Hyehwa Dodam 혜화도담

Big pieces of aged kimchi and tender pork braise together in the house dwaeji-gogi kimchi-jjim until it tastes sweet, sour, salty and spicy at once. The seasoning is strong enough that it needs rice, and at lunch the rice and seaweed soup are unlimited from a self-serve bar, with a complimentary makgeolli. Daepa-jeon, a thick green onion pancake fried until almost tempura-crisp, is the classic partner to the stew. Bossam (boiled pork), stir-fried octopus and a list of traditional Korean liquors fill out the evening. As a directly run branch of Jongno Dodam close to the theaters of Daehangno, it suits a meal before or after a play. Note the afternoon break time.