Skip to main content

[Seoul - Gwanghwamun] Koryo Samgyetang

Koryo Samgyetang (고려삼계탕) is a solid choice for samgyetang near Gwanghwamun and Gyeongbokgung, which makes it a great place to eat after touring the palace(s).

In Korea, it's common or tradition to eat samgyetang (or chicken) on three days of the year. These days are called 삼복 (sambok) - the three days are chobok (초복 - first of the days), jungbok (중복 - middle of the days), malbok (말복 - last of the days). I guess the equivalent of these days may be "dog days of summer", but I always think the English that means multiple consecutive days or weeks - like maybe all of August.

I decided to post today about Goryo Samgyetang because chobok is this Friday! So, read all my samgyetang posts to plan which samgyetang you will try in 2019.

Anyway, in Korea, you'll find hugenormous lines on these three days at all of your neighborhood samgyetang restaurants. The more famous samgyetang restaurants have lines on any day of the week, so prepare even more time if you plan to go on one o the sambok days.

If that's not your thing, most fried chicken shops run specials for that day.

I have been to Koryo many many times over the years. The food taste and quality is always pretty consistent. Samgyetang is one of those classic "traditional" Korean foods.

Its actually pretty easy to make, so you could always consider making it at home. Samgyetang basically consists of a full small chicken (I usually use a Cornish game hen when I make it at home) stuffed with sticky rice, Korean dates/jujubes, garlic, and ginseng roots.

The broth is a cloudy/clear chicken broth. I usually add some of the rock salt on the table to enhance the broth flavor. I kind of like this because you can control the amount of salt in the broth, so there's no one to blame but yourself if you find the soup to be too salty.

As you can see in the picture, as with the other samgyetang restaurants, you are given a small shot of  ginseng liquor. It's part of the experience, so you should try it the first time (you may choose to take it or leave it after the first time). You are also given two types of kimchi - the typical radish kimchi and the typical cabbage kimchi.

Koryo Samgyetang has other varieties of samgyetang, too. Some include samgyetang topped with abalone.

The price is not exactly cheap, but it's a very hearty meal, so I usually have it as my only meal for the day, so if you calculate it that way, it ends up not being too bad.

*FTC Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links which means, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click through the links provided and make a purchase.*

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

[Life in Korea] Part 4: How to operate air conditioner (Remote + Translations)

How to use Korean air conditioning? I saw a post on Facebook the other day asking for translations of the air conditioning remote and I realized that I've never made a post about it! So, here it is! How to use Korean air conditioner (Korean air con)

[Life in Korea] Doing Laundry in Korea - Korean Laundry Machines

How to do laundry in Korea? I thought back to what were some of my most pressing questions when I first moved to Korea, I remembered that laundry was one of those things that I was the most concerned about. Moving to and Living in Korea Series! Part 1: Packing for study/living in Korea  |  Part 2: Getting a Phone in Korea Part 3: Doing Laundry in Korea  |  Part 4: Using your air conditioner in Korea Laundry is important!

[Skincare Review] Head-to-Head Test: Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair vs. La Mer The Concentrate

 As promised, here is my blog comparing the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair vs. the La Mer The Concentrate. FTC disclaimer: I was sent both of these items for free in exchange for my full and honest review. I tried to be as scientific as humanly possible. I had a blinded reviewer (my mom) who was actually unaware I was even doing a skincare test, so her opinion is completely blinded and she tried really hard to give a full and honest review of differences she noticed. I did this for 2 weeks. In the 14 days before the test, I was testing out the Estee Lauder ANP product in exchange for my review. I had enough product left (and actually received a second sample to test). My nighttime skincare routine was the same as usual. 1) DHC Cleansing Oil - Buy from YesStyle | Buy from Amazon 2) Micellar Water (for eye makeup) 3) Rosette Cleansing Paste Sea Clay Smooth - Buy From YesStyle  | Buy from Amazon I used my PMD Clean (from CAUSEBOX) to wash my face. I've been loving this device, se