If you followed the popular series, Culinary Class Wars (흑백요리사) on Netflix, you’ll know that most restaurants helmed by the black and white chefs have been fully booked out. However, this restaurant by Auntie Omakase requires no reservation!
Auntie Omakase Restaurant in Seoul
Her restaurant is located in the basement of Gyeongdong Market, and it does take a bit of effort to find. The entrance to the basement is not the most obvious, but once you’re down there, her stall should be quite easily visible.
We’ve heard lots of people saying to prepare for long queues, but when I visited on a weekday morning, I immediately got a seat at the counter. There were also multiple empty seats available in a separate seating area.
It was unfortunate that she wasn’t there when we visited. We overheard from the staff that she was filming something during our visit, and she is usually present on weekend mornings.
Andongjip Son Kalguksi Menu
The most well-known item Auntie Omakase is known for is probably her hand-cut noodles, also known as Kalguksu.
You can also indulge in items like the Cabbage Pancake (8,000won), Chive Pancake (8,000won), and Bibimbap (10,000won).
We ordered the Kalguksu (8,000won), which you can see being cooked right in front of you if you’re sitting at the counter. The bowl was very simple and straightforward, just noodles and a few vegetables inside.
The staff recommended pairing the noodles with some of their soy sauce. One bite into the bowl of noodles and we understood why. The flavours were very simple, and if you’re into heavy-tasting foods, one would even say that it was bland.
However, the soy sauce does help elevate the bowl of noodles, and we honestly think it was okay, but nothing to scream about. The texture of the noodles was interesting though, unlike the usual knife-cut noodles we had.
It was also served together with a bowl of barley rice. It may be a bit heavy on the carbs.
We also ordered the Suyuk (12,000won) which was a plate of boiled pork, sliced into bite-sized portions. You can eat it on its own or wrap it in some cabbage and kimchi. We thought the pork was well-cooked, tender, and fatty. However, much like the bowl of noodles, it was nothing mind-blowing.
Culinary Class Wars Restaurant in Korea
Personally, since we didn’t queue to get a table at Andongjip Son Kalguksi, we thought of it as a good experience. However, if you’re in line for a long period of time, we totally understand if you’re underwhelmed by the food.
However, since most restaurants under the Culinary Class Wars show require reservations and you probably won’t be able to get a seat anytime soon, a visit to Auntie Omakase’s restaurant is worth it if you enjoyed the show.
Andongjip Son Kalguksi (안동집 손칼국시)
서울 동대문구 고산자로36길 3 신관 지하1층
B1, 3 Gosanja-ro 36-gil, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul
Mon-Sun, 10am-6pm, Break Time: 3:30pm-4:30pm
Closed every 2nd and 4th Sunday of the Month
Nearest Subway: Jegidong Station (Line 1), Exit 2
*This was an independent review by MiddleClass
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