Joongrim Gak

About

Clean, spacious Chinese restaurant situated between Seoul Station and Chungjeongno Station offering classic Korean-Chinese noodle and stir-fry dishes.

Tucked along Cheongpa-ro between Seoul Station and Chungjeongno Station, Junglimgak offers an updated take on classic Korean-Chinese dining. While traditional neighborhood joints often lean worn and nostalgic, this two-story venue presents a bright, clean, grease-free interior. An alley staircase to the side leads diners directly to the expansive second-floor main dining hall, where tablet-equipped tables are spaced comfortably apart, while the first floor accommodates smaller gatherings with a dedicated ten-seat private room. The kitchen honors foundational standards, starting every table with raw onion slices, chunjang (black bean paste), and danmuji. The standard jjajangmyeon foregoes aggressive, artificial sweetness in favor of a glossy, familiar sauce that coats the noodles evenly. For a firmer bite, the ganjjajang arrives with a distinctly clean sauce profile and taut noodles that invite a generous shake of chili powder. The fiery red jjamppong rounds out the foundational noodle offerings, frequently paired in two-person sets to balance the savoury noodles with shareable fried mains. The fried dishes highlight the kitchen’s technique. The tangsuyuk emerges in a pale, clean batter that cracks crisply beneath the tooth, encasing thick, tender cuts of fresh pork devoid of gaminess. Diners favoring poultry often lean into the kkanpunggi (spicy fried chicken), seasoned to pair naturally with a dip mixed from vinegar, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes. Beyond the standard repertoire, the kitchen executes seafood and rice dishes with speed, turning out crispy kkanpung shrimp and comforting bowls of gaji deopbap (eggplant over rice). Between the quick table-side ordering, prompt cooking times, and designated parking arrangements at the nearby Siloam lot, Junglimgak functions as a remarkably efficient refuge for local office workers, casual dates, and large gatherings in need of dependable comfort food.