Gwanghwamun Jip

Have you ever traveled pretty far to feed yourself some really good kimchi jjigae? Would people actually go from, for example, the northern end of Seoul to the southern end for the stew? To be honest, it would seem as though no one really would—no matter how good the two most ubiquitous stews in Korean cuisine (kimchi and dwenjang based soups), the majority will just enjoy them in their neighborhood, probably because almost every restaurant in Korea can make these two varieties pretty decently. But if you happen to be in an area blessed with famed restaurants in kimchi jjigae, you might as well take the opportunity. With all that in mind, Gwanghwamunjip, located in the alleys behind Sejong Center, is a place I head to when I’m in the area. It’s known to Seoulites as one of the best Kimchi joints in the city and has even been selected as one of Seoul’s top 3 kimchi jjigae restaurants by a popular food critiquing TV show, Wednesday Food Talk. Gwanghwamun Jip has existed for 30 years now in its confined and humble space. Once seated, a portion of their pre-cooked kimchi stew will be served and cooked once again right in front of you. Usually, the longer you cook it, the level of acidity of the soup increases, which some might not be into. Still, it remains on a good level in comparison to Jangho Wanggopchang’s version, as the pork and tofu in the soup add more complexity the taste. Gwanghwamun Jip's egg roll tamagoyaki filled with chopped scallions is recommended side dish that goes well with the soup. For some, it would evoke a certain amount of nostalgia.