[Gyeongnam/Hadong] Seongnam Restaurant – A famous spot near Samseonggung Palace for bamboo rice and Jirisan wild vegetable set meals

On the second day of the trip to Hadong, to visit Samseonggung Palace
Since I had come deep into Jirisan, I looked for a restaurant nearby.
Hadong is famous for bamboo, enough to supply meals to Fu Bao's family.
The one I visited this timeSeongnam RestaurantIt is a place where you can enjoy a wild vegetable set meal along with bamboo rice.

To be honest, I didn't have high expectations when I first heard the name.
“It says ”Samseonggung Gourmet Restaurant Seongnam Restaurant,”,
It was probably because the name sounded too much like a restaurant specialized for tourist attractions.

A large sign reading “Seongnam Restaurant” stands out under the tiled roof.
It is said that this house has been in this spot since 1988.

In one corner of the entrance, there are bamboo shoots, bracken, aster, wild grape shoots, castor oil plants, dried persimmons, and even dried persimmon slices.
We are selling prepared specialties from Hadong and Jirisan separately.

There are also spacious outdoor tables like benches.
It seems like the atmosphere would be nice to dine outdoors with a group.

As I stepped inside, the structure of the old house with the rafters exposed was impressive.
Wooden pillars, low lighting, and old small tables neatly filled the space.

Daetongbap 15,000 won, Sanchae Jeongsik 13,000 won, Sanchae Bibimbap 11,000 won, Pajeon and Dotori Muk 10,000 won each.
For Daetongbap, orders must be made for two or more people, and since it takes a long time to prepare, it is best to make a reservation at least an hour in advance.
We visited Samseonggung after making a reservation by phone in advance.

As the table began to be set, an entire plate of seasoned vegetables caught everyone's attention.
Chamnamul, Chwinamul, dried Chwinamul, Minari, a mixture of Deulmaenamul and Sinseoncho, Gosari,
On top of that, shiitake mushrooms were served on one plate.

I'm not very good at tasting greens.
I kept reaching for my chopsticks, especially for the aroma and texture of the shiitake mushrooms.
The various wild greens eaten fresh from the source tasted outstandingly good—and it wasn't just my imagination.

Pickled vegetables and salted seafood were also served,
The salty umami flavor balanced well with the mild taste of the greens.
Whether it is seasoned greens or pickles, if you ask for as much as you need, they will refill it for you.

I had dongdongju with the meal.
Dongdongju is also called Buuiju because the fermented rice grains floating on it resemble ants.
I don't know if they made it themselves here, but with the rice grains floating on top, it lives up to its name.

It has a cloudy color, a thick texture, and a tingling throat hit that lingers after a subtle sweetness.
I wanted to try Sinseonju as well, but I gave up on it because it was a soju-based infused liquor with a medicinal herb aroma.
It is because my partner can't eat medicinal herbs, and I can't drink diluted soju.

The table was filled with bamboo rice, soybean paste soup, a plate of seasoned greens, a plate of pickled vegetables, and even a bamboo container filled with seasoned soybeans.

Inside the bamboo tube, black rice, mixed grains, chestnuts, dates, and beans were cooked in a balanced mixture.
The rice grains, subtly infused with the scent of bamboo, were savory on their own.

As I added the vegetables and mixed it vigorously, the aroma spread throughout the grains of rice.
The soybean paste seasoning made with homemade soybean paste is the kick.

It was a meal well worth the effort of venturing deep into Mt. Jiri.
It was by far the best meal I had in Hadong, and even for someone like me who doesn't prefer vegetarian meals
It was a refreshing shock. It was a day that made me realize just how important the freshness and quality of ingredients are.
I really enjoyed the meal 🙂