Chowon Restaurant
초원식당
About
Rustic local diner in Segok-dong serving generous pork belly and deeply rich kimchi stew alongside refillable rolled omelet side dishes.
Right along the border where southern Gangnam meets Seongnam, Segok-dong hums with the unhurried atmosphere of an older Seoul. Here at the Segok intersection, Chowon Sikdang operates from early morning until late evening, welcoming office workers, local elders, and soldiers on leave into its worn, time-tested quarters. Though unassuming from the exterior, the eight-table ground floor—supplemented by a basement dining room—fills swiftly even before regular dinner hours. The cornerstone of the kitchen is its butcher-fresh meat and domestic ingredients. Thick cuts of fresh ogyeopsal (five-layer pork) hit the grill with skin attached, sizzling until crisp on the edges and yielding a rich, chewy texture. Diners flank the pork with grilled green onions and wrap up the meal with an earthy doenjang-jjigae or fried rice cooked directly on the grill pan. For solo eaters and midday diners, the signature order is kimchi-jjigae. Simmered at the table in a shallow pot rather than served in individual earthenware, the stew relies on tart, well-fermented domestic kimchi infused with a distinct kick of garlic. Because the kitchen routinely handles raw pork, the cuts ladled into the broth remain tender and clean, lending rendered pork fat to the simmer without overwhelming it. Dropping in an order of ramen noodles is the standard playbook, thickening the broth as it bubbles away. Other diner comforts include sweet pork bulbaek (pork bulgogi) tossed with glass noodles, though the stew remains the undisputed favorite. Across every order, Chowon Sikdang maintains old-school generosity through its banchan. The centerpiece is the rolled omelet (gyeran-mari), an item many modern spots charge for as an extra, which arrives freely replenished alongside seasoned fish cakes, radishes, and house kimchi. Parking along the street is tight, but a quiet, honest feast—grounded in bubbling pots and sizzling pork—awaits inside.
Menu
- Kimchi Stew₩10,000
- Fresh Pork Belly (Skin-on)₩17,000
- Pork Bulgogi Set₩10,000
- Soybean Paste Stew₩9,000
- Sundubu Jjigae₩9,000
- Cheonggukjang₩9,000
- Budae Jjigae (2 Min.)₩10,000
- Spicy Stir-fried Pork₩11,000
- Squid Stir-fry (2 Min.)₩12,000
- 생 돼지양념갈비 (200g)₩17,000
Local tips
- Add ramen noodles to the kimchi stew for extra richness and texture.
- Rolled egg omelet (gyeran-mari) side dishes are refillable upon request.
- Street parking is tight; use the nearby Daewang Elementary School public lot if full.
- Opens early from 06:00, convenient for early breakfast or hearty lunch.
Details
- Suseo Station
Opening hours
- Sunday
- 06:00–22:00
- Monday
- 06:00–22:00
- Tuesday
- 06:00–22:00
- Wednesday
- 06:00–22:00
- Thursday
- 06:00–22:00
- Friday
- 06:00–22:00
- Saturday
- 06:00–22:00