할머니추어탕
Halmeoni Chueotang is a loach soup restaurant in Ganseok-dong, Namdong-gu, Incheon, with over 40 years of history and a reputation as one of the best chueotang spots in the city. The soup here is built on a perilla seed base, yielding a flavor profile that is smooth and deeply nutty rather than fiery - the dried radish greens (sirae-gi) lend a gentle, earthy richness to the broth that goes down comfortably. Adding sancho (Sichuan pepper) powder and extra perilla powder elevates the soup further, and tossing in a dried chili is another recommended way to customize the bowl. Ordering a side of chives to mix in enhances the pairing nicely. Bean sprouts come in notably generous portions - the kitchen serves enough upfront to prevent the need for refills, a thoughtful touch that regulars appreciate. Each serving is accompanied by dolsot-bap (stone pot rice), and the real finishing move is pouring the leftover scorched-rice water into a bowl and topping it with eoriguljeot (salted baby oysters) - diners describe this combination as pure bliss. The eoriguljeot itself is well-balanced rather than overly salty, earning it a devoted following among the banchan offerings, and the baechu kimchi is also well-made. The price has risen to 10,500 won over the years but remains reasonable given the quality and portion size. The restaurant fills to capacity during lunchtime without fail, and despite a relatively large parking lot, holiday lunches can make parking difficult, so timing your visit carefully is advisable. Among chueotang enthusiasts, this restaurant is frequently ranked among the very best in the country, a testament to four decades of consistently executed comfort food.