Namhangang Maeuntang & Hongdaepo: Indeogwon Ppaga Stew Review

Hello! Today I visited an Indeogwon maeuntang specialist called Namhangang Maeuntang & Hongdaepo. The restaurant specializes in maeuntang, yeonpotang, and haesintang. If you are craving a hot, warming soup during cold winter weather, this is a place the reviewer recommends trying at least once.

The location is around the area between Indeogwon and Pyeongchon Station. From the reviewer’s impression, visiting by public transportation looked more convenient than coming by car. Listed hours: 10:00-22:00 Break time: 14:30-16:30 No break time on weekends Closed regularly on the fourth Sunday of every month Parking: The sign says parking is possible in front of the restaurant, but when the reviewer saw it in person, it looked like there was space for about one car. If you need parking, the reviewer recommends calling before you go.

Order: Ppaga maeuntang Ramen sari Bowl of rice

There were also many clear-broth soup options, but on this visit the reviewer was craving a spicy maeuntang, so they chose ppaga maeuntang. They asked the owner which maeuntang was popular, and the owner recommended ppaga maeuntang because it is soft and tasty. After trying it, the reviewer felt asking the owner had been the right decision.

The source says that when eating maeuntang, adding Korean mitten crab and shrimp can boost the umami and make the stew tastier. The recommended way to eat it was to let it boil well, eat the vegetables and handmade sujebi first, and save the fish for closer to the end. The reviewer also notes that broth should be added only minimally so you can enjoy the original, deep flavor of the maeuntang.

After ordering, the side dishes were set out first. After tasting them, the reviewer felt the kimchi seemed to be made in-house. It had a deep flavor and tasted good enough that they refilled it.

This was the small size of ppaga maeuntang, meant for two people. The portion was quite generous. It came out cooked from the kitchen, and the staff said to simmer it a little more, then start with the vegetables once they softened.

While it was cooking, the owner came over to explain how to eat it. They said the sujebi was handmade and delicious, and told the reviewer to scoop out the vegetables and sujebi first. The owner also said not to leave it too long because it would not taste as good. The reviewer described the owner’s warmth as very fatherly. The owner explained that many people often eat catfish, while ppaga may be less familiar, but that ppaga is a soft fish and should taste good. That friendly explanation made the whole meal feel warm.

This was the handmade sujebi. It was thin and chewy. Because it was thin, it cooked quickly, which is probably why the staff suggested eating it right away. As expected, it tasted better while it was still nicely chewy rather than waiting until later.

The ppaga fish went into the stew whole. The reviewer thought there were probably about three fish per person, around six in total. The portion felt very generous.

Each fish was in the pot whole, from head to tail, and the size was fairly large. After eating a good amount of sujebi, the reviewer took out the fish and found it savory, soft, and delicious.

The flesh was very tender. Rather than being only soft and falling apart, it had a gentle, slightly chewy texture. Since the name ppaga was unfamiliar, the reviewer did not expect this kind of texture, but their first ppaga maeuntang experience was a complete success. It was fun to pick the meat from the fish, and the broth was rich and tasty enough that they kept going back for more.

The broth was too good to leave behind, so the reviewer ordered rice and ramen sari as well. As the stew reduced, the broth became a little salty, so they added a small amount of water instead of more broth and boiled it again. Once cooked, the seasoning of the soup was just right. The broth had plenty of large bori shrimp, giving it a savory, deep flavor with a strong sea aroma. The reviewer felt it was on a different level from a simple maeuntang casually boiled with leftover fish heads at a sashimi restaurant. If you are looking for a carefully made maeuntang, the reviewer strongly recommends Namhangang Maeuntang & Hongdaepo. Original Korean hashtags from the review: #인덕원술집 #평촌역술집 #안양밥집 #인덕원역술집 #안양매운탕 #안양맛집 #안양술집 #인덕원매운탕 #안양해천탕 #인덕원회식추천 #안양회식추천 #평촌맛집 #평촌회식추천 #평촌매운탕 #평촌연포탕 #인덕원연포탕 #평촌문어맛집 #인덕원문어맛집