Tosokchon Samgyetang
After spending the morning exploring the magnificent Gyeongbokgung Palace, we joined another Seoul institution just a few minutes away. Tosokchon Samgyetang has been serving its famous ginseng chicken soup for decades and is widely regarded as one of the city's must visit restaurants.
Just days after our visit in June, the restaurant found itself back in the headlines when NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang stopped by for a meal, sending food lovers and tech enthusiasts into a frenzy. We had unknowingly beaten him to it!
Despite its popularity, the queue moved surprisingly quickly. Before long, we were seated inside the beautiful hanok style restaurant, where a complimentary cup of fragrant ginseng liquor was served to whet our appetites.
Each bubbling claypot held a whole young chicken stuffed with glutinous rice, red dates, chestnuts, green beans, ginkgo nuts and ginseng. Just before serving, shredded wild ginseng roots were sprinkled over the soup, adding another layer of aroma. The broth was unlike the clear chicken soups many of us are familiar with. It was creamy, rich and wonderfully nutty, with the sweetness of the chicken balanced by the earthy fragrance of the herbs. Every spoonful felt nourishing without being overwhelming.
The chicken itself was incredibly tender, falling apart effortlessly with just a pair of chopsticks. Hidden inside was the glutinous rice that had absorbed all the goodness of the broth, making every bite even more satisfying.
The black chicken version was equally enjoyable. Its meat had a firmer texture and a deeper, richer flavour that paired beautifully with the herbal soup. It was interesting to taste both versions side by side.
The accompanying garlic cloves, crunchy radish kimchi and cabbage kimchi provided welcome bursts of freshness, while a little soybean paste added another dimension to the soup if you preferred a stronger flavour.
We also ordered the seafood pancake. Unlike the crispy versions often found elsewhere, this one leaned more towards a fluffy omelette. It had plenty of egg and was lightly browned rather than heavily charred, making it soft and comforting. The rotisserie chicken was juicy with beautifully tender meat, although I personally would have preferred the skin to be a little crispier.
Some restaurants become famous because of social media. Tosokchon became famous because it has consistently served an iconic dish that generations of locals and visitors continue to return for. The recent visit by Jensen Huang may have put it back in the spotlight, but one bowl of their legendary samgyetang is enough to understand why this place has remained a Seoul favourite for so many years.
