When I think of eating in Byeongsan-dong, potato pancakes and jang-kalguksu—the local spicy noodle soup—usually come to mind. With several restaurants serving these dishes in the neighborhood, they feel like the natural choice.
Among them is Ongsimi Junggukjip (옹심이 중국집), a Korean-Chinese restaurant that takes potatoes in a different direction. Its name makes more sense once you see the menu: ongsimi tangsuyuk and beef brisket jjamppong with wide ongsimi noodles.
Ongsimi are chewy potato dumplings associated with Gangneung. Here, that familiar local ingredient finds its way into Chinese-style dishes.
The Wide Noodles Are What Stand Out
The dish I’d start with is ongsimi flat-noodle chadol jjamppong—a spicy noodle soup with beef brisket.
It comes with both regular Chinese-style noodles and wide noodles made with ongsimi dough. As I eat, I find myself picking out the wide ones. They have a noticeably chewier texture, with a gentle potato flavor that becomes more apparent as you chew.
Trying the two kinds of noodles side by side makes the difference especially clear. The regular noodles give you the familiar jjamppong experience, while the broad potato noodles add a springy, satisfying bite.
It is still a recognizable bowl of jjamppong, but the noodles give it a character of its own.
Ongsimi Tangsuyuk
The ongsimi tangsuyuk combines fried potato dumplings with battered pork and sweet-and-sour sauce.
The appeal is the contrast: crisp pieces of pork alongside chewy ongsimi. If you’re eating with someone else, it’s a dish to share with the jjamppong, letting you try the potato dough in two different forms.
A small ongsimi tangsuyuk costs ₩24,000, the ongsimi flat-noodle beef brisket jjamppong is ₩14,000, and yukmi jjajangmyeon—noodles in black bean sauce—is ₩8,000.
Something Different in Byeongsan-dong
There’s a temptation to order potato pancakes or jang-kalguksu simply because you’re in Byeongsan-dong. Both make sense here, but there are plenty of opportunities to eat them elsewhere in Gangneung, too.
Chinese-style dishes made with ongsimi are a less familiar combination. That’s what makes this restaurant interesting to me: it offers a different way to enjoy an ingredient closely associated with the city.
For a day when I want something a little different that still feels connected to Gangneung, this is the kind of meal I have in mind.
Visiting Ongsimi Junggukjip
Korean name: 옹심이 중국집
Address: 28 Gonghang-gil, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do, South Korea
Address in Korean: 강원특별자치도 강릉시 공항길 28
Phone: +82-33-652-0104
Closed: Thursdays
Opening hours: Call ahead to confirm
Parking: Available
Waiting: Usually little waiting on weekdays; a short wait is possible on weekends
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