Ikseondong Hanok Village is a hot trending place right now with lots of good eats. I was wandering around one evening and had a great meal there.
Ikseondong 益善洞 is a popular historic neighbourhood in Seoul’s Jongno-gu district, known for its charming alleys and renovated hanok (traditional Korean houses), which now house modern cafes, restaurants, craft shops, and tea houses.
Ikseon Yorok 인성요록 is a lovely Korean fusion restaurant, and what caught my eyes was a dish called Singapore and Korean Fusion Style Chicken Rice. But that was not what I ordered 🙂 I was a one person only but was happy that they found a table for me fast.
The beautifully designed restaurant blends traditional Korean architecture with a modern, stylish interior. The setting is warm and intimate, perfect for a relaxing meal.
The menu focuses on elevated Korean comfort food, beautifully presented with seasonal touches. Menu has about 6 main dishes to choose from and a small selection of stews.
I didn’t travel all the way to Seoul to have Singapore chicken rice. So I went for the most local of local favourites – Gopchang-jeongol.
Gopchang-jeongol is a hearty and spicy Korean hot pot dish featuring beef intestines (gopchang) simmered with vegetables like onions, cabbage, and mushrooms, and flavoured with a rich broth of beef broth, gochujang (Korean chilli paste), and gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes).
Common additions include onions, green onions, cabbage, crown daisy, and shiitake mushrooms.
The casserole, which is seasoned with a hot and spicy red chilli-based sauce, was served as a main entrée. The main ingredient, which are the small intestines of a cow, known for their fatty and chewy texture.
Although the dish is mainly based on beef gopchang, other parts of beef innards are also used to give the dish a richer flavour and chewy texture. The spicy and tangy broth is a perfect blend of beef tripe and tendon.
The most popular and appropriate sauce to serve with gopchang jeongol is ssamjang, a savoury, sweet, and spicy Korean dipping sauce made from doenjang (fermented soybean paste) and gochujang (fermented chilli paste), garlic, and onion.
I ordered a side dish as there wasn’t any banchan that came with the main course. 고추튀김 Chilli Fritters looked like deep fried banana fritters, and had the same sweet batter.
Ordering in Korean has been a blind tasting for me, as I don’t understand the language and translation apps are not exactly accurate. I thought it was just green chillis, battered and deep fried. I was surprised by the filling in the chilli.
Often considered a comforting soul food and a popular pairing with drinks, this stew allows for the addition of noodles like udon or glass noodles and can be finished with rice stir-fried in the remaining sauce.
The ramyeon was a wonderful end otherwise a delicious meal. Beyond just food, ramyeon holds cultural significance as a hangover cure and has become a symbol in Korean pop culture, with phrases like “Do you want to eat ramyeon at my place?” signifying a romantic invitation.
Very quick and friendly service. The food is reasonably priced. A great place for a casual lunch or dinner. “Do you want to eat ramyeon at my place?”
Ikseon Yorok Restaurant 인성요록
South Korea, Seoul, Jongno District, Ikseon-dong, 166-36 1층
Tel : +82 50-71477-2310
Visited Jun 2025
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