I'm a huge fan of the Netflix show Culinary Class Wars. I love how it focuses on the chefs and their food without unnecessary drama—just pure cooking. As a fan, I made it a point to try the chefs' restaurants (at least the ones I could afford).
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| selfie with Chef Kim Mi-ryeong a.k.a. Aunti Omakase |
Auntie Omakase, also known as Chef Kim Mi-ryeong, was one of my favorites. While in Seoul, I found out that her restaurant, Andongjip Son Kalguksu, was quite close to my hotel. It’s located in Gyeongdong Market, just a short subway or bus ride away. So, on a free Saturday, I decided to go there for lunch. Big mistake. It’s a really popular place, even before the Netflix show, so by 11:30am, there was already a long queue. I wasn’t really hungry, so I figured I could wait.
Finding the place was a bit tricky since Gyeongdong Market is pretty big, and you can easily get lost in a maze of stalls. The restaurant is in the basement, and I was lucky that someone was kind enough to show me the semi-hidden staircase. Once you get downstairs, you’ll know you’re in the right place when you see a long queue.
As I got closer to the front of the line, I saw her, and I had to stop myself from fangirling too much. As expected, she was wearing a hanbok and high heels. What an icon!
After about an hour of waiting, I finally got seated. It’s not exactly a restaurant—more of a food stall where guests sit at the counter while she and her staff prepare the food in the middle. It looks like they’ve expanded, though, since there’s a small room behind the stall with several tables. As a solo diner, I was seated at the counter.
I ordered the kalguksu, the dish she’s famous for. She does offer a few other dishes like bibimbap and cabbage pancake, but I had to go with the classic.
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| kalguksu |
Overall, it was good. I loved the chewy texture of the noodles, and they were thick and quite filling. The broth was flavorful but not too heavy. As expected, she and her staff didn’t speak English, but I managed with the little Korean I knew. The couple beside me was also very helpful in explaining how to mix the sauces to enhance the meal.
One of the best parts? The price. The kalguksu was only KRW8,000 won or PHP318, and they accept credit cards. After paying for my meal, I had to ask for a selfie with her, and she happily obliged. Many visitors before me had taken photos with her, so I figured it was okay.
Is the food worth the wait? Maybe, maybe not—it really depends. I personally liked the kalguksu because it’s one of my favorite Korean dishes. It’s simple, hearty, and comforting. But for some, waiting 30 minutes to 2 hours for a bowl of kalguksu might not be worth it.
If you want to try it out, I highly recommend going as soon as it opens, around 10am, to avoid the long wait. Otherwise, be prepared to stand in line for a while—but at least the food makes up for it!
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