Everyday, Sundae Gukbap

Korean food comes in all shapes and colors, but for my money, there’s nothing that beats a savory stew. That’s why I want to introduce you to one of my favorite Korean dishes: sundae gukbap (순대국밥). And also, one of my favorite spots to get it: Park-suh-bang Sundae Gukbap.

Sundae guk (pronounced “SOON-deh gook”) is a staple of Korean cuisine and one of my favorites when the weather gets cooler. For those who aren’t familiar, sundae are a variety of blood sausages native to Korea. Traditionally, the intestines of a cow or a pig are stuffed with vegetables and glass noodles with the occasional bits of minced meat. These are steamed, sliced and added to savory broths to create sundae guk.

This dish has had a major resurgence in the past few years with multiple chains that serve delicious bowls of hot steamy broth with chunks of sundae. But my current “go to” is Park Suhbang Sundae Gukbap (박서방 순대국밥) in Samsung. During the week, the restaurant gets elbow-to-elbow crowded at lunch with office workers getting their fill before heading back to work. There’s a good reason this place is high on the local list: the prices are cheap and the recipe is solid.

A bowl of sundae gukbap comes with your main dish seasoned with additional cuts of pork, kimchi radish, pepper, green onions, pickled bean sprouts, miso paste, and salted shrimp. Hint: the salted shrimp isn’t a seasoning for your soup. It’s to dip the sundae and pork cuts into.

The big draw here is the sundae meal set (sundae gukbap jungsik) priced at 12,000 KRW. It comes with boiled cuts of pork and extra sundae. The set can only be ordered with a minimum order of 2. But, thankfully, a single serving of sundae gukbap is plenty. And, at 10,000 KRW, it’s light on the wallet.

I do have to offer up a warning. This is a 100% local spot. You’re about as likely to see a tourist here as you are English on the menu (there is none). But even if your Korean isn’t up to snuff, the point and smile method works wonders when ordering. So, don’t be shy and give it try!