The Gwanghwamun area in Seoul is known as one of the city’s representative office-dense districts. As a result, you can find restaurants scattered all around to cater to the demand of office workers. Whether big or small, there are various dining options available. This time, taking advantage of the good weather after a long while, I strolled through the alleyways of Gwanghwamun and had a meal at a cozy Korean restaurant.
“Seoul Gwanghwamun Cozy Homestyle Restaurant: Taeseong Sikdang”
Taeseong Sikdang is a small restaurant located west of Gwanghwamun Square, in the vicinity of Gyeonghuigung Palace’s Morning Apartments and offices. You can find it on a slightly shabby and aged alley across from Seonggok Art Museum.
The overall atmosphere exudes a sense that it has been in business for a long time. It likely carries an atmosphere where quite a number of people have dined over the years.
“Menu at Taeseong Sikdang”
Taeseong Sikdang offers simple Korean dishes, impressing with home-cooked meals reminiscent of what you might have at home. It’s a good place to visit on days when you crave the taste of home-cooked rice.
The prices are also quite reasonable, with meals ranging from KRW 7,000 to KRW 8,000 per menu item.
- Grilled Mackerel Rice Set: KRW 8,000
- Bulgogi Hot Pot: KRW 8,000
- Spicy Chicken Stir-fry Hot Pot: KRW 8,000
- Bibimbap (Mixed Rice): KRW 8,000
- Kimchi Stew: KRW 7,000
- Doenjang Stew: KRW 7,000
- Soft Tofu Stew: KRW 7,000
- Tteok Mandu Ramen: KRW 6,000
- Tteok Ramen: KRW 5,000
- Ramen: KRW 4,000
“Grilled Mackerel Rice Set: KRW 8,000, Doenjang Stew: KRW 7,000”
On this day, two of us visited and ordered one Grilled Mackerel Rice Set and one Doenjang Stew. The prices were KRW 8,000 and KRW 7,000 respectively, which is quite reasonable.
Once you place your order, first, side dishes are provided. There are five side dishes that are commonly seen at home, such as kimchi, bean sprout salad, assorted greens, and fish cake stir-fry.
Then, Grilled Mackerel and Doenjang Stew are served. Grilled Mackerel is served with two pieces per serving. While they weren’t particularly large, considering the recent increase in prices, they were of a reasonable size.
Overall, it’s a restaurant that exudes a nostalgic feeling. It feels like dining in a place with many memories. Especially, being situated in the bustling area of Gwanghwamun, it blends seamlessly into the everyday neighborhood alley scenery, making it feel even more natural.
“Seoul Gwanghwamun Restaurant: Taeseong Sikdang”
- Address: 43-1 Gyeonghuigung-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
- Phone Number: 02-722-4254
- Operating Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM