There are some foods that sound terrible on paper but end up being quite pleasing. Yukhoe (raw beef tartare) and sannakji fall into that category for me, especially since I have a weakness for anything raw. But, most recently, I got to try something new that had me thinking, “this is gonna be interesting and challenging.” This is where woo-jok-tang (ox hoof soup) comes in.

As it was my first time trying this unique and relatively hard-to-find soup, I couldn’t have been more fortunate to try it at a reputable restaurant open since 1969. Serving a handful of beef bone soups at modest prices, the hearty, nutrient-rich soup at Dangnagwi Jip (Donkey House) was essentially a clone of dogani-tang (ox knee and cartilage soup), albeit with a hockey-puck-sized bone left intact. After cutting off the cartilage and tendon-y bits from the bone, I really enjoyed the taste and texture combined with the soothing broth. It was, texture-wise, slightly crunchier and chewier compared to dogani-tang, but it was delicious nonetheless. My eating companion had the seolleongtang (beef bone soup with brisket), which was hearty and meaty.

Overall, I really enjoyed the invigorating soups, the old-school ambiance, and friendly service. Would I try the woojoktang again? Probably not, only because it was a pain having to cut it up into edible bites. But, I could find myself here as regular because they also serve the more popular seolleongtang for a ridiculous 6,000 won and samgyetang at a modest price of 11,000 won.

Food: ★★★★½ out of 5 stars

Service: ★★★★ out of 5 stars

Ambiance: ★★★½ out of 5 stars

Value: ★★★★½ out of 5 stars

Dangnagwi Jip 당나귀집

Suyu-1dong 48-11, Gangbuk-gu (강북구 수유1동 48-11)

Phone: 02-988-0766

Hours: Open every day 11:00 am ~ 10:00 pm except Sundays

Click here for an interactive map: http://naver.me/xJIsTjAT