Tongnamujip
통나무집
About
Long-running certified Baeknyeon Gage in Gwacheon specializing in classic army stew and chewy braised pig trotters.
Tucked inside the Jungang Arcade near Government Complex Gwacheon Station, Tongnamujip has anchored the local dining scene since 1990. Recognized officially as a Baeknyeon Gage (Centennial Shop) and bearing four Blue Ribbon survey stickers, this weathered nopo trades in comforting nostalgia and an unapologetically focused menu. The two-story space wears its decades openly. Downstairs accommodates just three tables alongside an ordering tablet, while a narrow staircase leads up to a low-ceilinged floor-seating loft where diners stoop to find their place on the mats. Vintage tabletop gas burners, seasoned with years of simmering broths, reinforce the lived-in, analog character that drew the cameras of food travel shows like *Jeon Hyun-moo Plan*. The restaurant stakes its reputation on two pillars: budae jjigae (army stew) and jokbal (braised pig's trotters). The budae jjigae, ordered in portions for two or more, arrives packed generously with sausages, spam, and aromatics, accompanied by a clean side of fermented baechu kimchi and a chilled bowl of refreshing dongchimi broth. Bowls of rice are ordered separately to sop up the deep, crimson stew as it reduces on the seasoned burner. For evening crowds, the wang-jokbal takes center stage. Sliced generously with a deep, glossy sheen, the trotters are renowned for their intensely sticky, gelatinous skin and tender meat. Diners wrap thick pieces in fresh lettuce with spicy scallion salad (pajeori), garlic, ssamjang, and salted fermented shrimp, punctuated by crisp bites of seokbakji (radish kimchi). Whether settling under the low rafters of the attic floor after a trip to Seoul Grand Park or carrying out a hefty parcel of trotters, visitors find the draw remains unchanged: robust, communal portions served in a room that holds onto every year of its history.
Menu
- Budae Jjigae (Army Stew)
- Jokbal (Braised Pig's Trotters)
- Oxtail Soup₩55,000
- 도가니랑₩573,000
- Special Ox Bone Soup₩16,000
- Ox Bone Soup₩13,000
- Ox Blood Hangover Soup₩12,000
- King Beef Short Rib Soup₩16,000
- Pollock Stew₩12,000
- Cold Noodles₩12,000
Local tips
- Budae jjigae requires an order of at least 2 portions and rice is sold separately.
- The 2nd floor seating is low-ceilinged traditional floor sitting, so request 1st floor tables if mobility is an issue.
- Order conveniently via tabletop tablets at your seat.
- Only takeout orders are accepted during break time.
Details
- Government Complex Gwacheon
Opening hours
- Sunday
- 10:00–22:00
- Monday
- 10:00–22:00
- Tuesday
- 10:00–22:00
- Wednesday
- 10:00–22:00
- Thursday
- 10:00–22:00
- Friday
- 10:00–22:00
- Saturday
- 10:00–22:00