirely from fruit.

The star of the show was the spicy stir-fried octopus (Nakji Bokkeum). Initially, I thought it was a bit pricey, but the quality justified the cost. The octopus was domestically sourced and remarkably thick and chewy. The sauce was incredibly delicious, so much so that I couldn’t resist mixing it with rice. It’s the kind of dish that makes soju flow freely. The Grilled Octopus Skewers were equally impressive and are highly recommended. This place is perfect in terms of taste, cleanliness and overall experience.

3. Sincerity Served: Shabu Kalguksu (샤브칼국수)

Entering this restaurant, whose name translates to “Sincerity Served Shabu-Shabu Kalguksu”, is like walking through a flower garden. The interior is pleasant, and the service is exceptionally friendly, creating a welcoming atmosphere. I ordered the Beef Shabu Kalguksu and dumplings.

The ingredients looked incredibly fresh. The broth came in both white and red varieties and I chose the red broth. The kimchi (Geotjeori) is made fresh twice a day and is absolutely among the best I’ve ever had. Starting with the vegetables, I enjoyed the fresh water dropwort (Minari) and mushrooms. There was so much fresh vegetables that you could get full on just them. Although the broth is 100% vegetable based, it was rich and flavorful and matched all the ingredients.

The beef, likely brisket, was tender and flavorful. The handmade Kalguksu (knife-cut noodles) were chewy and delicious, perfectly complemented by the rich broth. Paired with the fresh Kimchi, it was an unforgettable experience. Don’t miss the fried rice at the end! The restaurant’s homemade dumplings were also delicious and filled with meat.

4. Hojippong Bossam and Mandu Jeongol (호지뽕보쌈)

This restaurant offers a cozy and inviting atmosphere, specializing in Hojippong Bossam (boiled pork) and Mandu Jeongol (dumpling hot pot). The side dishes were reminiscent of a home-cooked meal. I ordered the Hojippong Bossam and Mandu Jeongol.

The Bossam platter was impressive, featuring fresh vegetables, seasoned chives, radish kimchi, Bossam kimchi, chili peppers, and salted baby shrimp (Eoriguljeot). All the side dishes were made fresh daily, and the salted baby shrimp alone made the restaurant worth visiting. The Bossam itself was incredibly tender and flavorful, cooked with Hojippong, a type of mulberry known for its health benefits. This eliminated any unpleasant smells, leaving only the pure pork flavor.

The Mandu Jeongol contained six large dumplings filled with vegetables, and sliced beef brisket. The broth was rich and delicious, and the ingredients were exceptionally fresh. The dumplings, also made with Hojippong, were tasty and continued to entice me even when full. If you’re looking for high-quality Bossam and Mandu Jeongol, this place is a must-try.

5. Riverside Spicy Fish Stew (강산에 민물 매운탕)

This restaurant is renowned for its spicy freshwater fish stew (Minmul Maeuntang) and fish soup (Eotang). The restaurant was immaculately clean. Because it was well-known for the quality of its Eotang, I ordered the Eotang Noodles, along with freshwater clam meat and fried ginseng.

The side dishes were carefully prepared and delicious. Ordering just the Eotang noodles also included a small portion of soy-sauce marinated crab (Ganjang Gejang) and a acorn pancake (Dotori Jeon). The Dotori Jeon was tender and flavorful, and would easily command its own spot as a 10,000 won appetizer. The Ganjang Gejang was filled with savory crab meat.

The Eotang Noodles, made with crucian carp and catfish, were a revelation. I was blown away by the savory taste. I had been worried that the dish would taste fishy, but this was not the case. It was among the top 5 soup-based meals I’ve ever had. The broth was delicious and refreshing, and felt like it cleansed and detoxified my body. The noodles were made with fresh potato starch and immediately cooked upon ordering. The texture was chewier than standard wheat based noodles. Don’t skip adding a second half order of noodles to your soup!

The owner takes immense pride in his Eotang. You will not be disappointed. I also tried the packaged, take-out version and it was indistinguishable from the in-house version. I also got to try the freshwater clam soup (Jaecheop-guk). It was refreshing and tasty with plenty of fresh clams. It is also known for helping the liver. Lastly, the fried ginseng was more delicious than I could have possibly imagined. I usually don’t like ginseng, but this dish was exceptional. The batter wasn’t heavy, letting the quality of the ginseng shine. It would have paired wonderfully with a beer.

6. Ribs, Heart Racing (갈비가두근두근)

The name of this restaurant is catchy. Growing up, eating ribs was always an exciting occasion, hence the name. The restaurant is huge and can accommodate 200 diners at once. I ordered the pork ribs and cold noodle set meal.

The side dishes were served fresh and you are welcome to replenish them at the self serve bar. The pork ribs themselves were of high quality and were 100% pork ribs. Some restaurants will try to include neck or shoulder meat as part of the ribs offering, which I don’t appreciate. Pork ribs is what I want when I go to a pork ribs restaurant. The ventilation was good, so no need to worry about teary eyes.

The pork ribs were cooked to perfection. They had a savory and mildly sweet taste with soft and juicy texture. Eating them with lettuce wraps was an excellent pairing. The cold noodles came in either Mul Naengmyeon (water based) or Bibim Naengmyeon (spicy). The noodle quality was excellent, comparable to specialized cold noodle shops. The restaurant made the noodles themselves and were made from sweet potato flour. Even the broth was spectacular. If you are in the mood for pork ribs and cold noodles, be sure to visit.

7. Jeolla Old Taste (전라도옛맛)

This restaurant unsurprisingly specializes in Kalguksu (Korean noodle soup). The dining room is spacious and clean and the second floor is available for larger groups. I ordered the clam Kalguksu, red bean Kalguksu, and red bean porridge.

The kimchi and spicy radish salad are very tasty and pair with all Kalguksu dishes. The clam Kalguksu is made with fresh clams. The clam size and quality was outstanding. The broth was excellent and very refreshing. The handmade noodles were delightfully chewy and made with whole wheat flour.

The red bean Kalguksu was made from fresh domestic red beans. The texture was thick and smooth, going down your throat perfectly. Be sure to get the version with Saealsim, small rice dumplings made from glutinous rice flour. This is one of the best clam and red bean Kalguksu locations around!

8. Suspicious Noodle House (수상한국수집)

What is suspicious about this noodle house? You must visit to find out! The dining room is very clean and tidy. It was May when I visited, which meant that acorn noodles are in season. I ordered the acorn cold noodles (Mul Guksu), acorn spicy noodles (Bibim Guksu), bean noodles, and all available dumplings.

The acorn cold noodle broth was very flavorful: refreshing, tangy, and rich in flavor. The noodles themselves were made from glutinous barley and had a slightly unique texture that was very tasty. The acorn spicy noodles had an excellent special sauce that was even more delicious when eaten with the chicken. The bean noodles were made from black beans. The broth was great, but the best part was the noodle itself. Rather than standard noodles, the noodle was made from thinly sliced Garae-tteok (rice cake). It’s a noodle experience that you will not forget. Lastly, all of the dumplings were delicious, from the octopus dumplings to the kimchi dumplings. I still don’t know why the name of the restaurant is suspicious, but I definitely know that it’s a delicious noodle shop.

9. Book Cold Noodles (책냉면)

This restaurant has been serving cold noodles for 30 years. The bathroom is nicely cleaned and maintained. The restaurant is also quite spacious. I ordered the sliced raw fish cold noodles and steamed dumplings. During the winter, the restaurant also sells hangover soup and dumpling soup. You should definitely try the broth they have on self serve; it is delicious!

The sliced raw fish cold noodles looked incredible. It looked like they were using plenty of spicy sauce and the ice was a welcome addition. Because I am sensitive to spicy food, I was slightly worried. As people say, you shouldn’t cut the noodles before you eat them. But I cut the noodles. The noodles were, of course, buckwheat noodles. The noodles had great texture. The seasoning was perfect with 30 years of experience informing the recipe. It’s hard to imagine someone not enjoying this restaurant. Don’t let the spiciness scare you; the noodles weren’t actually that spicy! Everything, from the noodles to the sauce, were made in house, giving the noodles a fresh and original character. The handmade steamed dumplings were also high quality and filled with both meat and vegetables. Getting the cold noodles and steamed dumplings is a guaranteed success. If you visit during the summer, I encourage you to come here!

10. Local Tea House (차집)

This establishment is more of a tea house than a cafe. One corner has potted plants, and another corner contains homemade fruit syrups. Almost all of the tea and drinks, except for coffee, are made with these fruit syrups. For example, I got to try the green tangerine aid, made with fresh green tangerines. It has a refreshing citrus flavor that would be perfect on a hot day. I also tried the blueberry smoothie. It was completely different than other smoothies. The quality was incredible; about 90% of the smoothie was fruit. The owner cares about the quality of the food. The most impressive drink I tried was the grapefruit tea. With it’s perfect blend of smell and taste, it was the kind of drink that would bring happiness to anyone. The jujube tea was also excellent, and the citron tea had the perfect level of sweetness.

It would be great to visit this place after having a delicious meal. A cup of refreshing tea is a great way to end your experience. This marks the end of part 1 of the culinary tour of Anyang Samnakgeolli Village. Please look forward to part 2!