Lee Soonae Soondae Gukbap 이순애 순대국밥 (Oedo-dong, Jeju City)

There are very few restaurants I review without getting a friendly recommendation or doing a quick Internet search, so it was quite the surprise when my girlfriend and I stumbled upon yet another solid restaurant in our neighborhood (Oedo-dong, 15 minute drive west of Jeju City). They specialize in a handful of dishes including the likes of their signature Soondae Gukbap (“Blood Sausage Rice Soup”), Doma Soondae (Blood Sausage on Wooden Cutting Board), and Dwenjang Ttukbaegi (Soybean Paste Soup w Seafood). The one thing that differentiates this place from others is the rice. Instead of getting just plain rice with the main dish, the restaurant gives you a large bowl filled with a rice, an egg, and seaweed shavings for you to make your own “self-service” Bibimbab. The four ingredients/toppings are essentially popular banchan (side dish) varieties selected according to your preference. That’s right, a delicious and healthy bowl of Korea’s representative dish provided with your choice of soup served in a bubbling ceramic hot pot. I ordered the soybean paste soup that had a good amount of seafood in it, giving the broth a nice balance of flavors. The combination of the bibimbab and the soup really hit the spot in comparison to other places that only give you plain white rice. My girlfriend ordered the Soondae Gukbap and didn’t bother to talk to me until after finishing her meal (meaning it was that good). I am not a big fan of blood sausage, so I passed on this occasion. Lastly, and if things couldn’t get any better, the restaurant has some unbelievable prices. Most of the dishes run about 6 or 7,000 won, which made our lunch a very very reasonable 13,000 won (approx. $13). With three locations on Jeju Island, make a stop for some no-fuss, unpretentious food that will leave you feeling super satisfied. 🙂

“You don’t need a silver fork to eat good food.” ~ Paul Prudhomme

Food: ★★★★ out of 5 stars

Service: ★★★★½ out of 5 stars

Ambiance: ★★★★ out of 5 stars

Value: ★★★★★ out of 5 stars

Lee Soonae Soondae Gukbap (이순애 순대국밥)

534-1 Oedo-dong, Jeju City (제주시 외도1동 534-1)

Phone: 064-743-5160

Hours of Operation: 7:30am ~ 7:30pm

Click here for Oedo-dong: http://me2.do/567ET9xf