Korean restaurant near Seoul City Hall Station, jojo Kalguksu

 

Hello, I'm Lia.
There is a good restaurant near Seoul City Hall, so I would like to introduce it to you.
It also issues English waiting numbers for foreigners and is a place where you can try the traditional Korean food, kalguksu.

Jojo Kalguksu is also a favorite restaurant for many Koreans. Since there are many companies nearby, office workers visit, I recommend you to visit after 12:00 to 13:00, which is the main lunch time for Koreans.

In Korea, there is a machine that does not wait in line, but enters a waiting number. 

Originally, it is a system that sends a notification through KakaoTalk, a Korean messenger, but for foreigners, the waiting number is called in English at the door. For example, number 113 is called one one three.

There seemed to be a 50:50 ratio of travelers and Koreans from many countries, including the U.S., Europe, and Asia, including Japan.

When I visited at 2 p.m. on weekdays, I was able to enter after waiting outside for about 20 minutes. Inside, a disposable apron used as a self-service was hung on the pillar.

 

The reason why this place is special is because of the clams in the kalguksu. It uses a clam called dongjuk, which is chewy and full of moisture to the point where it is also called a water gun clam. It is a clam that mainly lives on the west coast of Korea.

I ordered one kalguksu and one pajeon, and the two of us shared it. When two women ate, the amount was enough. Kalguksu is 9,000 won and pajeon is 13,000 won, a total of 21,000 won. (As of January 25, it's about $14.27.)

Korean kalguksu is a food that is mixed with flour and is served with starchy, savory broth. It goes very well with kimchi that you must try when you come to Korea. Kimchi here was very popular with Koreans, it tastes like garlic and is very delicious but spicy.

I've also ordered makgeolli, a traditional Korean drink. Makgeolli is a liquor made by fermenting rice and looks like milk, but it is characterized by a thicker and sweeter taste than Japanese sake.

One of the menus of Jojo Kalguksu, Octopus Pajeon, is a dish made with chewy octopus, chubby shrimp, and green onions in flour dough. It's delicious if you dip it in soy sauce sprinkled with sesame seeds.

When octopus pajeon comes out, scissors and tongs are given together. Grab the pancake with tongs and cut it into pieces that are good to eat with scissors. If you can't eat spicy food well because it's sprinkled on top, you can ask them not to sprinkle it in advance.

Kalguksu, which you can feel the coolness of the seafood, is a good combination of thick soup and the texture of properly ripe noodles. If you want to enjoy the clams inside differently, dip them in the red sauce in the middle. It's red pepper paste with a sour taste. It goes well with seafood.

It is also close to Namdaemun Market and Deoksugung Palace, which are traditional markets located in Seoul, so make sure to visit Deoksugung Palace when you visit there.